annabel_winter's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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leanneymu's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

I feel really conflicted about this one. I normally love Everisto's whiting, and I actually found the verse form pretty easy to get into, but a lot of the characters, dialogue and attitudes felt very early 2000s in a way that was quite alienating. While all the characters felt believable, I struggled with the everyone's attitude to the character of Venus in particular (including her attitude to herself). I also found the adult/minor relationship, although believable for the Roman time period, a bit hard to stomach. Probably my least favourite novel by this author so far, but I will definitely continue to read the rest of her back-catalogue, as I loved Mr Loverman and Girl, Woman, Other. 

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remusritch's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.25

This felt like a first draft that got published. My .25 was for the potential that it had. Use of modern slang and references to Armani and Gucci etc felt grating, also the writing in Scots didn't hit the mark. Protagonist was self-centred but not in an interesting way, and had no real character development throughout. This book was disappointing because it could have been good but just, ultimately, wasn't. 

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