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lotte5322's review
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
chrisljm's review
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
5.0
such a lovely fairytale atmosphere. i loved the story, characters, and the romance between elias and dora. the only concession i wished was to be able to spend a longer time with the characters. :(
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and War
rickosborne's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A delightfully neurodiverse regency fairytale romance.
I cannot help but see this book as being about being on the autism spectrum and/or dealing with PTSD. Dora has reduced emotional presentation, and struggles to read and react to the emotions of others. The vast majority of her internal monologue is fixated on passing for normal, until she gets to be herself around the people who don't need her to pass. It me. It so, so me.
Some reviewers gripe about how "Dora cannot feel emotions, except when she can". Look, that's what everyone gets wrong about autism. People think that just because autistic people struggle with interpreting and expressing emotions then it must mean they can't actually feel those emotions. Which is crap. We feel just as much and as deeply as anyone else. It just doesn't surface as easily or as quickly. Like Dora. The fact that "Dora doesn't feel emotions" isn't a fact — it is what she is told about herself by others, so she internalizes it on her pile of mistreatments.
Elias is his own thing, and as I haven't read his book I will refrain for now. Suffice it to say, there's a huge, huge overlap between the reduced presentation that comes from autism and that which comes from PTSD, especially from childhood trauma.
The romance is well done. I loved that Dora matched Elias snark for snark ("kind but never nice"), and only later figured out that Elias was one of the people around whom she didn't need to pass. Elias, too, very slowly figured out that not only was Dora more interesting than he assumed, but also more capable and more empathetic. Two people slowly seeing more of each other and getting closer because of it — romance, y'all.
It's not epic fantasy with hundreds of pages of world-building. The faerie stuff is kindof nonsense, but it's clear that's intentional from the very first page. It's a nice, light fairytale, with a few standout grim twists, just like any fairytale should have.
Tags: #DismissiveFearfulPair #FamilyIssues #FightingCrime #HardOutsideGooeyInside #Kidnapping #Mystery #Neurodiverse #Regency #SinglePOV #ThirdPersonPOV
I cannot help but see this book as being about being on the autism spectrum and/or dealing with PTSD. Dora has reduced emotional presentation, and struggles to read and react to the emotions of others. The vast majority of her internal monologue is fixated on passing for normal, until she gets to be herself around the people who don't need her to pass. It me. It so, so me.
Some reviewers gripe about how "Dora cannot feel emotions, except when she can". Look, that's what everyone gets wrong about autism. People think that just because autistic people struggle with interpreting and expressing emotions then it must mean they can't actually feel those emotions. Which is crap. We feel just as much and as deeply as anyone else. It just doesn't surface as easily or as quickly. Like Dora. The fact that "Dora doesn't feel emotions" isn't a fact — it is what she is told about herself by others, so she internalizes it on her pile of mistreatments.
Elias is his own thing, and as I haven't read his book I will refrain for now. Suffice it to say, there's a huge, huge overlap between the reduced presentation that comes from autism and that which comes from PTSD, especially from childhood trauma.
The romance is well done. I loved that Dora matched Elias snark for snark ("kind but never nice"), and only later figured out that Elias was one of the people around whom she didn't need to pass. Elias, too, very slowly figured out that not only was Dora more interesting than he assumed, but also more capable and more empathetic. Two people slowly seeing more of each other and getting closer because of it — romance, y'all.
It's not epic fantasy with hundreds of pages of world-building. The faerie stuff is kindof nonsense, but it's clear that's intentional from the very first page. It's a nice, light fairytale, with a few standout grim twists, just like any fairytale should have.
Tags: #DismissiveFearfulPair #FamilyIssues #FightingCrime #HardOutsideGooeyInside #Kidnapping #Mystery #Neurodiverse #Regency #SinglePOV #ThirdPersonPOV
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Violence and Murder
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Can someone please tell me why we aren't talking about this book more? It is spectacular! My only complaint is that I didn't read it sooner. I'm truly not one for regency-era novels and I'm always wary of faerie tales (after being completely put off by several over-hyped fantasy series), but Half a Soul blew me away!
The characters are wonderfully well-rounded. From the very beginning of the book, you have a soft spot for Dora, whose soul was severed by a wicked faerie when she was a child. Her emotions are dulled and therefore she doesn't have the proper reactions in social settings and is frowned upon by most of society. It's easy to take pity on her at first and as the story moves forward, it's a thrill to find yourself feeling empowered by her lack of fear and determination to help those around her. She's the epitome of a badass female character and I loved her for it.
Elias is a grump in every sense of the word, but he also has a surprisingly big heart. While he has magic at his fingertips, he doesn't use it frivolously. Instead, he's an incredibly intelligent person who has worked hard to achieve his goals and uses his powers only for good. Having Albert as a friend gave great perspective because it's easy to think Elias is just a stuck-up prick, but you realize as you read that he's actually quite tender and good. His quotes were my favorite in the entire book. One, in particular, stood out to me:
The characters are wonderfully well-rounded. From the very beginning of the book, you have a soft spot for Dora, whose soul was severed by a wicked faerie when she was a child. Her emotions are dulled and therefore she doesn't have the proper reactions in social settings and is frowned upon by most of society. It's easy to take pity on her at first and as the story moves forward, it's a thrill to find yourself feeling empowered by her lack of fear and determination to help those around her. She's the epitome of a badass female character and I loved her for it.
