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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.0
"Women's ideas are treated as though they sprung from nowhere, to be claimed by the first man who comes along. Every generation had women stand up and ask to be counted--and every generation of brilliant, insightful, educated men has raised a hand and wiped those women's names from the greater historical record."
This historical romance has layers on layers. It's a sapphic love story that deals with coming out to yourself and to others, as well as readjusting your view of the world by breaking free of common, false understandings of relationships. In this story, we find the countess Catherine St. Day, widowed and glad to be free of her husband, even as she struggles to find a new purpose outside of funding and supporting his scientific expeditions. We also get to know Lucy, who stood in and outgrew her father's shadow but finds her career options in astronomy limited after his death.
This warm, heartfelt love story covers the trials of building a relationship in secret that ought not be treated as shameful or unusual, but society paints it so. It's about seeing your own potential and reaching for it. It's about the magic of science and of art to show us pieces of ourselves, others, and the universe. It's about how those big questions concerning who we are and our place in the world should be open to everyone, not be dictated and pruned by some pompous white man.
And at the heart of it all, this is a lovely read with a satisfying romantic arc from attraction to true connection. I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it to anyone.
This historical romance has layers on layers. It's a sapphic love story that deals with coming out to yourself and to others, as well as readjusting your view of the world by breaking free of common, false understandings of relationships. In this story, we find the countess Catherine St. Day, widowed and glad to be free of her husband, even as she struggles to find a new purpose outside of funding and supporting his scientific expeditions. We also get to know Lucy, who stood in and outgrew her father's shadow but finds her career options in astronomy limited after his death.
This warm, heartfelt love story covers the trials of building a relationship in secret that ought not be treated as shameful or unusual, but society paints it so. It's about seeing your own potential and reaching for it. It's about the magic of science and of art to show us pieces of ourselves, others, and the universe. It's about how those big questions concerning who we are and our place in the world should be open to everyone, not be dictated and pruned by some pompous white man.
And at the heart of it all, this is a lovely read with a satisfying romantic arc from attraction to true connection. I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it to anyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia, Death of parent, and Alcohol
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
anovelbeauty's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
Book TW: sexism common to the historical time (cht), homophobia (discussed; cht), mentioned emotional abuse/IPV,
Historical Fiction LGBT romances will almost always have a fine line to ride between just being downright depressing and not completely ignoring historical context in favour of a happy ever after. I actually think The Lady’s Guide walked it pretty well. There is certainly a decent amount of heavy sexism and the knowledge that queer relationships are frowned upon for women, however there are still sweet and happy moments. I also liked the acknowledgement that queer couples throughout history have existed and many were able to find ways to remain with their partners for their lifetimes.
Now, the part I /certainly/ adored was a consistent blending of science and art. While Lucy is our stalwart astronomer, Christine is both an artist and firmly within the scientific world. While very few of the characters in the book seem to be based off of real historical figures, I will always appreciate recognition for the women throughout history who have created art and contributed to science’s progression who were often relegated to the sidelines or erased entirely. Most of female characters in this work are strong and wonderful. Lucy and Christine’s relationship is equal parts steamy, healing, and sweet. I should mention that there is both lesbian and bisexual rep in the book! The characters that were supposed to be mature /actually/ acted mature or at least realized quickly when they messed up. I /loved/ a lot of the artistic and scientific descriptions in the book as they really brought the setting to life for me. I was thoroughly invested in Lucy’s fight to translate Oléron’s works and be acknowledged for work by the men of science in England. There were a few lovely moments of comeuppance and just it was a lovely, compelling read. As a bit of a science and art nerd myself, this romance hit the sweet spot for me! If you’re looking for a mostly pleasant, historical, sapphic romance that is equal parts science and art (and yes, an actual happy ending) you will probably love this one!
Historical Fiction LGBT romances will almost always have a fine line to ride between just being downright depressing and not completely ignoring historical context in favour of a happy ever after. I actually think The Lady’s Guide walked it pretty well. There is certainly a decent amount of heavy sexism and the knowledge that queer relationships are frowned upon for women, however there are still sweet and happy moments. I also liked the acknowledgement that queer couples throughout history have existed and many were able to find ways to remain with their partners for their lifetimes.
Now, the part I /certainly/ adored was a consistent blending of science and art. While Lucy is our stalwart astronomer, Christine is both an artist and firmly within the scientific world. While very few of the characters in the book seem to be based off of real historical figures, I will always appreciate recognition for the women throughout history who have created art and contributed to science’s progression who were often relegated to the sidelines or erased entirely. Most of female characters in this work are strong and wonderful. Lucy and Christine’s relationship is equal parts steamy, healing, and sweet. I should mention that there is both lesbian and bisexual rep in the book! The characters that were supposed to be mature /actually/ acted mature or at least realized quickly when they messed up. I /loved/ a lot of the artistic and scientific descriptions in the book as they really brought the setting to life for me. I was thoroughly invested in Lucy’s fight to translate Oléron’s works and be acknowledged for work by the men of science in England. There were a few lovely moments of comeuppance and just it was a lovely, compelling read. As a bit of a science and art nerd myself, this romance hit the sweet spot for me! If you’re looking for a mostly pleasant, historical, sapphic romance that is equal parts science and art (and yes, an actual happy ending) you will probably love this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
aether's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
4.75
I do not have enough good things to say about this book! If you can get past the cheesy cover, it's an excellent blend of love, the search for excellence, and the ever-present battle against the patriarchy. I was surprised at all the feminist aspects of this book, but they really help to tell a story of women pushing the boundaries of what it means to exist in society (intellectually, emotionally, and romantically). The book is also so, so tender and just filled to the brim with earnest, wholesome love.
