Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

12 reviews

yourbookishbff's review

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hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was a really enjoyable read and my first by Mimi Matthews! The historical touches (the pretty horse-breakers, the Victorian spiritualism, etc.) added a lot to the story, and I loved our two main characters. The male main character is biracial and Indian, and the female main character is white, and Matthews navigates the difficulties of interracial marriages at this time - as well as the difficulty in simply existing in the kingdom of your colonizer as an Indian person in the late 1800s (particularly after the uprising of 1857). Matthews is also biracial and Indian and notes in the author's note how Ahmad's story reflects her own feelings of being caught between worlds and cultures. This is slower-paced and a felt a little too long for the central conflict to support, but I'll likely continue the series! This is closed-door, with lots of pining and slow-building tension that is truly delicious. 
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amy_in_the_city's review

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hopeful lighthearted
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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leannanecdote's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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jinjaritia's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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marleywrites's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

4.5

This book made me so happy. It dealt with tough topics, and there was a fair amount on angst. It was emotional and I was worried things wouldn’t end happily. But I never should have doubted, because, Evie. Need I say more?

I love Ahmad. He’s such a strong character and I was pleased with his character arc. I also loved his cousin, Mira. She was such a nice supporting character. 

Evie’s friends were fun, too. I’m excited to see Julie’s story in book two!

I read this book because I wanted a horse girl book. And this did not disappoint. There is always room for more horses, but there was also plentiful horse content and metaphors in this book that I enjoyed. 
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dearbookboyfriend's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

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jaiohwhy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

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saurahsaurus's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

3.75

This was such a fun, lovely read! The author writes well, and played to her strengths. Her knowledge of period fashion—in particular the Victorian era—and of equestrianism shone in her meticulously and passionately detailed descriptions. I love that this book explored what it means to be mixed race—not really belonging to either world, but occupying some space in between—and pushed back a bit on the legacy of colonialism. Granted, these topics were within the context of a light romance and therefore didn’t delve exceedingly deep. That said, I think they were appropriately explored within the tone and context of the book.

My main qualm is that the sexual tension often felt a bit cringey and trope-y. I felt like I’ve read about blushes, heat pooling “low”, and swooning too many times. I understand Victorian society was incredibly repressed, but Ahmad was thirsty af 😂 It took me out of the book a bit, because of my secondhand embarrassment 😅

Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next in the Belles of London series in the new year.
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imds's review against another edition

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

3.5

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buttermellow's review against another edition

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informative lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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