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teeny88's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
pascalll's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What a fun whirlwind of a read. Loved the world building and matriarchal hierarchy, fun to read something refreshing
lyakimov's review against another edition
3.0
This book was so ridiculous. I enjoyed the gimmicks in the beginning but by the middle and end of the story, they felt old and repetitive to me. I do think the concept was absolutely unique and interesting and the author did the best she possibly could do with this story and the world. The instalove was a little annoying too. I’m not sure if I’m going to continue the series, but I might give the next book a try.
paperlove's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
2.0
I have to admit that I only really read the first half of the book and skimmed the second half. It was once again a case of: Great idea, bad execution.
The premise of the book was very promising: It's about female pirates who sail around the world in flying houses. One day, the members of the Wisteria Society are kidnapped by a villain and our MC has to rescue her people. She gets help from her enemy, who was supposed to kill her. (Yes, that sounds crazy. And yes, it was).
Unfortunately, I didn't like the writing at all, despite the good idea. I like stories that are funny and don't take themselves too seriously. But in this case, the writing was a bit over the top. It was like the author was trying too hard to be funny. There were too many characters, and it felt like they were all trying to kill each other.
I agree with the other readers who say that the story would make a good film. But as a book, the story was too ridiculous, and the slapstick humor made it impossible to take anything seriously.
The premise of the book was very promising: It's about female pirates who sail around the world in flying houses. One day, the members of the Wisteria Society are kidnapped by a villain and our MC has to rescue her people. She gets help from her enemy, who was supposed to kill her. (Yes, that sounds crazy. And yes, it was).
Unfortunately, I didn't like the writing at all, despite the good idea. I like stories that are funny and don't take themselves too seriously. But in this case, the writing was a bit over the top. It was like the author was trying too hard to be funny. There were too many characters, and it felt like they were all trying to kill each other.
I agree with the other readers who say that the story would make a good film. But as a book, the story was too ridiculous, and the slapstick humor made it impossible to take anything seriously.
annbriel's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
3.0
They say your first time will either be terribly awkward or something you'll never forget. For me, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels was somewhere more pleasantly in the middle.
For my first "romance novel" I imagine few books would have been a better fit than Holton's historical fantasy full of swashbuckling profligates ("Egads, lady pirates!) in flying houses while reciting the Bronte sisters, Wordsworth, and Lord Byron.
The jaunty rides in the air (and bedrooms?) around Victorian England evoked images from Neil Gaiman's Stardust. Similarly charming but with a heaping dash of playful suggestiveness. While the writing certainly was not, well, subtle with its innuendo, I was surprised by how restrained Holton ultimately was, at least until the tension between Ned and Cecilia erupted into a narrative climax of sorts around the 80% mark.
She used words such as "penetrate," "erect," and "tremble" fairly judiciously.
Admittedly, the book was much more action-driven than I tend to prefer, my fiction tastes leaning more toward the stodgy, dialogue-heavy, and character-driven writing styles of John Irving and Robertson Davies.
Still, it was perfectly "rollicking," as the New York Times Book Review describes it.
The Wisteria Society offers a curious blend of Victorian sensibilities and social norms with a heavy dose of inverted gender dynamics: "Men can be so hysterical sometimes," one of the pirates remarks.
The rakish scoundrel and the strong-willed aristocrat romantic trope hasn't ever been my vibe. (Here's looking at you Han and Leia, and Captain Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Bennett, for that matter.) However, there's a reason the book is so popular. And the back and forth did make me smirk from time to time, dare I say, even awakened the more roguish parts of me.
Since I'm new to the genre, I'll probably sample some of the other subgenres, and read around a bit more, before I consider going any further with the Dangerous Damsels series.
For my first "romance novel" I imagine few books would have been a better fit than Holton's historical fantasy full of swashbuckling profligates ("Egads, lady pirates!) in flying houses while reciting the Bronte sisters, Wordsworth, and Lord Byron.
The jaunty rides in the air (and bedrooms?) around Victorian England evoked images from Neil Gaiman's Stardust. Similarly charming but with a heaping dash of playful suggestiveness. While the writing certainly was not, well, subtle with its innuendo, I was surprised by how restrained Holton ultimately was, at least until the tension between Ned and Cecilia erupted into a narrative climax of sorts around the 80% mark.
She used words such as "penetrate," "erect," and "tremble" fairly judiciously.
Admittedly, the book was much more action-driven than I tend to prefer, my fiction tastes leaning more toward the stodgy, dialogue-heavy, and character-driven writing styles of John Irving and Robertson Davies.
Still, it was perfectly "rollicking," as the New York Times Book Review describes it.
The Wisteria Society offers a curious blend of Victorian sensibilities and social norms with a heavy dose of inverted gender dynamics: "Men can be so hysterical sometimes," one of the pirates remarks.
The rakish scoundrel and the strong-willed aristocrat romantic trope hasn't ever been my vibe. (Here's looking at you Han and Leia, and Captain Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Bennett, for that matter.) However, there's a reason the book is so popular. And the back and forth did make me smirk from time to time, dare I say, even awakened the more roguish parts of me.
Since I'm new to the genre, I'll probably sample some of the other subgenres, and read around a bit more, before I consider going any further with the Dangerous Damsels series.
jannemanss's review against another edition
I thought I would looove this book, because a mr. and mrs. Smith book in the Victorian era with a cool feminist society? Yes please!! 💜 But it was too weirdly written and too absurd and too many flying houses and according to the reviews it's not getting better 🥲
suericker's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
turnip4wut's review against another edition
4.0
This book was ridiculous and silly and fun. A good time.