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f18's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Animal death and Confinement
minor foot fetish stuffwilybooklover's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
As a farce, this was ridiculously funny and camp and over the top. As a romance... it just wasn't quite there for me. Valentine was an idiot one too many times and the twins verged on too mean one too many times as well (especially Arabella). If both of those aspects were pared back just a touch then I think I'd have loved this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
purplepenning's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
When Alexis Hall describes his book as "a big gay regency romp about a overly dramatic beautiful rainbow sunshine unicorn + a overly dramatic demisexual grumpy duke, going on a cross-country chase" and adds that the unofficial subtitle is "Dude, Where's My Curricle?" and it's the "campiest and silliest and most fun thing" he's ever written — believe him.
The grumpy/sunshine combo is gold. I disagree with reviewers who felt Bonny Mr. Sunshine was overly mean to His Grace Valentine Grumpy Pants, but he was certainly in an unenviable position between his best friend and sister, His Grace, and his own, you know, precarious existence. And while a zero to 100 relationship for a demisexual main character doesn't quite work for me, I also disagree that His Grace was "just fine the way he was, oh em gee, just leave him alone already." He was not quietly content — he was miserably unaware and misguided and headed for further misery. Most of the side characters are great, though the satirized gothic heroine sister is just grating. And the plot is, well, a careening mess that's somewhat too driven by the bullying sexism of the day, anachronistic overcorrections, and aro understandings clashing with gothic dramatics, but mostly it's just a vehicle for fun shenanigans in the countryside. It's all undeniably over the top, British, queer, chaotic, funny, annoying, graphic, and sometimes genuinely touching and lovely.
The grumpy/sunshine combo is gold. I disagree with reviewers who felt Bonny Mr. Sunshine was overly mean to His Grace Valentine Grumpy Pants, but he was certainly in an unenviable position between his best friend and sister, His Grace, and his own, you know, precarious existence. And while a zero to 100 relationship for a demisexual main character doesn't quite work for me, I also disagree that His Grace was "just fine the way he was, oh em gee, just leave him alone already." He was not quietly content — he was miserably unaware and misguided and headed for further misery. Most of the side characters are great, though the satirized gothic heroine sister is just grating. And the plot is, well, a careening mess that's somewhat too driven by the bullying sexism of the day, anachronistic overcorrections, and aro understandings clashing with gothic dramatics, but mostly it's just a vehicle for fun shenanigans in the countryside. It's all undeniably over the top, British, queer, chaotic, funny, annoying, graphic, and sometimes genuinely touching and lovely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Gun violence
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Cursing, Kidnapping, Bullying, Confinement, and Sexism
Minor: Body shaming, Classism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Animal death
There are also a couple of key scenes (very sweet) that feature bees, and some brief talk/imaginings of spidersbookstarbri's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
Something Fabulous is a dramatic, ridiculous, over-the-top, adventurous, HILARIOUS story with a lot of heart. I don't think I've ever read a book that has made me laugh quite as much as this one. In the way of plot, it's quite simple: Valentine Layton's fiancée, Belle Tarleton, has run away. Her twin brother awakes Valentine at an "ungodly hour" to track her down. And that's what they spend the majority of the novel doing.
Of course, Bonny and Valentine begin to have *feelings* and that changes some things. This is a grumpy/sunshine story if I've ever read one. Bonaventure Tarleton might be my favorite character to ever exist ever. My dramatic, squishy, bumble bee!! I also adore Valentine who is just a grumpy, eight and twenty year-old who wants to go home and take a bath and kiss Bonny. Their relationship is simply magnificent. Bonny loves his Valentine and Valentine is secretly rather obsessed with his Bonny. The side characters are also great. Whenever Sir Horley entered a scene, I knew I was going to laugh at his antics with poor, oblivious Valentine. Peggy was simply amazing and much of her dialogue was hysterically funny. Belle was...a lot. I loved Belle's dramatics at first, though by the end of it, I was ready for Valentine to let her go lol.
I'm on a bit of an Alexis Hall tour and am slowly reading all his books. I love the way he writes and he is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. If you're looking for a fun, absurd, romantic book, Something Fabulous is definitely one to start with! I can't wait for the sequel and hopefully lots more Bonny and Valentine!!
Of course, Bonny and Valentine begin to have *feelings* and that changes some things. This is a grumpy/sunshine story if I've ever read one. Bonaventure Tarleton might be my favorite character to ever exist ever. My dramatic, squishy, bumble bee!! I also adore Valentine who is just a grumpy, eight and twenty year-old who wants to go home and take a bath and kiss Bonny. Their relationship is simply magnificent. Bonny loves his Valentine and Valentine is secretly rather obsessed with his Bonny. The side characters are also great. Whenever Sir Horley entered a scene, I knew I was going to laugh at his antics with poor, oblivious Valentine. Peggy was simply amazing and much of her dialogue was hysterically funny. Belle was...a lot. I loved Belle's dramatics at first, though by the end of it, I was ready for Valentine to let her go lol.
I'm on a bit of an Alexis Hall tour and am slowly reading all his books. I love the way he writes and he is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. If you're looking for a fun, absurd, romantic book, Something Fabulous is definitely one to start with! I can't wait for the sequel and hopefully lots more Bonny and Valentine!!
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
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