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saurahsaurus's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Abandonment, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Minor: Alcohol and Violence
lastblossom's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-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? Yes
tl;dr: A fun retelling of Pygmalion with a great culinary backdrop and a genuinely empathetic core. Great for people who like descriptions of food, and an empathetic look at living in the diaspora. Romance felt secondary, and might be disappointing.
About:
Henrietta Higgins is on her way to becoming a top Culinarian, with only her class's final project between her and stardom. When she and her best friend Penelope Pickering come across pasty chef Elijah Little, Henrietta knows she has the project that will catapult her to the top: turn a kid from the street into a respected gentleman chef. A gender-swapped version of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady.
What I Liked:
The three leads were all well-written with distinct personalities and ambitions. Penelope Pickering was bright, kind, and really a delightful character all-around. I liked the frank discussion about being mixed race, and would have loved to see even more time dedicated to her Filipino heritage. Elijah Little likewise was a delightful character - bold, determined, and very easy to cheer for. Another very frank discussion about his Jewish heritage, which build perfectly into his own journey. An interesting alternate reality England, although there wasn't a lot of time spent on world-building. A lot of food descriptions.
What Wasn't For Me:
Henrietta Higgins is going to be a sticking point for a lot of readers. She's not a very kind person, and being capable has only made her colder. The author gave her enough layers that it's possible to sympathize with her, and I mostly came around by the end. There was a pretty rough "I'm not racist, but-" moment from her that was truly hard to get through.The biggest plot change from the original inspiration shifts the romance from Higgins x Doolittle, to Pickering x Little. I understand why the change was made, as a Higgins x Little romance feels super weird. But without the tension of the original pairing, the romance wound up falling a little flat to me. A romantic rival was introduced, but he never really stood a chance. And one of my least favorite tropes - lack of communication - played into some drama at the end.
About:
Henrietta Higgins is on her way to becoming a top Culinarian, with only her class's final project between her and stardom. When she and her best friend Penelope Pickering come across pasty chef Elijah Little, Henrietta knows she has the project that will catapult her to the top: turn a kid from the street into a respected gentleman chef. A gender-swapped version of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady.
What I Liked:
The three leads were all well-written with distinct personalities and ambitions. Penelope Pickering was bright, kind, and really a delightful character all-around. I liked the frank discussion about being mixed race, and would have loved to see even more time dedicated to her Filipino heritage. Elijah Little likewise was a delightful character - bold, determined, and very easy to cheer for. Another very frank discussion about his Jewish heritage, which build perfectly into his own journey. An interesting alternate reality England, although there wasn't a lot of time spent on world-building. A lot of food descriptions.
What Wasn't For Me:
Henrietta Higgins is going to be a sticking point for a lot of readers. She's not a very kind person, and being capable has only made her colder. The author gave her enough layers that it's possible to sympathize with her, and I mostly came around by the end. There was a pretty rough "I'm not racist, but-" moment from her that was truly hard to get through.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Antisemitism
Minor: Colonisation
abookandaspotoftea's review against another edition
challenging
informative
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? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Racism
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