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mabechel's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Cool magic system. Pretty decent romance subplot. Overall very enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Torture, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Child abuse
readskiesatdawn's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
A very tight story with a surprising amount of character development for the first in a trilogy (I'm used to characters being fairly static until book two). There's very few details mentioned that aren't used later in the book. Any lose threads left hanging are clearly meant to keep the overall plot going in the sequel.
The magic system is a good balance of hard and soft, with clearly defined rules that still allows for creativity. Information about it is balanced well through the book with us learning bits and pieces along with the non magical character. There's very little info umping.
Both leads are likable in different ways and are also relatable in different ways. It's clear which narrative voice you're reading as the point of view switches back and forth and this switching is used well for dramatic irony. The failures to communicate that happen have clear and logical character motivations behind them and as a result are frustrating for the intended narrative reasons.
Four stars due to some minor pacing issues and a few one or two things I don't feel were foreshadowed well.
The magic system is a good balance of hard and soft, with clearly defined rules that still allows for creativity. Information about it is balanced well through the book with us learning bits and pieces along with the non magical character. There's very little info umping.
Both leads are likable in different ways and are also relatable in different ways. It's clear which narrative voice you're reading as the point of view switches back and forth and this switching is used well for dramatic irony. The failures to communicate that happen have clear and logical character motivations behind them and as a result are frustrating for the intended narrative reasons.
Four stars due to some minor pacing issues and a few one or two things I don't feel were foreshadowed well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent and Child abuse
bergha1998's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I think it’s a lovely story, I just found the pacing a bit off. It took me awhile to really get into it. But as soon as the characters get fleshed out more and the mystery grows it is quite enjoyable. I also didn’t expect so many spicy scenes.
Fantasy Mystery, MLM Romance, 2 1/2 🔥
“You look like a Turner painting and I want to learn your textures with my fingertips. You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful house. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you.”
“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”
“And I’m sick to death of being afraid, and I want you. Enough to risk it. More than enough. You make me feel like something—extraordinary.”
Fantasy Mystery, MLM Romance, 2 1/2 🔥
“You look like a Turner painting and I want to learn your textures with my fingertips. You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful house. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you.”
“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”
“And I’m sick to death of being afraid, and I want you. Enough to risk it. More than enough. You make me feel like something—extraordinary.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Colonisation, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny
laraloops's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
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? No
3.75
I saw some describe this as enemies to lovers - it is more acquaintance to lovers. Well written and ok prose. Felt like a Jane Austen book but if there were magic and if the characters were gay which is not an insult, I have wished for that kind of story. It was also not cut to black on the spicy bits which was nice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse
mollybear888's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Murder, and Sexism
raineydayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
I don't even know where to begin. Beautiful prose. Beautiful characters. Beautiful story. 10/10 no notes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, and Cursing
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Bullying, and Homophobia
Minor: Suicide and Murder
gooseboy's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.25
an interesting magic system mixed with a highly compelling romance plot made this book very enjoyable for me! got through it in a little over a day.
side note, did anyone else read robin's dialogue as male hawke from dragon age 2, or was it just me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia and Death of parent
ninoshmino's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I had to push through a certain amount of resistance at the beginning of this audio book — I’m generally put off by depictions of the upper class and landed gentry, unless they’re brutally satirical (or whimsically satirical, I guess? Can’t hate on Jeeves and Wooster) or all about the innate inequality and corruption of it all (yes I’m a stereotype) — anyway, its charm and gentleness quickly wore down my reflexive Marxist grumping. IMO it falls slightly more into “romance with intriguing fantasy elements” than “fantasy with romance plot” — but both the worldbuilding and the relationship pull their weight to drive the story. I found Edwin’s character arc to be really rewarding, focusing on his journey towards finding/making his place in a world that belittles him. Robin’s wasn’t as compelling, and his circumstances don’t greatly change from the beginning to end — or rather, the change is all external.
I did find out that it’s very awkward to listen to hot sex scenes while at the gym or on the bus, so I’ll probably get the sequel from the library. But I love the world enough to want to linger in it for another story, and I’m hoping Marske will continue to write in this world. And hey! It turns out that (some of) the rich people are corrupt, and the innate inequity of the situation was commented enough to satisfy my grumpy inner Marxist literary bitching.
I did find out that it’s very awkward to listen to hot sex scenes while at the gym or on the bus, so I’ll probably get the sequel from the library. But I love the world enough to want to linger in it for another story, and I’m hoping Marske will continue to write in this world. And hey! It turns out that (some of) the rich people are corrupt, and the innate inequity of the situation was commented enough to satisfy my grumpy inner Marxist literary bitching.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child abuse
xandry's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Bullying, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Torture, Murder, Chronic illness, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Xenophobia and Racism
thebetterstory's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A light, easy read that I tore through in a few days. It's more romance than mystery, but the plot moves along at a nice clip, with obvious, character-related stakes to follow. The prose slips down easily, with some neat little turns of phrase and imagery that keep it from being too generic.
The romance is a classic warm/cold dynamic and works well for it. Both the characters it centers are likeable, with Robin amiably stumbling into the world of magic and Edwin reluctantly serving as his guide when he'd much rather be sealed away reading. I did find myself wishing for a little more time for the leads to develop their feelings and pine for each other, but I'm a fiend for slowburn and generally difficult to satisfy in that regard.
The setting, an alternate Edwardian England, has some fun hints of worldbuilding around the magic that never goes too far in-depth. Similarly, the narrative skims gently over topics like women's rights and colonization. Edwin and Robin are kept likeable by being perhaps unrealistically willing to see the women around them as people. Even the two Indian women, both of whom are enjoyable side characters that are apparently uninterested in bringing up any of the effects of colonization, or any discrimination they might face other than the few sideways looks the book includes.
It's hard to see how the book could keep its fluffy tone if it actually did decide to dig into any of that, and whether it'll grate on you to see the narrative sidestep the full the implications of its choice of setting will depend on the person. The topic of women's rights, at least, is likely to be explored further in the sequel, which focuses on Robin's suffragette sister.
The romance is a classic warm/cold dynamic and works well for it. Both the characters it centers are likeable, with Robin amiably stumbling into the world of magic and Edwin reluctantly serving as his guide when he'd much rather be sealed away reading. I did find myself wishing for a little more time for the leads to develop their feelings and pine for each other, but I'm a fiend for slowburn and generally difficult to satisfy in that regard.
The setting, an alternate Edwardian England, has some fun hints of worldbuilding around the magic that never goes too far in-depth. Similarly, the narrative skims gently over topics like women's rights and colonization. Edwin and Robin are kept likeable by being perhaps unrealistically willing to see the women around them as people. Even the two Indian women, both of whom are enjoyable side characters that are apparently uninterested in bringing up any of the effects of colonization, or any discrimination they might face other than the few sideways looks the book includes.
It's hard to see how the book could keep its fluffy tone if it actually did decide to dig into any of that, and whether it'll grate on you to see the narrative sidestep the full the implications of its choice of setting will depend on the person. The topic of women's rights, at least, is likely to be explored further in the sequel, which focuses on Robin's suffragette sister.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Bullying