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ceebee86's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I found that I did not give it a perfect 5 because some parts in the first half felt like such a slog.
But this thing is really Victorian gothic to the core.
I really do appreciate the theme of SA survival. I could feel the familiar nausea in Winnie as she was experiencing it herself in the story.
Winnie as a whole was pleasant to read actually. Her cleverness and humanity shine through. Not all authors can write a clever character.
I also really liked the “telling a fairy tale” format that was used for expositional moments. It made it feel like the vibe wasn't abruptly halted to explain something.
What brought this rating way up was the love interest. The development he went through and the way his character evolves as he comes to love Winnie was absolutely perfect to my tastes.
Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
lifewithloopy's review
3.75
Otherwise, this is a fun read with an alternative take on the Gothic Romance genre. To be honest, I was over half way through the book before anything overtly romantic happened. The romance is pretty restrained, closer to something thing in Victorian-era novels, which I really appreciated.
If you saw 'faeries' and 'romance' and thought of ACOTAR, you're going to be disappointed. This book is not that. I think if you liked Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, you might like this book.
I'm interested to see where this world goes and will be reading Rosemary & Thyme when it comes out.
Moderate: Pedophilia, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abandonment, Grief, Murder, Animal cruelty, and Classism
l1brarygirl's review
3.5
Of particular note: This book takes place in the early 1850s, which places it as much as 30-40 years after Half a Soul and 25-30 years after Longshadow
Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Abandonment, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, and Confinement
Minor: Animal cruelty, Grief, Drug use, and Vomit
breezer's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Pedophilia and Sexual harassment
astellarjay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Pedophilia and Sexual harassment
florecita_lectora'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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Grief, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment
evarinya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Blood
Moderate: Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Chronic illness
Minor: Rape, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Misogyny
_teoeo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Wowowow, I never would have thought how much I'd like this book! It has the perfect somewhat cozy gothic setting and I loved all the ghosts and fairies so much.
I started this book without reading half a soul first and was a little afraid that I wouldn't understand a few things because of that, but it really wasn't a big problem. And it also really wasn't my last Olivia Atwater book! I'm SO exited for rosemary & thyme and I will read half a soul as soon as possible!
The main character was excellent, I enjoyed seeing through her eyes a lot (it also made the scary parts less scary).
The only flaw is that sadly it has this "immortal man x young woman"-thing. I also would've enjoyed a more diverse set of characters.
But nonetheless I had so much fun reading it and from now on will count it as one of my favorite books!
Thanks a lot NetGalley for providing and e-ARC of this!
Moderate: Violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Death, and Blood
luckylulureads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Of Atwater’s Faerie Tale world, Winifred my be one of my favorite heroines yet, next to Dora. She’s clever, cunning, and willing to do what she needs to do in order to survive a world of faeries and monsters. She has a traumatic past, but seeing her reclaim her own desire was amazing.
This is a delightfully gothic tale, with all the classic trappings of the genre. The mysterious, dilapidated manor, the gothic father/monster duology, and an atmospheric sense of isolation. Atwater combines this flawlessly with her existing world. It’s creepy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s a great time. While I occasionally found myself a bit confused, I felt that by the end I had all the answers I needed. I can’t wait for the next book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Self harm, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Child abuse
karenreadsbooks's review
4.5
Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual assault