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amy_reading_23's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one. It's possibly one of the best historical novels I've read as it does truly bring Elizabethan England to life. There was also a lightheartedness to this novel that the first one lacked. I also enjoyed the more focused exploration of witchcraft.
The only reason I won't give it 4 stars is because I still don't like how Matthew treats Diana. Mostly he is better than the first book but that's not saying much. He is still abusive and its still excused as being because of his vampirism and past. It is such a shame as without that these would be great books.
The only reason I won't give it 4 stars is because I still don't like how Matthew treats Diana. Mostly he is better than the first book but that's not saying much. He is still abusive and its still excused as being because of his vampirism and past. It is such a shame as without that these would be great books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Blood
hexenlibrarian's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, and Blood
katielaine_w's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Turned from a problematic relationship to an abusive one all the good parts of the world building were thrown out ant turned into literal knitting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic relationship
effervescent_worm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
kpem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I really preferred the second book in this series to the first. There was a bigger cast of characters and an interesting setting. I was happy to get to more of the mysteries that are central to the main plot of the series, rather than some of the background information and description of Diana's initial attraction to Matthew that dominated the first book. I still felt that there was too much unnecessary, dense description at times, though with the Elizabethan setting it was often more interesting than in A Discovery of Witches. Still, it often seemed that the characters had forgotten about their reasons for coming to the past for long stretches of time as they spent no time looking for the book of life or a teacher for Diana. So much so that I often had to stop and ask myself why they had gone back in time in the first place because I wasn't sure why they were doing some of the things they were doing.
I had two criticisms while reading, though. The first is that Diana and Matthew had seemingly no worries about changing the past at all. They don't even discuss it until they meet Diana's father very late in the book, and by then they had been living in the past for months, travelled the world and interacted with countless people of the past. It just seemed really strange to me, especially when Diana is a historian with great regard and knowledge of the past.
Another thing that bothered me was the way that Matthew's "blood rage" was discussed. I worry that the text wanted us to think of his blood rage in the same way that we think of mental illness. If this is the case, I am disturbed by the way that it was portrayed as purely genetic and mostly out of his control. I also have a hard time accepting the sacrifices that Diana has to make to deal with his blood rage. I know their relationship is meant to be fated in the series, but I think it's dangerous to use that as an excuse to keep characters in an abusive relationship and treat it like it's romantic. I was particularly bothered by the couple deciding that Matthew would drink Diana's blood, making it impossible for her to keep any secrets or thoughts/experiences to herself, to calm his rage. I don't think she should have to trade away any privacy for a husband who treats her with kindness. He may have had a real reason (the blood rage) for his struggles, but that doesn't mean Diana should have to be in a relationship with no boundaries and constant struggle.
Overall this was much better than the first book, in my opinion. It was dense, long and sometimes meandering, but usually interesting enough to stick with. I still have massive issues with Matthew, though this sequel did some work in making him a bit more sympathetic. The best parts by far, for me, were the times when Diana was with the characters that were new to the series, learning more about herself and her own powers.
Another thing that bothered me was the way that Matthew's "blood rage" was discussed. I worry that the text wanted us to think of his blood rage in the same way that we think of mental illness. If this is the case, I am disturbed by the way that it was portrayed as purely genetic and mostly out of his control. I also have a hard time accepting the sacrifices that Diana has to make to deal with his blood rage. I know their relationship is meant to be fated in the series, but I think it's dangerous to use that as an excuse to keep characters in an abusive relationship and treat it like it's romantic. I was particularly bothered by the couple deciding that Matthew would drink Diana's blood, making it impossible for her to keep any secrets or thoughts/experiences to herself, to calm his rage. I don't think she should have to trade away any privacy for a husband who treats her with kindness. He may have had a real reason (the blood rage) for his struggles, but that doesn't mean Diana should have to be in a relationship with no boundaries and constant struggle.
Overall this was much better than the first book, in my opinion. It was dense, long and sometimes meandering, but usually interesting enough to stick with. I still have massive issues with Matthew, though this sequel did some work in making him a bit more sympathetic. The best parts by far, for me, were the times when Diana was with the characters that were new to the series, learning more about herself and her own powers.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
elenamarmiroli's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Terza rilettura
Continuo a pensare che Matthew in quest'opera si comporti in modo molto discutibile nei confronti di Diana, ma nonostante ciò non riesco a non adorare questo libro.
Credo che la cosa che apprezzi maggiormente solo la quantità di avvenimenti che queste pagine contengono, ma anche gli sviluppi della magia di Diana.
Continuo a pensare che Matthew in quest'opera si comporti in modo molto discutibile nei confronti di Diana, ma nonostante ciò non riesco a non adorare questo libro.
Credo che la cosa che apprezzi maggiormente solo la quantità di avvenimenti che queste pagine contengono, ma anche gli sviluppi della magia di Diana.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Toxic relationship
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