inkdrinkers's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

"The choice is entirely up to her."

The upcoming nuptials of King George have sent the palace ablaze. Princess Charlotte of Germany is... darker than any of the palace expected, leading to The Great Experiment and whether or not the ton can be united as one, regardless of skin color. But despite the social shifting occuring, the new King and Queen are at odds with one another as George struggles to hide his own secrets from his new bride.

Oof. Total honesty - I read up to 50% and skimmed the rest. This just wasn't it for me. The magic of Julia Quinn's other novels just wasn't in this one. I found it really hard to connect to Charlotte as a character because she genuinely felt like she didn't have much of a personality other than being brash and blunt. I would have adored to see the backstory of her leading up to her arrival in London, being told she had to have a marriage of convenience and setting up her and George. The other aspects of the novel just seemed to happen to her, instead of her having an active part in her own story. George was also the kind of love interest I just... didn't like. Coupled with the fact there is so much torture and horrific depictions of mental healthcare via him, it just became too much to read about.

On a technical level this novel is really poorly done. I wish I had understood it's a straight to page adaption from the show (which I've not watched yet - maybe the actors can sell this plot) but Quinn's magic of the Ton and the way London society works is all gone. It's dreadfully bland, with paragraphs and paragraphs of just pure dialogue moving the book forward. It almost reads like a script, which is maybe some of Shonda Rhimes' input, but it felt off. It was all just so bizzare? The sex scenes (that I got to) were also really awkwardly written and I couldn't help but be painfully aware that Charlotte is seventeen in this (unlike Quinn's other heroines who are at least legal). It just missed the mark entirely for me and I feel icky and don't want to waste anymore time on it.

Content warnings: Mental illness (George's mental illness is very present), Physical abuse/Torture (via medical doctor, it's so uncomfortable and graphic), rape/sexual content (via marriage bonds), racism (via skin color descriptions/society) 

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author2223's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75


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venusf1ytrap's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful tense
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0


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booksalacarte's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

5⭐️ 3🌶️

Multi POV. I loved hearing Charlotte, George, Agatha, and Brimley’s POV. 

Agatha’s circumstances broke my heart. Bringing forward the historic practice of arranged marriage contracts between with children. It was a horrific common practice. 

The bee Easter eggs were perfect.

The ages are accurate, but didn’t set well with the idea of Charlotte (and Agatha) being an actual child bride. 

This was such an interesting look into the marriage of someone who had manic episodes and mental health issues. It was heartbreaking and eye opening. 

I’m a sobbing mess at the end. Oh my! Check your trigger warnings.


🏳️‍🌈 rep
Miscommunication trope
Secrets
Mental health rep
Naive bride


TW
Physical and mental abuse
Abandonment
Adult/minor relationship
Classism
Confinement
Death
Forced institutionalism
Gaslighting
Racism
Medical trauma
Mental illness
Panic attacks/disorder
Pregnancy
Child birth
Rape
Schizophrenia/psychosis
Sexual content
Sexual assault
Torture


If I don’t get more of Agatha’s son, I’ll be furious. He was such a little cute addition to the story.

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