Waite also does a wonderful job of using astronomical descriptions for human interactions and her description of events in genera. They are vivid and help one to feel like they're present in a scene. Mix in some astronomy with the lesbian romance? It's like this book was written with me in mind!
What seems to be the initial conflict of the book, the translation done by Lucy, resolves rather quickly! And so much more comes up in its place afterwards.
I was also pleased and surprised that the first really in-depth description of a sex scene didn't come until 220+ pages into the book. Which was fine for me - the characters are so wonderful and compelling, that the sex was merely an added bonus on top it.
Waite also does a wonderful job of using astronomical descriptions for human interactions and her description of events in genera. They are vivid and help one to feel like they're present in a scene. Mix in some astronomy with the lesbian romance? It's like this book was written with me in mind!
What seems to be the initial conflict of the book, the translation done by Lucy, resolves rather quickly! And so much more comes up in its place afterwards.
I was also pleased and surprised that the first really in-depth description of a sex scene didn't come until 220+ pages into the book. Which was fine for me - the characters are so wonderful and compelling, that the sex was merely an added bonus on top it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism
keatynbergsten's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
jayisreading's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics is a novel I never would have considered reading, only because it’s well within intersecting genres that don’t interest me (more specifically, historical fiction/romance). I was challenged by a friend, however, to try reading this book and not be too judgmental about it. The romance aspect was not my cup of tea, but I can see why this friend recommend the book to me. Olivia Waite pleasantly surprised me with underlying feminist themes in Regency England, giving much power to the women in this book. Oh, and of course, lots of positive queerness between women and a great acknowledgment that queer people existed throughout history.
Waite also writes beautifully. I certainly found it enchanting, especially considering so much of the book focuses on the stars, and she weaves metaphors in so well in relation to them.
I did have one gripe, which was that I couldn’t quite tell how much time had passed between chapters. It would be mentioned, but it almost felt like an afterthought. It made the relationship between the two protagonists, Lucy and Catherine, feel rushed. I also think it affected some of the relationships that these characters had with others, but not to the point that it ruined the overall reading experience.
Romance genre elements aside (which, again, I really wasn’t the biggest fan of, but I’m trying not to let that affect my overall impressions of the novel), I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is definitely a must-read for folks who do like queer romance and historical fiction.
(And spoiler warning: The twist at the end was simultaneously delightful and annoying in that it kind of felt like a cop-out.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse
danajoy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
This is a beautifully written and wonderful romance. I love the backdrop of astronomy and the arts, especially in light of the historical setting. It is full of beautiful quotes and imagery.
I think my favourite aspect of this was the amazing portrayal of consent and the importance of enthusiastic consent when progressing with intimacy.
I think my favourite aspect of this was the amazing portrayal of consent and the importance of enthusiastic consent when progressing with intimacy.
"The whole point is to feel excited about one another, isn’t it? If you’re more anxious than excited, then we wait. Simple."
It IS simple. I love seeing this sort of thing in books! This was the story I read directly after The Duke and I by Julia Quinn which unfortunately has a very problematic, non-consensual scene which really does make it hard to think back on the rest of the story with anything but uneasiness. When I read this story I was so happy that consent was clear and enthusiastic. There are a lot of steamy scenes in here. They are usually a little long, very tender and very hot so if that is something you're seeking out then I highly recommend picking this book up.
Personally, I found the plot interesting enough to keep me engaged but a bit on the predictable side. The docked half star is for my frustration with a very common romance trope also present in this story -
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Grief, and Death of parent
womanwill's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism
decklededgess's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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? No
4.0
trigger warnings: marital abuse and assault, potential mention of bdsm relationship with a sub who wasn’t really fully consenting??, emotionally abusive exes, homophobia, sexism and misogyny, sexism for women in STEM, sex and nudity, alcohol, sexist family, death of parents, mild racism
surprisingly diverse!!! hella brown and poc characters mentioned except none of them have their actual races mentioned save one because of his name. but the book is making several points about first wave feminism which is interesting!! really enjoyable.
surprisingly diverse!!! hella brown and poc characters mentioned except none of them have their actual races mentioned save one because of his name. but the book is making several points about first wave feminism which is interesting!! really enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
bookishnatalia's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism