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teresab78's review
5.0
****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®****
4.5 Stars - Story Review:
I adored A Midwinter Prince; Its tone, its subject and plot, its beautiful language. Laurie and Sasha came to life and their story made me feel things.
Quick note, it is shelved as historical on Goodreads many times, but it is not, in fact, a historical. It is a contemporary setting that this heir of a baronet and Romani refugee come together in.
A Midwinter Prince is very much a coming of age novel. The characters, especially Laurie, really grow as people throughout the book.
I thought it was well researched and wonderfully executed. The Romani camp came to life as did the tiny apartment in the East End. The descriptions of life on the streets and living poor felt so real. There were a few spots that I felt implausible – mostly the last sex scene – but other than that, I enjoyed every minute. I had to force myself to stop listening so I could go to bed!
This audio book had a bonus of the first chapter of the next book. I usually don’t like listening/reading the first chapter ahead of time, but I was still driving when the main book ended so I thought I’d give it a go. It definitely made me want the next book right away! So pick this up, and enjoy!
Narration Review:
Rusty Coles is a new to me narrator. I really enjoyed listening to his voice and accents. Every character was distinct, and I could hear the personality in every voice. His Romani accent vs his English vs his American vs his French were all perfect to me. I look forward to hearing more from him!
4.5 Stars - Story Review:
I adored A Midwinter Prince; Its tone, its subject and plot, its beautiful language. Laurie and Sasha came to life and their story made me feel things.
Quick note, it is shelved as historical on Goodreads many times, but it is not, in fact, a historical. It is a contemporary setting that this heir of a baronet and Romani refugee come together in.
A Midwinter Prince is very much a coming of age novel. The characters, especially Laurie, really grow as people throughout the book.
I thought it was well researched and wonderfully executed. The Romani camp came to life as did the tiny apartment in the East End. The descriptions of life on the streets and living poor felt so real. There were a few spots that I felt implausible – mostly the last sex scene – but other than that, I enjoyed every minute. I had to force myself to stop listening so I could go to bed!
This audio book had a bonus of the first chapter of the next book. I usually don’t like listening/reading the first chapter ahead of time, but I was still driving when the main book ended so I thought I’d give it a go. It definitely made me want the next book right away! So pick this up, and enjoy!
Narration Review:
Rusty Coles is a new to me narrator. I really enjoyed listening to his voice and accents. Every character was distinct, and I could hear the personality in every voice. His Romani accent vs his English vs his American vs his French were all perfect to me. I look forward to hearing more from him!
readingandconfused's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
wrenvale's review
4.0
This story surprised me. The first impression is it`s set in the last century, but it`s actually not. This could be a nod to how the upper class keep tradition.
Laurie is from a rich upper-class family, reputation and standards to uphold, his family have a certain set of expectations Laurie is expected to live up to.
Sasha is an illegal immigrant living on the streets, surviving on his wits and any way he can.
A love story filled with countless obstacles, but love prevails. and these boys get a follow up story that I`m off to listen to now.
listened to on Audible
Laurie is from a rich upper-class family, reputation and standards to uphold, his family have a certain set of expectations Laurie is expected to live up to.
Sasha is an illegal immigrant living on the streets, surviving on his wits and any way he can.
A love story filled with countless obstacles, but love prevails. and these boys get a follow up story that I`m off to listen to now.
listened to on Audible
bookcraft's review
4.0
Despite being one of Harper Fox's few books without any hint of magic or mysticism, there's a faint hint of the indescribably otherworldly throughouta dreamlike quality that doesn't blunt the impact of Laurie and Sasha's experiences or soft-focus their harsh realities, but instead gives the story the feel of a modern-day fairy tale.
Rusty Coles's narration is flawless. Not only does he bring Laurence to brilliant life, but his delivery perfectly complements and enhances the lyricism of the prose.
Rusty Coles's narration is flawless. Not only does he bring Laurence to brilliant life, but his delivery perfectly complements and enhances the lyricism of the prose.
pawtory's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
I thought this was a beautiful sort of modern fairy tale, with a hint of mysticism and a dark side. Harper Fox always writes enrapturing prose and I'm glad this story and its twists kept up since I've been disappointed before w/ other books. The quarter star was taken off for questionable use of the word g*psy, despite acknowledging it as a the wrong word to describe Romani.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Racism, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: Trafficking, Racial slurs, and Drug abuse
Be aware of some things: Sasha is Romani and the word g*psy is used occasionally, although it is acknowledged this is not the right word. Sasha engages in some sex work at the beginning of the story as well as mentioning it. He doesn't imply it is nonconsensual but he seems resigned to it.mooglemania's review
2.0
Anyone else think everything seemed to wrap up way too conveniently? Every problem was instantly solved, every time one of them was in real trouble, the other magically found him, and every side character bent over backwards to accommodate them, aside from any clear-cut villains. No one so much as got mad at them when they fucked up, and both came out smelling of roses. No trouble really stuck and their own self-deprecating was the only time anything bad was really said about them, aside from the two-three times they were accosted by a villain or two.
Plus the sex scenes? Not only were there way too many sex scenes, but some of them were really illogical to boot. I get that they couldn't keep their hands off each other but come on, they really wrote that they were fucking moments after KILLING a person, while the police was on its way, how fucked up is that?
Plus the sex scenes? Not only were there way too many sex scenes, but some of them were really illogical to boot. I get that they couldn't keep their hands off each other but come on, they really wrote that they were fucking moments after KILLING a person, while the police was on its way, how fucked up is that?
scarletine6's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars.
Great narration. Not so invested in this story.
Great narration. Not so invested in this story.
jessslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
claudia_is_reading's review against another edition
5.0
I never thought I would say this about a Harper Fox's book, but this is a sweet love story :P
That doesn't mean that there aren't dark moments, only that the darkness lays outside the protagonists, who are, in essence, young men who were forced into adulthood by the circumstances of their families rather than age.
Laurie is rich and quite disinterested in his own life and his future; his only interest lays in protect and nurture his young sister in a home presided by an authoritative, bigot father and a medicated, absent mother. Sasha is a Romani illegal immigrant, living in the streets and with a past he prefers to keep in the shadows.
When they meet a series of events are set in motion that will lead to Laurie's father beating him savagely, Laurie leaving home, getting a job as an actor in a play, Sasha's sudden absence, and Clara (Laurie's little sister), vanishing from the family's home.
From then on, betrayal and deception become the main theme and the plot will grip you mercilessly until the very end.
The writing is not the best I have read by this author, but it's still great, and still compelling. And the narration is simply gorgeous.
Another favourite.
That doesn't mean that there aren't dark moments, only that the darkness lays outside the protagonists, who are, in essence, young men who were forced into adulthood by the circumstances of their families rather than age.
Laurie is rich and quite disinterested in his own life and his future; his only interest lays in protect and nurture his young sister in a home presided by an authoritative, bigot father and a medicated, absent mother. Sasha is a Romani illegal immigrant, living in the streets and with a past he prefers to keep in the shadows.
When they meet a series of events are set in motion that will lead to Laurie's father beating him savagely, Laurie leaving home, getting a job as an actor in a play, Sasha's sudden absence, and Clara (Laurie's little sister), vanishing from the family's home.
From then on, betrayal and deception become the main theme and the plot will grip you mercilessly until the very end.
The writing is not the best I have read by this author, but it's still great, and still compelling. And the narration is simply gorgeous.
Another favourite.