Reviews with content warning for Biphobia - Pansies

Reviews tagging 'Biphobia'

Pansies by Alexis Hall

6 reviews

cheye13's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a bit of a disappointment from my favorite author. With the republishing of this series, I wonder if this one will get some edits (or if there were earlier drafts that I'd've liked more).

This is one of those romances where the characters' individual plots feel out of balance; Fen's grief (understandably) shadows Alfie's internal and familial homophobia and loneliness. I don't think the storylines are badly paired, just that they needed a little more balance on the page. A number of the plot threads also felt a bit thin, which left me unsatisfied by their resolutions. Like Alfie's internalized homophobia - Fen yells at him a bit and he's fixed (basically).

It also falls into the camp of enemies-to-lovers romances who elide the enemies chapter too quickly and easily. I understand why we sped through the bullying premise, but if that was the intention, I'm not sure why it was included at all, especially given how intense it was. One of those cases where I would've preferred either extreme (no bullying involved, or angst for half the book) rather than the middle ground it fell in.

I definitely appreciate this as a stepping stone for the author to write his next books, and the writing style I love is still there. But it didn't have that Alexis Hall magic that clues the book to my hand until it's done.

Content Warnings

oddgreyhound's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

jfreud's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I often struggle to like the characters in Alexis Hall's books but end up finding the struggle rewarding (unlikeable main characters falling in love and growing as people is kind of their whole deal and they are very good at it). I didn't feel that way reading Alfie and Fen, though -- obviously Alfie has done some really bad things and has some deeply problematic instincts, but the way he's trying so hard to understand those things about himself and undo them, while holding fast to the parts of his upbringing he actually values, I find really moving. And the fact he's doing this while also being on the receiving end of some pretty brutal homophobia is just heartbreaking. I ended up really admiring the way he commits to emotional openness in light of all that.

Fen is a really neat character and their relationship is lovely, but this is definitely a book about Alfie rather than a book about them. I'd love to know more about Fen as a character outside of his grief, and to see how the relationship develops as he finds equilibrium and Alfie continues to work on himself. Would inhale a Fen-POV sequel!

Content Warnings