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brigid94's review
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lovelyoutliers's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A novel set on a boat transporting women convicted of theft or other petty crimes from the UK to Tasmania. The madam in charge of ensuring the sage transform of the women had a compassionate view of the convicts, understanding that circumstances often leave no choices, underlying crimes.
A groups of 18 were selected to work on a patchwork quilt, so it rotates through this cast and tries to unpick a mysterious stabbing of a passenger
A groups of 18 were selected to work on a patchwork quilt, so it rotates through this cast and tries to unpick a mysterious stabbing of a passenger
booklove33's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
chrissireads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
nora_rue's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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
3.0
smalltownbookmom's review
3.0
3.5 - This story takes place almost exclusively on board the transport ship Rajah in 1841, bringing almost 200 female convicts to Van Diem’s land in the Australian colony. I liked the historical ties to an actual voyage and that the embroidery the women work on during the voyage actually exists in an Australian museum. However, the story overall seemed a little too positive for what was no doubt a very horrible experience for the women. The author touches on some of the women’s hardships and there’s a murder mystery that slowly gets solved as the novel progresses. It was really difficult not to compare the book to The exiles by Christina Baker Kline - another book about female convicts sent to Australia and it just didn’t quite live up to the depth and historical accuracy of that book. Still an okay and entertaining read, just not as much attention to historical accuracy and realism as I was hoping for. I was also disappointed we didn’t get to see anything of the women’s lives once they arrived in the colony.
lucyrambles's review
5.0
**Sent to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Michael Joseph Books for having me on the tour.**
Oh my – where do I even begin to review the marvellous Dangerous Women? I must admit it’s been quite some time since I’ve had my mind blown by plot twists. If there’s one thing I can say about this book it’s that the plot twists are seemingly as endless as the sea they’re sailing upon.
The camaraderie between the women was heart-warming even if their relationships started off a little rocky. Their deep bond forms the longer they’re on the voyage to Australia destined for new lives. Each one who works on the coverlet with Kezia, the ship’s matron, has a truly tragic story to share about how they ended up in prison. The tales riddled with sexism, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, poverty, and pain were deeply disturbing and brought the human element to every character. It made me realise that it’s so easy to judge people for small misdemeanors without seeing the bigger picture. Dangerous Women encapsulated the need we must have to stand together against adversity.
Read the rest of my review on lucyrambles.com
Oh my – where do I even begin to review the marvellous Dangerous Women? I must admit it’s been quite some time since I’ve had my mind blown by plot twists. If there’s one thing I can say about this book it’s that the plot twists are seemingly as endless as the sea they’re sailing upon.
The camaraderie between the women was heart-warming even if their relationships started off a little rocky. Their deep bond forms the longer they’re on the voyage to Australia destined for new lives. Each one who works on the coverlet with Kezia, the ship’s matron, has a truly tragic story to share about how they ended up in prison. The tales riddled with sexism, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, poverty, and pain were deeply disturbing and brought the human element to every character. It made me realise that it’s so easy to judge people for small misdemeanors without seeing the bigger picture. Dangerous Women encapsulated the need we must have to stand together against adversity.
Read the rest of my review on lucyrambles.com
kstrahm21's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
xom4e's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I found myself bored a lot, which is why I’m only giving it 3 1/2 stars, but I think the story was well written. I also liked the alternating timelines and different character point of views. My only issue with the point of view is that it jumped from first person to omniscient, so it was difficult to remembering whose point of view we were looking at, and from which alternating narration standpoint. Other than that, check trigger warnings, but get ready for a wild and interesting ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Sexual violence, Death, Infertility, Abandonment, Abortion, Child death, Body shaming, Cursing, Pregnancy, Bullying, Confinement, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Violence