Scan barcode
mllejoyeuxnoel's review against another edition
4.0
Great sequel! I love Felicity Montague, and it was awesome to see such a well-written aro-ace character. Of course it was delightful to revisit my favorite smol gay bois, Monty and Percy. Sim and Johanna: inspiring af. If you loved Gentleman’s Guide, you’ll love this book.
drridareads's review against another edition
1.0
MORE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THESE BOOKS ARE RACIST.
I loved A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue so I was left disappointed when I didn't feel the same about this one. I really wanted to enjoy this book but couldn't.
The best part of A Gentleman's Guide is Percy he is absolutely fucking charming. And Percy with his great nature was like a bonus. So In this book we left those two for the majority of it and it's just not the same anymore it's frankly dry.
Felicity Montague was relatable only superficially (until she was problematic more on that later). She is perusing medicine in an age when it was illegal. I am Thank God doing it in an age when it is legal but still I'm surrounded by misogynistic pricks. I cannot count the times when my male professors ignore what I was saying but listened to it when a male colleague repeated it. And countless other sexist instances. Felicity is a feminist. Voilah me too! But then she is epitome of I'm not liking other girls and so I'm better. Disgusting. And yes she learns.
But it's too little too late. After spending so many pages of her shaming girls around her for having different interest than her. And yeah most of us were conditioned to these beliefs too and we had to learn and it was easier for us in this day and age. But no Idc it's historical fiction I shall not accept problematic characters!
Now about when it got even more problematic. This book took feminism to white feminism too fast. I mean I guess it always was until it became clear. Just because you add characters of colour to your book does not mean it's not racist problematic.
Since I'm a Muslim; do me and black people now how to thank this white lady for giving us representation.
Fuck no. Sim black hijabi pirate is supposed to awesome and goals. The white girl (Felicity) can break laws and whatever but she's gonna call Sim Thief. Sim is trying to protect dragons because ya know White People can not leave anyone alone not even dragons. They gonna colonise the hell outta them too by making them into medicine.
Her intentions are absolutely pure. But then she's manipulated by her 2 white not friends (friends ain't horrible like that). Yes these white girls that hated each other for their different interest now band together against our character of colour; Sim. And can we talk about how they keep talking of Johanna's mom like she's some hero when she's a thief who stole from black people. And of course Felicity and Johanna are not bad people for going to the island and suggesting we use the dragons only the other white people doing this are bad because their not our main characters.
Sim could've been absolutely fucking badass. Instead her whole personality is being attracted to Felicity and doing everything she says.
Oh and I forgot there is this whole part where Johanna and Felicity actually rescue all the African pirates. Because you know we all need some white saviours!
Also Felicity is asexual which thought so from the first book too but she's also low-key homophobic.
I don't know what Hogwarts house Mackenzie Lee is; but I think it's Diversity. And yay you get 10 points for diversity. That's clearly all you wanted.
The dialogue is also annoying. It becomes repetitive. It's witty and tries hard to convince us that this is all a great feminist adventure. When it's just white privilege.
Alternative title:
A Lady's guide to White Feminism!
I'm not a black person so I'm not sure how this white author discussed race and slavery in this book was appropriate or not and so I'm not going to comment on it.
These are my words from my review of the first book. Oh God if I was even thinking about whether or not something was racist it probably was. And I will not be reading any of Mackenzie Lee's books ever again. Because while racism is just plain wrong in her books it's covert racism which is far more problematic because most often we don't realise it's racist so we don't see the problem.
And I'm really sorry my review is sort of all over the place but basically this book is problematic and no amount of witty banter will make me give it more than a single star.
I loved A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue so I was left disappointed when I didn't feel the same about this one. I really wanted to enjoy this book but couldn't.
The best part of A Gentleman's Guide is Percy he is absolutely fucking charming. And Percy with his great nature was like a bonus. So In this book we left those two for the majority of it and it's just not the same anymore it's frankly dry.
