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saeruh's review against another edition
4.5
My only real complaints was that the relationship was definitely insta-love, the beginning was a bit slow and hard to get into, and I kept getting a little (i think that may just be a me problem with historical romances).
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol and Homophobia
quasinaut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, and Homophobia
erikawynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent
amerikanerin's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Homophobia
loxeletters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There is a lot of talk about both astronomy and embroidery/fashion (though it never gets too technical in either topic). If that doesn't interest you, this book might bore you at some point.
The characters were more or less well-developed, though most of the supporting characters fell a little flat. Catherine and Lucy both had their own hopes and dreams as well as their fear and weaknesses, Catherine even more so than Lucy in this regard.
There are two main points I took issue with:
a) the romance. It wasn't unhealthy or forced or anything but, boy oh boy, was it rushed. Insta-love at its finest. Lucy arrives at the mansion and is basically immediately in love with Catherine, even though she was just heartbroken by her prior lover's sudden marriage. Similarly for Catherine. The attraction seemed to rely entirely on physical attractiveness, as well. This, of course, ceased to be a relevant issue after the first few chapters – other than my second issue, which was constant throughout the book:
b) the handling of sexuality and past abuse. It's not that it was handled badly: in fact, the opposite. But at some point, suspense of disbelief just couldn't cover the insanely modern conceptions of sexuality and abuse that many of the main characters held. This is set in the 19th century, yet the characters, especially Lucy, felt like they'd been plucked from a modern-time feminist demonstration and transported into Victorian England. What's more, there simply was an astounding amount of homosexual people in this novel, reminiscent of some fanfictions where the author simply turns the entire cast into some LGBTQ variations.
I can appreciate what the author was trying to do here – show the diversity that of course existed even in those times – but in a book that revolves around only two characters the vast majority of the time, making seven characters LGB (just off of the top of my head) is an insane stretch.
Regarding (past) abuse: the author probably wanted to handle this topic carefully and discuss it in the way it deserves to be discussed. However, in my opinion, this again was difficult to reconcile with the time period the book takes place in. Also, I felt that the consequences of Catherine's trauma and her road to recovery could have been explored way more.
This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book, however. What I found especially interesting were the discussions about art and science: the difference between them, what counts as art/science, and what part misogyny plays in such a definition. Another very insightful discussion was about legal marriage in contrast to "informal" relationships: the benefits and disadvantages of either, and the way the two solved this issue for themselves in the end.
Finally, I do need to mention that I saw the twist at the end coming from quite a bit earlier. This did not detract from my enjoyment of seeing entitled men suffer, though. :)
Overall, I wouldn't consider this book a literary masterpiece. However, it touches on very important subjects in an interesting and delightfully fresh way. The plot and characterisations are solid. The way the author incorporated LGB representation and the handling of abuse, though I disagree with it, are understandable. This is a quick, entertaining, and quite satisfying read.
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Racism, Grief, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Colonisation
bisexualwentworth's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Racism
kylieqrada's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, and Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Grief, Death, and Death of parent
wordwilderness's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
beesbeesbeez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism