Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

56 reviews

organizedxchaos's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

4.75

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smcrain's review

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adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5. Man, okay, I got off on a rocky start with this. I couldn't decide whether to DNF or keep going. The setting is kind of so bizarre and non-sensical at times it was throwing me. That being said I kept reading past about the 25-30% I was unable to put it down until the end and loved it. It's gets off to a rocky start but all I can say is if you are able to get past that you might be surprised.

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dalenora's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was really fun! I found myself really identifying with mercy on a deeper level. In some scenes, it felt like my own life was transplanted onto the page. That being said, the twists were pretty predictable, and I found the final 100 pages to be a bit of a drag compared to the rest of the book, when usually that section should be the most exciting.

Also, to be more personal, I connected most to Mercy’s position as a caretaker for her dad/family, and because of that, their relationship was the books greatest weakness in my eyes. Similar to real life, her dad’s fragility felt like a red herring, every page it loomed over us, as I was waiting and expected something catastrophic to happen. Perhaps this is because, in real life, something catastrophic will always happen, usually sooner rather than later, and I’ve experienced that first hand. I’ll admit, this book didn’t kick up to a full 5 stars precisely because this just isn’t the kind of book to really explore that kind of grief, and I found myself sorely wishing it was as I realized this wasn’t that type of story. Bannen has such a beautiful and personal way of writing what it feels like to be in Mercy’s position, a way that makes the characters jump off the page and into your mind, and I wanted the catharsis of going on the entire journey with her. I usually love a good cozy fantasy, and I know the kind of depth to expect, but I guess I was just so taken by the characters that I wanted it to be a little bit more gritty, a little bit more real. And also, I guess I was just a little jealous she got the happy ending when we don’t in real life, and I longed for just a little bit of the bitter taste of reality in the end. So TLDR, I love this book!

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lizzysk555's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-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

3.5

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miss_berry315's review

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slow-paced

2.5

I never could decide how I felt about this book tbh. I originally DNF'd it bc I had been listening to the audiobook and was just irritated the whole time.
I got the ebook to try it again, and it was much easier to digest, though I was not a big fan of the cheesy and confusing world building. I also just didn't really care tbh. The best parts of the book were about the characters and their interpersonal interactions, which we didn't get nearly enough of imo.

Then everything went downhill at the 80% mark. I almost DNF'd there, but skipped that chapter bc I couldn't read it through my sobbing. Honestly, I'm pretty angry that's the direction the author chose to go in. I think most people have some hard limits on what they want to read abut in their books, and there are expectations set prior when it comes to romance novels. I'm not sure how nobody thought it was important to mention what happens at the 80% mark in any content warnings I had read prior (was not on storygraph then, but I should have been!). The 80% mark is one of my hard limits and it completely ruined the book I was already undecided on.
Unfortunately, things just got even more cheesy somehow and I was cringing through the last few pages feeling like I was watching a sitcom. I cringed and rolled my eyes through the entire last chapters.

The letters between the characters, the middle 15% of the book, and the background relationship were the only good parts of the book.

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Suicide attempt and Pregnancy

The following spoilers are things I wish I knew going into this book, because I probably would not have read the book had I known these things happened.

