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sauvageloup's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
a brilliant romp, feeling new and fresh even when treading on well worn paths, and with emotional depth.
pros:
- the writing flows well, is light and amusing and plows along with all Eddie' eagerness. I liked the banter and the dialogue, the descriptions were visual and conjured up vivid scenes, especially Saint Bede's island in the dark, Rose's appearance, the clothing, the crumbling house, etc.
- I really liked Eddie and Rose as main characters, and all the side characters are fleshed out and real, with all their depths and foibles. Eddie is very much an unreliable narrator and its through her eyes we get to realise that Albert is a decent guy and Nash is the worst. Though the signs for the reader are all there, it's still gripping to see how itll unfold and satisfying when Eddie realises.
- the characters of Kitty, Valentine, Dayo, Liza, Albert, etc. all had their own motivations and quirks, and their own relationship with the other characters, including Nash. Dayo's campaign to bring about abolition was a good inclusion, and we got to hear about Kitty's passion for painting, Albert's rabbits (a reoccurring joke that I nonetheless thought wholesome). Juno the dog was even a fun character in herself, though I rather expected her to dig up some ominous bone or get stuck or find a ghost in the forest.
- I liked the setting and the Regency time period, with the contrasts of different levels of proprietary and the dropping in of real historical people, like Shelley and Byron.
- Even though I feel most twists were fairly evident: that Nash only wanted to have sex with Eddie, that she and rose were in love, that Nash had stolen the manuscript, the maid being murdered by Nash's father, etc.. I still managed to be surprised by others, like Albert being gay (which I really should have seen coming), the murdered maid being Henry's mother, Nash publishing Eddie's manuscript, etc. which were fun to discover.
- I liked Eddie and Rose's different journeys and how they found themselves at different times. their friendship/budding romance was so well written, i loved the ebb and flow and the depiction of their tension, quarrels, intimacy, sexual attraction, forgiveness, etc. That was so well done.
cons:
- the start felt slow and a bit shallow. I didnt much like Eddie at all and it was all too Brigerton at that point. it really picked up for me as Eddie got drawn in and the stakes went up, with more dark edges to Nash and debauchery.
- I thought there was a real lack of resolution with Henry and Nash both. I wish Henry could have challenged Nate about the locket, his mother, and the assault. I felt it was glossed over that Nash sexually assaulted Henry, though that threat lingers in the latter half of the book against Eddie. It was left unclear whether anyone got shot with the pistol and I'm not sure Eddie got to see Henry after that. that was a bit of hanging loose end unless we're meant to think that Nash murdered Henry and just cleared him away, which doesn't seem likely, but if it was then....
- it's frustrating that Nash never got any more severe punishment for stealing Eddie's manuscript, lying, cheating on Liza, verbally abusing Eddie, nonconsensually kissing her, and force feeding her drugs... she should have slapped him at least, and then got him denounced in the papers. instead we get a lacklustre end note. guess I'm more vengeful but I definitely didnt feel he got taught any lesson!
but overall, this was a thrilling and gripping ride with great writing and I enjoyed it :)
pros:
- the writing flows well, is light and amusing and plows along with all Eddie' eagerness. I liked the banter and the dialogue, the descriptions were visual and conjured up vivid scenes, especially Saint Bede's island in the dark, Rose's appearance, the clothing, the crumbling house, etc.
- I really liked Eddie and Rose as main characters, and all the side characters are fleshed out and real, with all their depths and foibles.
- the characters of Kitty, Valentine, Dayo, Liza, Albert, etc. all had their own motivations and quirks, and their own relationship with the other characters, including Nash. Dayo's campaign to bring about abolition was a good inclusion, and we got to hear about Kitty's passion for painting, Albert's rabbits (a reoccurring joke that I nonetheless thought wholesome). Juno the dog was even a fun character in herself, though I rather expected her to dig up some ominous bone or get stuck or find a ghost in the forest.
- I liked the setting and the Regency time period, with the contrasts of different levels of proprietary and the dropping in of real historical people, like Shelley and Byron.
