Scan barcode
bree_h_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Violence
drtx_bwt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Graphic: Chronic illness, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Infidelity, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Terminal illness
alexijai98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: War, Classism, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content
becca_w_'s review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Classism, Violence, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, Medical content, Alcoholism, Blood, Sexism, Terminal illness, Addiction, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, War, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cursing, Confinement, Abandonment, Outing, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
krisalexcole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Moderate: Xenophobia, Classism, Chronic illness, and Alcoholism
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Colonisation, Grief, Homophobia, Blood, Cursing, Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, Infidelity, and War
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
The worldbuilding is excellent, working with the characterization to set up a fantasy version of regency England (Avaland), complete with a magic-fueled but no less terrible history with fantasy Ireland (Machland), including calling out this fictional version of the potato blight and contributing policies as genocide. One of the core tensions in the book is that Kit's brother and current regent, Jack, is ignoring the frustrated calls for better treatment and redress of concerns from the Machlish. Niamh is a Machlishwoman, invited to Avaland for her magic and skills as a seamstress. She finds herself falling in love with Kit when she's supposed to be making the clothes for his wedding and the formal appearances leading up to the bit event. Rosa, his betrothed (from what I'm pretty sure is fantasy Catalan or perhaps Spain), is as personally uninterested in the wedding as Kit is, but they are both going through with the political union for the sake of others. This leads to a very fun narrative space where Niamh is trying to navigate her feelings for Kit, but isn't automatically breaking someone else's heart in pursuing her own happiness. The mysterious gossip columnist, on the other hand, keeps having something to say about it, driving the threats of scandal even if the parties directly involved don't see it that way.
I love Kit and Niamh's chemistry. I'm a sucker for most variants of grumpy/sunshine, and especially for brooding (masc) characters who get pulled out of their shell, and this one is excellent. As the story unfolds, Kit's initial combativeness and disdain makes much more sense. I laughed and laughed when I got to the part with the very first item Niamh made for Kit. It's such a fantastic bit of characterization and plot, just the idea of that coat as his first real introduction to her skill in a public-facing setting. They've both become used to putting aside their own wants and needs in order to sacrifice for others, but each of them has been going about it in different ways. Kit has been floundering and frustrated because none of his direct attempts make it through to his brother and he's oscillating between desperately trying and abandoning all hope. Niamh is using up her time and body by being reckless with her energy when she has a hereditary chronic illness which will eventually turn terminal. They've both been trading pieces of themselves to help other people, and their relationship is the first positive and selfish thing either of them has attempted in a long while.
I'm very pleased with the ending, it's even better than I could have hoped for and more than any of the characters dared to dream. I'm looking forward to what this author does next.
Moderate: Blood, Homophobia, Bullying, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Colonisation, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Antisemitism, Drug abuse, Vomit, Death, Grief, Lesbophobia, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Infidelity, Genocide, War, and Death of parent
chronicacademia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
Moderate: Death, Grief, Ableism, Colonisation, Infidelity, Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Terminal illness