Elias is a grump in every sense of the word, but he also has a surprisingly big heart. While he has magic at his fingertips, he doesn't use it frivolously. Instead, he's an incredibly intelligent person who has worked hard to achieve his goals and uses his powers only for good. Having Albert as a friend gave great perspective because it's easy to think Elias is just a stuck-up prick, but you realize as you read that he's actually quite tender and good. His quotes were my favorite in the entire book. One, in particular, stood out to me:
"There is such a thing as eveil in this world," Elias told her quietly. "It does not help to look away from it. It does not even help necessarily to look at it." His fingers brushed through her hair, and she shivered. "But sometimes, when you cannot force the world to come to its senses, you must settle only for wiping away some of the small evils in front of you."
As I read, I fell in love. I fell in love with the characters - however major or minor their role was. I fell in love with the sweeping dialogue. I fell in love with the mystery behind Dora's split soul. I fell in love with the romance and the way that it was subtle and sweet and everything I needed. I had a tough time putting the book down, which is an indicator of how much I enjoyed reading it. The moment I had finished it, I proceeded to add the next two novels in the series to my TBR. I can only hope they live up to how magnificent this one was!
If you're looking for a fantasy novel that doesn't feel like every other fantasy novel out there right now (in particular, the faerie ones), you'll want to read Half a Soul. It landed itself on my favorites list for the year without any questions asked!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
briely's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Child death, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
solacelight's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
wtf this is SO CUTE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Trafficking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent and War
genny's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
It finally happened! I found a 5-star romance novel for myself! This was pure, marshmallow-sweet goodness that never felt cloying. The protagonists complement each other so well. I found myself grinning and clutching at my chest multiple times. Maybe I was just in the perfect mood for this? There was nothing entirely unique or surprising about how the romance developed, but I ate everything up. I only wish we had an even slower burn, because I'm a sucker for that. I'm so excited to read more from Olivia Atwater! It's kind of a relief to know that romance books aren't out of the cards for me (I've been burned multiple times...), I just had to find a book that hit all the right spots. Apparently "whimsical historical fantasy" does that for me :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Child death
friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a favorite book. I loved everything. (It isnt perfect of coarse but is quite close.) Everything. It made me think,laugh, stare at a wall for a couple of minutes straight. Everything.
It's very interesting how much society at those times affected one. It’s all about
the ^unsaid^, be very careful of what you do and what other people think of you out of worry for your reputation. Get a husband in time. Be polite, neat and pretty. Do not dare atract attention with anything other than light flirting, politeness and charm, do not dare be different, rumors about you will affect you and your family.
It's very interesting how much society at those times affected one. It’s all about
the ^unsaid^, be very careful of what you do and what other people think of you out of worry for your reputation. Get a husband in time. Be polite, neat and pretty. Do not dare atract attention with anything other than light flirting, politeness and charm, do not dare be different, rumors about you will affect you and your family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Slavery, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
katiemcgregor's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Why did I not know about this book sooner?!? Half a Soul is an utterly charming and whimsical take on a regency romance. Atwater does a lovely job of balancing humor, romance, and social justice in this sweet little novel that filled me with warmth as I read it.
Half a Soul isn't especially strong when it comes to world building, but the imagery is visceral (can we just talk about that ballroom scene!?!) and everything is consistently lighthearted, so I didn't mind much. The characters are delightful and just so much fun. It helps that our leading man lands somewhere between being similar to Howl Pendragon and Christopher Chant (immaculate vibes). But Dora, our protagonist, is just as likable with her strange affliction and blunt manner. The two compliment each other perfectly.
Honestly, the main reason I'm rating this 3.75 stars instead of 4 is because I don't know how I feel about he epilogue. Normally I enjoy these additions at the end of a good novel, but I'm not sure if Half a Soul needs an epilogue. In this case, I think leaving the conclusions open to interpretation might have been more satisfying.
Half a Soul isn't especially strong when it comes to world building, but the imagery is visceral (can we just talk about that ballroom scene!?!) and everything is consistently lighthearted, so I didn't mind much. The characters are delightful and just so much fun. It helps that our leading man lands somewhere between being similar to Howl Pendragon and Christopher Chant (immaculate vibes). But Dora, our protagonist, is just as likable with her strange affliction and blunt manner. The two compliment each other perfectly.
Honestly, the main reason I'm rating this 3.75 stars instead of 4 is because I don't know how I feel about he epilogue. Normally I enjoy these additions at the end of a good novel, but I'm not sure if Half a Soul needs an epilogue. In this case, I think leaving the conclusions open to interpretation might have been more satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Blood
samchase112's review
adventurous
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a fun, entertaining Regency romance! Romance, magic, and intriguing characters—what more could you need? Dora, an outspoken noble missing half her soul, travels to London with her cousin for the season; where she expects to find mild amusement, she instead finds love and a purpose in life. Elias was such a wonderful love interest, and I adored how Dora’s unique nature—her condition of having half a soul made her head such an interesting place to be!—brought out a new side of his character. The inditement on England’s treatment of its poor was a fantastic plot line, and its inclusion felt natural rather than contrived. All of the side characters had clearly defined roles, yet were not flat or uninteresting. My only gripe with this book was the rushed ending; another few pages to explore Dora’s decision and the enormity around it would have made more sense. But all in all I loved this sweet, one-of-a-kind Regency tale!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Blood, and Murder
Minor: War
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