Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

23 reviews

ohheyitskaitlin's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Bullying

Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders

booksthatburn's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.5

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT is about Edwin and Robin, initially in each other’s company through a bureaucratic mistake. Robin had been cursed when he was unable to provide unknown assailants with information his (missing) predecessor had also denied them. Edwin was supposed to be liaising with whomever held that office, and instead proceeded to try and remove the curse. The actual plot is pretty straightforward, with only a few more twists after that. The action is solid (especially the bit in the maze) and I like several of the secondary characters, but the heart of this is absolutely Edwin and Robin’s relationship as they’re continually in each other’s company.

The rapport between Edwin and Robin slowly builds, lagging behind the intensity of each man’s buried attraction to the other. Robin adjusts pretty quickly to the existence of magic (a situation made much harder to ignore by the harsh nature of his introduction). Edwin’s focus is on trying to remove Robin’s curse, initially thinking of their acquaintance as very temporary and somewhat reversible. Much of the book is spent on Edwin’s family’s estate, with his siblings whose pranks range from frustrating to cruel. 

The worldbuilding is pretty subtle about placing the era, the setting is one where magic exists within the otherwise real history of the British Isles. Since I wasn't trying very hard to place it I was content to know it's a while ago, but after the invention of cars. I'm sure there are clues to place it more precisely if I looked hard, but the story wasn't trying to trouble me with those. It did more with the ways that magic could be secret, and the key seems to be that (in England, specifically), it's tied up in old money and old families since magic is passed through bloodlines. 

I enjoyed this immensely and will definitely read the rest of the series. The ending sets up a clear idea for the arc of the series, and I'll happily read more in this setting even if Edwin and Robin don't stay as the protagonists.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Ableism, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Violence, Blood, Bullying, and Drug use

Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Child death, Death of parent, and Vomit

olijordan's review

adventurous funny 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? No

4.25

So I was skeptical about a woman writing MLM romance because more often than not I have read just sexualised encounters where it’s just about the sex over the romance. I’m glad to say that was not the case here. The romance was utterly adorable and woven in so nicely that I was screaming like a child. 

The plot was amazing and though I found it hard to understand the magic system at first, you get the hang of it and you kinda expect that when you pick up a fantasy novel.

The book was amazing and I cannot wait to see where it takes the boys but regardless Miss Adelaide Morrissey will forever be my favourite character in this

My only fault was there was a lot of similes in the start which felt repetitive to continually read what it was “like” but the author very much found they’re groove after the first few chapters and it was beautiful and explicit which I appreciate 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Minor: Vomit

kathleencoughlin's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

4.75

A compelling story that mixes fantasy, romance, and historical fiction. I do love a classic gay longing dynamic and when the stiff, reserved character learns to shed their pricky exterior by having to spend time with a charming yet earnest new acquaintance. The book is on the longer side, but it didn't feel like it was dragging at all, plus intrepid readers are rewarded by a couple of spicy scenes. The magic system was interesting but not groundbreaking. Also, isn't the cover is absolutely gorgeous?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Torture, Murder, Kidnapping, Outing, and Sexism

Minor: Racism, Blood, Ableism, Cursing, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

erynlasbelin's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Self harm, Cursing, and Ableism

Minor: Vomit, Colonisation, Outing, Classism, and Racism

anntharai's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

5.0

From page one I enjoyed the writing and from about page 30 I cared about the characters. By the end I was ready to buy every book in the series only to find out book two is being released in six months. 

 

It’s a fantastic story with an interesting magical system and delightful characters - all written with a light hand and marvellous turn of phrase. 

 

I can’t wait to read more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Cursing and Torture

Minor: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, and Emotional abuse

jenthefictioner's review

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Although this book was stunning for a debut, there was one scene in the second half of the book that felt like it was filler content. It felt like it was something to push the word count to the required minimum. Yes, there was a detail that was later used, but I feel like it could have been written differently.

Although the enemies-to-lovers trope was well done, it felt a little underwhelming. They didn't quite feel like enemies in the beginning, but there is a fine line between what was here and abusive, so I can be okay with "a little underwhelming".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Vomit, Death of parent, Cursing, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia

The story's setting is during the very early years of the Edwardian era (1908), during which homosexuality was widely unaccepted.

rebeccaxpaige's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Self harm, Homophobia, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Cursing, Colonisation, and Classism

nikitablades's review

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

An amazing debut. I wanted to get a pencil out and underline certain sentences because they were so clever and fresh. Restrained myself just in time.
Super charming magical magical mystery romance with sexy mlm bits set in a version of 1920s Britain where magical society has kept itself hidden.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Death

nicamooch's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious 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

4.75

Gosh, the prose in this book is so beautiful I wish I had been reading a physical copy so I could have a representation of how much I annotated as I read. 

Both Robin and Edwin’s perspectives were such joys to read—I loved the character development and adored every social interaction between them and other characters.

The romance was so so sweet 😭 reading these two fall in love 😫 the way they understand each other and care for each other 😭😭😭😭 

I love the world building and magic system (cradling is such a cool concept!) I feel that it really shines in the little details of it throughout the book. The mystery twists were also satisfying! 

(My singular gripe was that some mishaps in the middle of the book felt a little too easily overcome/solved but that’s it. Honestly, just reading Marske’s prose makes me ascend so I didn’t even care that much lmao)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Bullying, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Self harm, Homophobia, Sexism, Ableism, Cursing, and Blood