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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Have not read a series or a crime fiction novel in awhile - this was great. I loved Sarah, her entourage (no matter how mean and cruel, they are all very well depicted) and the detail with which the book was written. It reminds of Jane Austen-esque tales and BBC dramatisations and I love it for that. Literally learned a bunch of new words reading this book. Looking forward to book 2!
P.S. This might not be my best-written review as it is early Friday morning post-election.
P.S. This might not be my best-written review as it is early Friday morning post-election.
Love the milieu, and I'm looking forward to book #2, although the writing was a bit expository/obvious at times.
Took me a while to read only because when I started I just was not in the mood for it. But I could tell it was a good book which I was enjoying so instead of DNF’ing it, I put it to one side which I’m super happy I did. When I picked it back up again this month I fell straight back into the world, got sucked into the story and finished the book pretty quickly.
I think it’s a super interesting take on a murder mystery - the main character being a women in the late 1800’s trying to become a doctor. The way women were tested by society back then makes my blood boil, and at times I was so angry for the characters in the book I had to take some breathers.
I totally didn’t see who did it coming so it was a twist right up until the end.
I think it’s probably a really accurate if not also sad view of what that time was like for any women who was not a high bred girl who followed the rules so that also made it really Interesting to read.
Overall I really enjoyed it and now want to read the second book!
I think it’s a super interesting take on a murder mystery - the main character being a women in the late 1800’s trying to become a doctor. The way women were tested by society back then makes my blood boil, and at times I was so angry for the characters in the book I had to take some breathers.
I totally didn’t see who did it coming so it was a twist right up until the end.
I think it’s probably a really accurate if not also sad view of what that time was like for any women who was not a high bred girl who followed the rules so that also made it really Interesting to read.
Overall I really enjoyed it and now want to read the second book!
Engaging YA novel set in Edinburgh. Protagonist is women medical student one of the first.
She is not only a well moneyed woman striving against sexism and societal prejudice, but her past is riddled with secrets, shame, and trauma. Throughout the entire book her character is developed as we are shown a complete picture of her missteps, her obsessions, and the ghosts of her past.
This story is a slow burner and the pace is almost stop and start. There are events which propel the plot and light the senses, only for there to be pages again of daily activity. Additionally, at the end it felt like in the last pages the whole mystery was uncovered at a pace that left me having to read again to make sure I did not miss anything. However, it is clear that this story is the foundation for a whole series, one I look forward to because Sarah’s character is absolutely fascinating.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/review-wages-sin-kaite-welsh/
disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss
This story is a slow burner and the pace is almost stop and start. There are events which propel the plot and light the senses, only for there to be pages again of daily activity. Additionally, at the end it felt like in the last pages the whole mystery was uncovered at a pace that left me having to read again to make sure I did not miss anything. However, it is clear that this story is the foundation for a whole series, one I look forward to because Sarah’s character is absolutely fascinating.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/review-wages-sin-kaite-welsh/
disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss
I don’t know whether it is a case of every novel being timed perfectly to have the most meaning in today’s political climate or a greater awareness of certain issues in general, but it does seem as if every novel I read lately is particularly important in illuminating the history behind current political viewpoints. The Wages of Sin certainly fits that bill. With its discussion of women, particularly poor women and their lack of choices when it comes to earning money, it covers women’s rights or lack thereof during the Victorian Era. Plus, Sarah’s foray as one of the first female medical students highlights the deep misogyny society still holds for women in traditionally male roles.
What I was expecting in this debut novel was not what I received. I expected an interesting story that provides a glimpse into life as a female medical student when women did not do that sort of thing. What I received was a compelling social commentary about so much more than just women in medical school. The mystery kept me intrigued, but it was Sarah’s past “sin” and her growing awareness of the dichotomy between her life of privilege versus most other women that made me sit up and take notice.
The Wages of Sin is not the story of a poor little rich girl becoming enlightened. This is a story meant to shine the spotlight on repressive societal norms and the need to rethink one’s position within that society. Sarah’s troubled past is pertinent to her time volunteering at the charitable hospital in one of the city’s worst slums and the patients she encounters there. Her eagerness to become a doctor is just another layer to the story during which she must reevaluate every rule she ever knew.
