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onlyahopelessromantic's review
Just didn't really connect with the characters. And it moved slowly. I think for me I liked when Maggie wasn't a detective in the first book and in this one it seemed like she basically was a sleuth which I didn't care for.
sunfalls's review
4.0
Pretty decent i think? I don't know; i don't have much to say. It's an alright story, and the ending was satisfying enough. I liked the art aspect to it. Both this book and Still Lives have made me think about art in a more conceptual way, how many different things can be fascinating and art. I like how maggie views the world, as well as how art and feelings and people and places are described in the book. It all feels vivid and alive, more so than what my own day to day life or experience with art or people feels like. I did enjoy reading this on the whole, i think
kkreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
maddiecross's review
5.0
I couldn’t sleep until I finished this book and found out what happened to Maggie. I’m not usually a mystery person but this story is so enthralling and Hummel has created such sharply real characters I couldn’t put this or still lives down. #TeamMaggie
madarauchiha's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
3.0
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️
It's a slow paced book, taking up not too long after the last book. I didn't notice any specific impact or trauma on the MC from the last book.
The plot was interesting, I guess. I forget if the MC is a character of color or not, but it does feel a little odd that the few CoC are, well, not given big parts in the book beyond dead woman and sounding board.
I thought the finale was decent and resolved everything fairly well. I hated the love interest for the MC. The rest of the characters felt rather shallow and I couldn't tell if that's on purpose. The dead woman wasn't given much depth, either.
Diversity? Not really, despite it being in Los Angeles. There's a character of color and her Japanese love interest. The CoC is a sounding board to the MC most of the time. The rest is rich white people.
I enjoyed reading this, despite all that. It was a well written mystery thriller and I didn't finish it feel like I wasted my time.
content warnings
minor pedophilia, csa, grooming, cancer, drug abuse, 9/11 mention, anti Rromani g slur one time, nazi,
medium suicide,
major toxic relationships, alcohol use, violence, gore, pablo picasso, sexual content, rape, sexual violence,
It's a slow paced book, taking up not too long after the last book. I didn't notice any specific impact or trauma on the MC from the last book.
The plot was interesting, I guess. I forget if the MC is a character of color or not, but it does feel a little odd that the few CoC are, well, not given big parts in the book beyond dead woman and sounding board.
I thought the finale was decent and resolved everything fairly well. I hated the love interest for the MC. The rest of the characters felt rather shallow and I couldn't tell if that's on purpose. The dead woman wasn't given much depth, either.
Diversity? Not really, despite it being in Los Angeles. There's a character of color and her Japanese love interest. The CoC is a sounding board to the MC most of the time. The rest is rich white people.
I enjoyed reading this, despite all that. It was a well written mystery thriller and I didn't finish it feel like I wasted my time.
content warnings
minor pedophilia, csa, grooming, cancer, drug abuse, 9/11 mention, anti Rromani g slur one time, nazi,
medium suicide,
major toxic relationships, alcohol use, violence, gore, pablo picasso, sexual content, rape, sexual violence,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️geekyearthmama's review
4.0
Maria Hummel's Lessons in Red is a companion to Still Lives. This LA-based mystery occurs in the art scene of the early 2000 and focuses on how sexism and the desire to keep power and control the narrative and voice shape art and society. Protagonist Maggie Richter, an inspiring journalist who works for the Rocque Museum, is recruited to investigate the death of a rising artist, Brenae Brasil. Along the way, she grapples with her career, trying to save the Rocque and working to ensure Brenae Brasil's voice is heard.
In the end, I enjoyed this story. As I didn't read Still Lives, there were a few times I found myself wondering about the backstory. My guess is would be I would have a more detailed understanding of Maggie, her team at the Rocque and Ray, her quasi love interest, if I had read Still Lives first. The beginning was slow to start, and I found myself putting it down for other reads often. However, once I got into Maggie going undercover, things got more interesting.
While the characters are not as in-depth as I would have liked, they did show the ups, downs, and struggles of budding artists. I found the female artists to be the most captivating as they inserted themselves in a male-dominated art scene. The controversy of Brenae Brasil's art and death reflected all the female characters' pain and determination. It shows us that when it comes to sexism and patriarchy, our stories are different and intertwined together.
In the end, I enjoyed this story. As I didn't read Still Lives, there were a few times I found myself wondering about the backstory. My guess is would be I would have a more detailed understanding of Maggie, her team at the Rocque and Ray, her quasi love interest, if I had read Still Lives first. The beginning was slow to start, and I found myself putting it down for other reads often. However, once I got into Maggie going undercover, things got more interesting.
While the characters are not as in-depth as I would have liked, they did show the ups, downs, and struggles of budding artists. I found the female artists to be the most captivating as they inserted themselves in a male-dominated art scene. The controversy of Brenae Brasil's art and death reflected all the female characters' pain and determination. It shows us that when it comes to sexism and patriarchy, our stories are different and intertwined together.
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