Reviews with content warning for Racism - A Restless Truth

While this didn’t quite live up to the first book for me, I still found it gorgeously enchanting. Freya Marske’s prose is as lush and evocative as ever. Sometimes beautiful prose can get in the way of the narrative and leave the reader (at least, this reader) confused about what’s actually going on, but this was eminently readable.

I’ve found that many sapphic romances are lacking in the tension and sexiness that you find in other romances — not so in this book! This book was delightfully horny. Violet and Maud are both deeply flawed and almost mirror images of each other, in a way; where Maud is naive on the surface and unwaveringly strong inside, Violet is confident and sophisticated on the outside but soft and scared on the inside. I especially loved Violet’s characterisation: how she used illusion and artifice as a shield, how she was all defensive sharp edges whenever someone tried to get close to the real Violet, which in turn made it all the sweeter when she dropped those defences and let Maud in. Their story ends on a very satisfactory HFN note that felt right for the characters and their short acquaintance.

While I missed the magical houses and murderous mazes of the first book, I did enjoy the ship setting, and I thought the magical world and its rules were deftly expanded. The reveal

at 50%, that Maud is a medium

was a really fun addition and took me by genuine surprise. The mystery was fun and engaging, mostly due to the hijinks and banter of Maud’s assembled group of investigators but also in part to some very creepy villains. The comparison to Knives Out was a very apt one.

I think (hope!) that the next book will feature Hawthorn and Ross, because they both made fantastic side characters in this.

Content Warnings

soulpromise's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Cute story. I keep coming to this series because I find the magic world interesting. Characters are charming.

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kingcrookback's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

A fun whodunit with some great character development! A Restless Truth really stands as its own story--intertwined with A Marvellous Light and not entirely divorced from it but separate enough that I was never distracted from Maud's journey by thinking about Robin and Edwin. I liked the development in worldbuilding, specifically how gender and class play into the dynamics of capability and power in this hidden magic society. I also appreciated how realistic Maud and Violet's relationship was, how their respective flaws, insecurities, and traumas exacerbated the other's and

how the story didn't end with them in an established relationship. They're both young, and they both have some things to work through and figure out. The possibility is there.

And amazingly, given how he initially came off in A Marvellous Light, I came to enjoy Lord Hawthorn as a character! It'll be very interesting to get to see the inside of his head in A Power Unbound.

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ofbooksandechos's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

Content Warnings

mandkips's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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