There is tremendous growth to Sarah which is wonderful to behold. To say much more would be to spoil a key plot point but one that is essential for understanding Sarah’s drive and commitment to helping the poor. She is not a perfect heroine however, and it is not a perfect story. In spite of her emancipation proclivities, Sarah is still someone who requires rescuing. Even worse, she has a tendency to let her emotions guide her rather than her intellect, which serves to prove the point of those who oppose the modernization of women. Prone to jumping to conclusions because of her active imagination without asking enough logical questions, her assumptions are not just annoying but also lead to a series of unnecessary confrontations that place her into the very same scenarios about which she was warned. She is a perfect candidate for the use of reverse psychology.
Still, Sarah’s weaknesses prove their own point in that they show how easily it is to accept societal norms at face value as well as how difficult it is to break free of them when it is the only thing you know. Then there is the issue of having others accept your breaking of those norms. Much of what Sarah observes and experiences as a women in the Victorian era will be familiar to modern female readers, and that is the most chilling aspect of the novel. That we continue to have the same discussions about reproductive rights and other feminist issues over 100 years later speaks volumes about societal norms and who establishes them. It also highlights the ongoing uphill battle we face for the next generation of girls.
The Wages of Sin is a pleasant surprise in that it has more gravitas and depth than I expected. It is much more than a murder mystery set in Victorian Edinburgh. It presents a somber portrait of women of all classes in that era and the stifling confines of what was deemed polite society. Sarah might be somewhat ruled by her emotional state, but she is a woman of action and that speaks volumes to her commitment to her beliefs. Kaite Welsh‘s debut novel makes her an author worth noticing.
What I was expecting in this debut novel was not what I received. I expected an interesting story that provides a glimpse into life as a female medical student when women did not do that sort of thing. What I received was a compelling social commentary about so much more than just women in medical school. The mystery kept me intrigued, but it was Sarah’s past “sin” and her growing awareness of the dichotomy between her life of privilege versus most other women that made me sit up and take notice.
The Wages of Sin is not the story of a poor little rich girl becoming enlightened. This is a story meant to shine the spotlight on repressive societal norms and the need to rethink one’s position within that society. Sarah’s troubled past is pertinent to her time volunteering at the charitable hospital in one of the city’s worst slums and the patients she encounters there. Her eagerness to become a doctor is just another layer to the story during which she must reevaluate every rule she ever knew.
There is tremendous growth to Sarah which is wonderful to behold. To say much more would be to spoil a key plot point but one that is essential for understanding Sarah’s drive and commitment to helping the poor. She is not a perfect heroine however, and it is not a perfect story. In spite of her emancipation proclivities, Sarah is still someone who requires rescuing. Even worse, she has a tendency to let her emotions guide her rather than her intellect, which serves to prove the point of those who oppose the modernization of women. Prone to jumping to conclusions because of her active imagination without asking enough logical questions, her assumptions are not just annoying but also lead to a series of unnecessary confrontations that place her into the very same scenarios about which she was warned. She is a perfect candidate for the use of reverse psychology.
Still, Sarah’s weaknesses prove their own point in that they show how easily it is to accept societal norms at face value as well as how difficult it is to break free of them when it is the only thing you know. Then there is the issue of having others accept your breaking of those norms. Much of what Sarah observes and experiences as a women in the Victorian era will be familiar to modern female readers, and that is the most chilling aspect of the novel. That we continue to have the same discussions about reproductive rights and other feminist issues over 100 years later speaks volumes about societal norms and who establishes them. It also highlights the ongoing uphill battle we face for the next generation of girls.
The Wages of Sin is a pleasant surprise in that it has more gravitas and depth than I expected. It is much more than a murder mystery set in Victorian Edinburgh. It presents a somber portrait of women of all classes in that era and the stifling confines of what was deemed polite society. Sarah might be somewhat ruled by her emotional state, but she is a woman of action and that speaks volumes to her commitment to her beliefs. Kaite Welsh‘s debut novel makes her an author worth noticing.
I’m a sucker for compelling characters and well realised settings, and this book has both of those in spades. It’s impossible not to root for Sarah as she navigates the deeply unfair world of the university and attempts to escape the narrow path that’s been laid out for her, and it was exciting to see her fellow female medical students move slowly towards a greater understanding of and solidarity with each other. Victorian Edinburgh comes completely to life here, there’s so much rich historical detail and beautiful description, I was completely absorbed. On top of all that, this is a moving and hopeful story of a woman coming to terms with the great harm that has been done to her, and beginning to understand the power she has to make the world a better place. I can’t wait to see what Sarah Gilchrist does next.
See the full review at Starship Library.
See the full review at Starship Library.
Victorian Edinburgh brought to life as vividly as the city of today. Tough, complicated but fragile women. A world hostile to their learning and advancement. A proper murder mystery with great suspects and an excellent twist.