-
- I liked Eddie and Rose's different journeys and how they found themselves at different times. their friendship/budding romance was so well written, i loved the ebb and flow and the depiction of their tension, quarrels, intimacy, sexual attraction, forgiveness, etc. That was so well done.
cons:
- the start felt slow and a bit shallow. I didnt much like Eddie at all and it was all too Brigerton at that point. it really picked up for me as Eddie got drawn in and the stakes went up, with more dark edges to Nash and debauchery.
- I thought there was a real lack of resolution with Henry and Nash both. I wish Henry could have challenged Nate about the locket, his mother, and the assault. I felt it was glossed over that Nash sexually assaulted Henry, though that threat lingers in the latter half of the book against Eddie. It was left unclear whether anyone got shot with the pistol and I'm not sure Eddie got to see Henry after that. that was a bit of hanging loose end unless we're meant to think that Nash murdered Henry and just cleared him away, which doesn't seem likely, but if it was then....
- it's frustrating that Nash never got any more severe punishment for stealing Eddie's manuscript, lying, cheating on Liza, verbally abusing Eddie, nonconsensually kissing her, and force feeding her drugs... she should have slapped him at least, and then got him denounced in the papers. instead we get a lacklustre end note. guess I'm more vengeful but I definitely didnt feel he got taught any lesson!
but overall, this was a thrilling and gripping ride with great writing and I enjoyed it :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gaslighting, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Vomit, Blood, Classism, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Addiction, Death, and Grief
near drowningzoloft_lesbian's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
this was a very smart little book. I really fucking loved it!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Alcoholism
chr_luisa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Classism
gidgetdraws's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I wanted to enjoy this, I really did. The main character, Eddie, was deeply unlikeable with little character development.
I had to remind myself constantly that Eddie was 22 and not younger for the way she thought and acted, which could be chalked up to being sheltered and naive, but for her age it truly went far beyond any reasonable parameter. Which also gave me a strong ick for Nash I couldn’t shake. I wasn’t convinced of him as a love interest from the beginning, being married aside. His behaviorisms would be considered grooming and predatory as he takes full advantage of the power dynamic between himself and Eddie, which in the end was the whole reason of his character and very predictable—without going into too much detail—and I was not shocked at all by the ending considering the emotional, sexual, and drug abuse he inflicted upon Eddie continuously.
Lastly, I strongly suggest a trigger warning for themes of Sexual Assault, Emotional Abuse, and Drug Abuse be added to this book, and I’m deeply disappointed there isn’t already. I like to think I’m hard to shake despite my life experiences but I was deeply unsettled by these themes and how nonchalantly they were written out and shrugged off. These are very accurate and real depictions without any sort of warning to prospective readers.
Lastly, I strongly suggest a trigger warning for themes of Sexual Assault, Emotional Abuse, and Drug Abuse be added to this book, and I’m deeply disappointed there isn’t already. I like to think I’m hard to shake despite my life experiences but I was deeply unsettled by these themes and how nonchalantly they were written out and shrugged off. These are very accurate and real depictions without any sort of warning to prospective readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
patricktreads's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was very excited bout this work because I had recently read a lot of period romance pieces. However, something about the vibes in this book just felt off. I did think the writing was well done, but I genuinely hated many of the characters, one of which being a main character.
I feel like if a few of the romance elements had been changed, it plus have been a lot better for my vibes.
Even with that I think the narrator did an absolutely amazing job in the performance of the work. All of the voices were uniquely done, an the dramatization was superb.
In the end I gave this a 3 stars, and I would like to thank NetGalley n the publisher for this audio arc
I feel like if a few of the romance elements had been changed, it plus have been a lot better for my vibes.
Even with that I think the narrator did an absolutely amazing job in the performance of the work. All of the voices were uniquely done, an the dramatization was superb.
In the end I gave this a 3 stars, and I would like to thank NetGalley n the publisher for this audio arc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Biphobia, Bullying, Classism, and Toxic friendship
morbidmuffin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, and Drug use
samvansam's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
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