Felicity Montague was relatable only superficially (until she was problematic more on that later). She is perusing medicine in an age when it was illegal. I am Thank God doing it in an age when it is legal but still I'm surrounded by misogynistic pricks. I cannot count the times when my male professors ignore what I was saying but listened to it when a male colleague repeated it. And countless other sexist instances. Felicity is a feminist. Voilah me too! But then she is epitome of I'm not liking other girls and so I'm better. Disgusting. And yes she learns.
But it's too little too late. After spending so many pages of her shaming girls around her for having different interest than her. And yeah most of us were conditioned to these beliefs too and we had to learn and it was easier for us in this day and age. But no Idc it's historical fiction I shall not accept problematic characters!
Now about when it got even more problematic. This book took feminism to white feminism too fast. I mean I guess it always was until it became clear. Just because you add characters of colour to your book does not mean it's not racist problematic.
Since I'm a Muslim; do me and black people now how to thank this white lady for giving us representation.
Fuck no. Sim black hijabi pirate is supposed to awesome and goals. The white girl (Felicity) can break laws and whatever but she's gonna call Sim Thief. Sim is trying to protect dragons because ya know White People can not leave anyone alone not even dragons. They gonna colonise the hell outta them too by making them into medicine.
Her intentions are absolutely pure. But then she's manipulated by her 2 white not friends (friends ain't horrible like that). Yes these white girls that hated each other for their different interest now band together against our character of colour; Sim. And can we talk about how they keep talking of Johanna's mom like she's some hero when she's a thief who stole from black people. And of course Felicity and Johanna are not bad people for going to the island and suggesting we use the dragons only the other white people doing this are bad because their not our main characters.
Sim could've been absolutely fucking badass. Instead her whole personality is being attracted to Felicity and doing everything she says.
Oh and I forgot there is this whole part where Johanna and Felicity actually rescue all the African pirates. Because you know we all need some white saviours!
Also Felicity is asexual which thought so from the first book too but she's also low-key homophobic.
I don't know what Hogwarts house Mackenzie Lee is; but I think it's Diversity. And yay you get 10 points for diversity. That's clearly all you wanted.
The dialogue is also annoying. It becomes repetitive. It's witty and tries hard to convince us that this is all a great feminist adventure. When it's just white privilege.
Alternative title:
A Lady's guide to White Feminism!
I'm not a black person so I'm not sure how this white author discussed race and slavery in this book was appropriate or not and so I'm not going to comment on it.
These are my words from my review of the first book. Oh God if I was even thinking about whether or not something was racist it probably was. And I will not be reading any of Mackenzie Lee's books ever again. Because while racism is just plain wrong in her books it's covert racism which is far more problematic because most often we don't realise it's racist so we don't see the problem.
And I'm really sorry my review is sort of all over the place but basically this book is problematic and no amount of witty banter will make me give it more than a single star.
jonisbookquest's review against another edition
It was a fun read, but as a white feminist I can safely say that this is the whitest feminism you'll ever see in a book (okay, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but it's still very not good).
There was also a weird colonialist storyline I really didn't vibe with.
Aro/ace rep was cute tho.
There was also a weird colonialist storyline I really didn't vibe with.
Aro/ace rep was cute tho.
bird_song's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
erintowner's review against another edition
4.0
This was so cute! There were a couple of plot holes but I love books about friendship and piracy! Great feminist "being seen" moments. I recommend!
fiifarts's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
cammielawton's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
gemstonejasper's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This story follows Felicity, a young woman in the 18th century who wants nothing more than to go to medical school. But no matter how many education boards she petitions, she isn't accepted solely based on her gender. The harder she fights for a place at these schools, the more she is criticized for being hysterical. She learns of a doctor who has worked with women in the past, so she goes on an adventure to meet and get close to him while learning valuable lessons about society and being a woman along the way.
I love this story as much as I loved the first. I can't wait to read the third. Even though the story takes place in the 18th century, the topics it discusses are still relevant to this day.
