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yunuspapilio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Cursing, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child death, Death, Racism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Confinement, Alcohol, Colonisation, Addiction, and Alcoholism
sehwa's review
3.75
Overall, it was a very well rounded story with a good murder/mystery element to it. I definitely think it's worth the read if you like darker subjects :)
Moderate: Gore, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pregnancy, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Rape, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Slavery, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
ophelia_autumn's review
3.75
Let's talk about the three points of view - Madeleine, the astute prostitute / maid / spy, VĂ©ronique, the ingenious bourgeois teenager, Jeanne, Madame de Pompadour aka Louis XV's mistress. Although I wasn't fully convinced at the very beginning, I was soon won over by the different voices as they represented 3 parallel viewpoints from different perspectives on society, and in general I like the variety of characters. The common theme of women, poor people and non-white characters being trapped in the web of unfair people in an unfair world was well-crafted.
In this world, beauty seems a mask, a glamour, the machines created by Reinhart and his daughter a fascinating example of the liminality between the beautiful and the ugly, but also the living and the dead, another main theme. As someone who used to work in robotics, I liked to read about the machines as well as the characters discussing ethical points and science.
(Also, reading about clockwork machines and Madame de Pompadour woke up my Whovian radar, The Girl in the Fireplace, anyone?)
What I liked less: I wanted to feel more connection with the characters, I felt that all of them could have been explored more, especially Joseph and
I was sad that it seemed OK that so many animals were being killed for the sake of the anatomical or automation experiments, I know this was the status quo then, and still now, and seemed historically accurate, but I wish this has been explored more ethically, even though there were moments when Madeleine and Joseph were also uncomfortable with this.
I guessed a few plot twists but it didn't prevent me from appreciating the story and the atmosphere.
I want to thank Anna Mazzola and Orion publishing group for giving me an ARC version of the book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley :)
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Death, Trafficking, Racism, Animal death, Sexism, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual violence, Torture, Pregnancy, and Slavery