Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - The Devil Comes Courting

Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan

8 reviews

jess_justmaybeperfect's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-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

4.75

The Devil Comes Courting is the third full length novel in this series. The love story is between Amelia Smith (genius Chinese-British woman, living with her adopted mother after being widowed young) and Captain Grayson Turner (brother to MC of book 2, Black American veteran of the US Civil War, and telegraph entrepreneur).

The beginning of the novel finds Grayson scouring Amelia's village for a reclusive genius, who turns out to be Amelia. He hires her to come work for his telegraph company and help him code Chinese characters.

The first half of the novel reads much more like historical fiction than a romance. There are sweet and subtle moments between them throughout, but what you really get at first is both MCs facing challenges, disappointments, and learning to be honest. Grayson is determined to avoid the sorrow that comes with visiting family and remembering his brothers killed in the war. Amelia is determined to put on a happy face despite the xenophobia/racism/sexism drilled into her by the woman (a British missionary) who adopted her.

Eventually Grayson gives Amelia encouragement to not be fine and think more deeply about her upbringing and how wonderful she is. Amelia asks Grayson whether he's happy, making him really think about happiness, and makes clear she thinks he's marvelous as is.

The racism, sexism, colonialism, and othering presented in this book is hard to read but important. Milan adds in her author's note that in reality it was probably much worse. There is a moment between Amelia and the woman who raised her that explores the violence and manipulations of white women's tears like nothing I have read in a romance.

I found myself read slowly purposely so that I (a white woman) could absorb as much as possible from Milan's craft. I also didn't pressure myself into speeding along because I enjoyed what I was experiencing and learning in each moment.

The second half of the book picks up pace and focuses more on the romance while not at all minimizing the experiences of the MCs. It is a slow paced workplace/epistolary romance. The MCs fall in love via numbered letters and telegraphs and make sure the other feels seen and cared for. While it takes a long time to heat up, once it does, it sure does.

The conclusion of the novel was everything I wanted and my expectations of what's to come in this series are very high. Milan is a treasure of the genre.

This would have been a 5 star read for me except some bits about the telegraph business dragged too much to keep my interest, if I could give a rating between 4.75 and 5 I would. LOL.

Content Warnings

greymalkin's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-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

Delightful! I loved that the main characters felt as smart as they were supposed to be, and that the other characters had more depth & complexity than is often found in historical romances (hemmed in by the need to portray stereotypes of the day). As a science-nerd I really enjoyed the very plausible portrayal of building up the telegraph network and the character system.

I really enjoyed how the two main characters helped each other grow and supported each other. The physical attraction was only part of their attraction to each other. This book also had a lovely example of longing for each other that didn't splash over into negative effects on other people (such as lashing out in ill temper, making stupid decisions, getting unreasonably jealous, being unable to think of anyone else, etc).

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