Right around the 80% mark, Hart decides to go check out a mysterious house that only he can see. It is a known dangerous mission that he had attempted when he was new to the job, which is how he lost his mentor. He decides to go on this mission alone, and this chapter is written with heavy implications of it being a suicide attempt. He has been depressed and lonely since the breakup with the woman he loves and suddenly feels like he knows what to do, so he goes about his day saying kind things to the people he interacts with, returning library books without checking out new ones, doesn't tell anyone where he is going with a bunch of weapons, goes alone to a place that he knows he will be overrun by the enemies, and writes one final letter to Mercy, but keeps it in his pocket. As I said above, its not explicitly written as a suicide attempt, but it's so heavily implied, it doesn't need to be stated outright for it to read that way. He does not make it, and sees his heavily injured body as his spirit floats away. Unfortunately for literally everyone involved (including us readers) he had purchased a funeral package at Birdsall and Sons and Mercy is the acting undertaker. Meaning, while these two are in their third act break up, he dies, his body is found, and it is brought to this poor woman who then has to go through the process of preparing his body for burial while processing all the emotions that lead to this point, both related to their relationship and related to the other stressful parts of her situation. The author dedicates an **entire chapter** to Mercy doing the necessary prepping of a body for burial. This is the only time the author chose to drag out this process. Every other time it is mentioned, they are salting the bodies for preservation and following their will for type or burial. With Hart though, the author slows down the process and puts every single bit of emotion into it as this is the climax of the story. I could not read this chapter. I almost DNF'd the book at this point. I skipped the chapter completely to figure out what happened. Mercy finds the letter in Hart's pocket and he's confessing his love for her in what is very clearly meant to be a suicide note. The chapter after this is Hart in a place of limbo where we learn that because of his demigod status, he has two lives to live and gets to go back to his body. Luckily, because Mercy is exhausted and emotionally distraught, she did not get too far in the post-death process. He ends up coming back to life and the ending is horribly cheesy and does not (imo) make up for the absolute heartbreak (no stupid pun intended ugh) of *that* chapter.

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

I received this as part of my FairyLoot subscription.
"The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy" is a novel that follows Hart and Mercy. Hart is a marshal that patrols and keeps safe the land of Tanria. Mercy has been working tirelessly as the office manager of her family business, Birdsall & Son Undertakers, and she has single handedly been able to keep the business afloat. Hart, out of a loneliness he will not admit to, writes a letter to a "friend". That letter is delivered to his enemy, Mercy, and the two unknowingly start some correspondence to each other that changes both of their lives.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. I have had it on my shelves for a while but kept putting it off because I thought other books sounded better, but I am so happy I finally gave this one a shot! This is a story about finding yourself, facing death, finding the joy in life, and allowing yourself to be happy.
Hart and Mercy had a tumultuous first impression, and they both think they do not like each other. These letters, because they do not know who is writing them, allow them to have a second chance at a first impression, and I loved it. Hart and Mercy bring out the best in one another and they are so good for each other. They really inspire each other to face their demons and fight for the lives they truly desire.
Mercy's family dynamic I think is so relatable for a lot of people, and I loved seeing her realize that her family ultimately just wants her to be happy, and, most importantly, only Mercy truly knows what will make her happy.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fantastical story with amazing character development.

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dkgreads's review

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

Oof, my heart 🥹. This book was quirky and magical and kinda weird, but I loved it! I also may have sobbed for, like, three chapters straight. It was really, REALLY good.

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bibliomich's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a romantasy adaptation of Norah Ephron's 1998 classic rom-com You've Got Mail (one of my favorites). The references to the film were by far my favorite parts of the book. I loved the back and forth banter in the MMC and FMC’s letters, as well as the enemies-to-lovers arc of their relationship.

The fantasy elements didn’t quite capture my attention in the same way. There wasn’t very much world building, so I didn’t really engage with the fantasy elements of the story; but mostly, I also didn’t really care to understand them. I was much more invested in the relationship plot than the action.

I enjoy reading books that push me out of my genre comfort zone, which Hart + Mercy definitely did. I’d be interested in reading Bannen’s companion novel, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank (a nod to When Harry Met Sally), when it comes out this summer.

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alfarmer's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

I laughed and I ugly cried. I did not expect a fantasy romance set in a world with undead to be so emotional, funny, and have an incredible love story.

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jg34's review against another edition

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dark funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No

2.5

This was fine. Both main characters were a bit unbearable at times but the supporting characters helped, even if every one was pretty one dimensional and over the top. There was not a lot of explanation about the world itself which was nice in some ways, like the absence of long page after page of build but, but also left me a bit clueless at times. You just learn more as you read. The writing was… fine. Not sophisticated. If you are looking for a beautiful story with flowery prose this is NOT it. It was an easy and fairly engaging read though! I wouldn’t think a hard core fantasy fan would like this book but definitely romance fans would

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