I think Mackenzie Lee has this way of giving each main character one glaring fatal flaw while making them still likable. Because they are likable, you want to follow their story. But you want them to overcome that one fatal flaw so bad that it almost hurts when they fall back to their old way of thinking. In the first book, Monty was so self-absorbed that he struggled to relate with his best friend/love interest and sister. Felicity despises her womanhood and rejects traditional notions of femininity so much so that she looks down on anyone who engages in these feminine aspects. Mackenzie Lee is a master at character arcs in my opinion.
I love the lesson Felicity learns about respecting other women. All of them are affected by society in their own way. They can be strong women who are crushed by society regardless of whether they like dresses and make-up. I find "pick me" girls so annoying in stories. Characters who "aren't like other girls" can be so frustrating because it implies that other girls are wrong in what they like and who they are. But this book twists that and shows Felicity that her type of womanhood is no more or less valid than any other's type of womanhood. She starts as a "pick me" girl, but grows and changes during the story.
Okay, so this is just my opinion. But I truly believe that Felicity has ADHD and is asexual/aromantic. Hear me out. In the first book, it is clear to me, as someone with ADHD, that Monty shows many signs and symptoms. ADHD is genetic, so it wouldn't be a stretch that Felicity could have also inherited it. But, just like many mental and physical health conditions, it often presents differently in girls. Girls are more likely to have internal symptoms. She is pretty equal to Monty in impulsivity, but her impulsiveness often isn't as publicly and socially noticeable. I mean, sailing the ocean to meet a guy who might just take you on as a student, then sneaking into his wedding party, etc. are all very risky things that she chooses to do without much time to think through the actual potential consequences.
The asexual bit is pretty self-explanatory towards the end of the book. Sim seems to have feelings for her, but Felicity doesn't have feelings for anyone. She's never felt anything while kissing a boy. When she kisses Sim, she still doesn't feel anything. She talks about wanting to live alone with a community of friends, it seems clear to me. Not everyone has to agree on all of this, but this is how I personally interpret the book and character.
I love this story as much as I loved the first. I can't wait to read the third. Even though the story takes place in the 18th century, the topics it discusses are still relevant to this day.
I think Mackenzie Lee has this way of giving each main character one glaring fatal flaw while making them still likable. Because they are likable, you want to follow their story. But you want them to overcome that one fatal flaw so bad that it almost hurts when they fall back to their old way of thinking. In the first book, Monty was so self-absorbed that he struggled to relate with his best friend/love interest and sister. Felicity despises her womanhood and rejects traditional notions of femininity so much so that she looks down on anyone who engages in these feminine aspects. Mackenzie Lee is a master at character arcs in my opinion.
The asexual bit is pretty self-explanatory towards the end of the book. Sim seems to have feelings for her, but Felicity doesn't have feelings for anyone. She's never felt anything while kissing a boy. When she kisses Sim, she still doesn't feel anything. She talks about wanting to live alone with a community of friends, it seems clear to me. Not everyone has to agree on all of this, but this is how I personally interpret the book and character.
rosska22's review against another edition
3.0
This book wasn't bad. It was, however, overly long. All of the action in this book occurs in the last hundred pages, if that. It was simultaneously long winded and terribly rushed. Felicity Montague was not a sympathetic character, and in fact I spent most of the book terribly unimpressed with her. Towards the beginning of the book, a doctor fellow tells her (after many rejections to many medical schools) that she should endeavor to become a midwife, or a nurse, or some such position much like that of a doctor but without the "having been admitted to medical school" bit. She disregards this as a fantastical and misogynistic nonsense option. What I think she failed to take into account was that what she wants to do is help people. She could do one of those typically female jobs, gain the practical experience and then use that as a lobbying position to gain admittance to a medical school. She could go somewhere besides England and apply for a medical license. There are many options, and it isn't until WAY TOO FAR INTO THE BOOK that she begins to even consider that maybe her position has been a bit stilted. She's whiny, she's mean, and she has no consideration for others feelings, thoughts, or opinions, and it made it very difficult for me to support her in her endeavors, because I felt like she was in the wrong of it the entire time.
Also,
Also,