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subtlymelancholy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
For a gothic romance, I found it very safe. I'm sure it's a taste thing, but I don't need to be shocked if the characters are plausibly shocked. I don't think it's a crime that the (admittedly heavy-handed) foreshadowing makes it easy to predict where this book goes. The story and ESPECIALLY the setting made it hard to put this book down, and for that alone it gets an extra half star.
However, I really wasn't impressed with the worldbuilding. It seems to be going for for ambiguous low fantasy, almost steampunk in it's setting that never quite felt cohesive. The romance for me was a little lackluster, it almost felt tacked-on and I would have much preferred a more intimate friendship. I knew right from the beginning and that really cheapened a lot of the really touching and emotional scenes between
The political implications of the countries being at war also never really felt consequential to the world other than further othering Preston, but the shared-yet-distinct feelings of being othered (Effy for her gender and Preston for his nationality) is never explored in a meaningful way I think because it seems like Ava Reid was much more interested in having
I know it sounds like I didn't like the novel but I had a lot of fun reading it. What works REALLY works, and I am always a sucker for an environment that's as alive and as destructive as any human-ish antagonist. The marrying of the sacred and the profane, and trying to juggle them and understand what's "real" and what's not is also something that I adore and fantasy hagiography in particular will always get me.
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
annatl4's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Gore
thoughtsontomes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body horror
kcarstensen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Sexual assault
toastyghosty13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Effie embarks on a journey to the manor and learns things about the town and the late author’s family who have been left behind. The characters Effie meets have dark past themselves; each character is their own mystery.
The concept of the fairy king was dark and had a nice air of mystery that kept me engaged between the shittiness that Effie experienced from less metaphorical characters . This book gave me a true appreciation for the author Ava Reid and I am excited to read her other works. She explores themes of darkness like this well. I found this book somehow simultaneously awful and comfy cozy; it made me want to curl up on the couch cup of tea. It is reminiscent of old Grimm fairytales.
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
emptzuu's review
This book is not dark academia or gothic, despite having a library and a manor. The writing did not convey the atmosphere associated with these genres. The author's flowery and lyrical style clashes with the book's marketing as gothic and dark academia.
It falls in the same category as "Lessons In Chemistry" where the author creates an old-fashioned world just to make social issues seem more significant. This feels like a lazy plot device. The book oversimplifies everything, portraying all men as evil and all women as innocent. Moreover, the author seems to have done little research. The book features cars and passenger trains, land-line phones and coffee, but also typewriters and mimeographs, and women aren't allowed in university. The constant focus on misogyny and sexual assault in a fantasy book feels excessive and unnecessary. Elements like war and racism are there but have no impact on the plot.
Effy is a highly problematic character, displaying overt racism, misandry, and a severe lack of depth. She is depicted as a weak, whiny, and fearful woman who is perpetually passive, often getting dragged around by men. Her character feels reduced to being defined solely by her trauma, which is portrayed without any nuance or complexity. Trauma does not excuse her behavior.
She would say and think the most outrageous and insulting things about Preston's heritage without even knowing him. She was incredibly prejudiced and judgmental. Considering she herself had faced judgment and been called slurs, you'd think she would understand how wrong it is to act the way she did, but she didn't. She never faced any consequences for her behavior. Preston even coddled her. Why are they even together? Why does Preston forgive her for everything she said and did? It feels like a toxic romance to me. The author spends almost the entire book preaching about misogyny, yet the female main character is ultimately saved by the love interest. Sex solves everything.
She was so entitled that she thought she deserved to be in the literature department, despite being unable to provide a coherent, logical, or evidence-based analysis of the works of her favorite author. In fact, she admitted she had never written a formal paper, even though she was in college.
The only thing she could boast about was memorizing lines from her favorite author's works. She also couldn't accept any criticism, which would make her struggle in a literature class. She just wants to do literature because she is obsessed with Myrddin's work.
She is supposed to be more intelligent than most literature students, yet she is struggling academically in architecture. She is on the verge of flunking out but wins a prestigious opportunity to design for a famous author, beating many competitors.
She is the only girl in architecture, solely because she is not allowed in the literature school, which is illogical. Historically, women have studied literature and languages extensively; it is math and sciences that have had lower female participation.
Additionally, the portrayal of architecture as mere doodling is unrealistic.
It's baffling that some readers find this character relatable. I hesitate to imagine what kind of audience appreciates such a portrayal.
I could easily write three pages detailing how bad this book is, but instead, I'll summarize my thoughts. The book is riddled with plot holes, tackles topics poorly, and features one-dimensional characters along with underdeveloped world-building. Despite its gorgeous cover and beautiful title, the book fails to live up to its marketing promises.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Classism, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Sexism
Minor: War
pinkhyxteria's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Xenophobia
zoboomafoo9's review
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Sexual assault and Misogyny
mcrespo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Blood
ash2app's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault