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jasminegalsreadinglog's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a young adult romantasy with a touch of magic. With an ode to Bridgerton series, there's a wonderful element of a gossip column as well.
Niamh is a tailor who has been commissioned to make wedding clothes of Kit a young prince. To add to the twist, there's underlying tension between the Prince Regent and Kit. There's also a tension brewing among the different provinces.
I enjoyed the magical aspects of this book, and the diverse side characters of this novel are wonderful. However, I wish that there was more world and character building. Even after finishing the book, I still am not sure of the magic system of Avaland, and I wanted to know more about Kit's perspective. It left me wanting for more. I might be in the smaller section of readers who are neutral about this book.
Thank you, the publisher and Netgalley, for this book.
Niamh is a tailor who has been commissioned to make wedding clothes of Kit a young prince. To add to the twist, there's underlying tension between the Prince Regent and Kit. There's also a tension brewing among the different provinces.
I enjoyed the magical aspects of this book, and the diverse side characters of this novel are wonderful. However, I wish that there was more world and character building. Even after finishing the book, I still am not sure of the magic system of Avaland, and I wanted to know more about Kit's perspective. It left me wanting for more. I might be in the smaller section of readers who are neutral about this book.
Thank you, the publisher and Netgalley, for this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Classism
krisalexcole's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
immovabletype's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Genocide, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Outing, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, and War
lastblossom's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A charming fantasy romance with slow burn and a dash of magic.
Thoughts
This book is like a fairy tale. Usually when I say that, I mean it in the "dark, tragic, unsettling" sort of way, but this time I mean it in the "dreamy, beautiful, hopeful ending" sort of way. You've got your self-sacrificing heroine with a heart a gold and magic in her fingertips, a cranky prince surrounded by a wall of thorns (sometimes literally), and a kingdom in peril. The magic system doesn't get much detail, leaving the reader to have to accept that magic is magic, but the rest of the world building is solid - weighted heavily on real world history, including a frank look at colonization, classism, the fact that LGBT people have existed at every point in history. And yet even with all the weight, it remains a dreamy, sometimes cozy read about a gently blossoming romance between two lonely people.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A charming fantasy romance with slow burn and a dash of magic.
Thoughts
This book is like a fairy tale. Usually when I say that, I mean it in the "dark, tragic, unsettling" sort of way, but this time I mean it in the "dreamy, beautiful, hopeful ending" sort of way. You've got your self-sacrificing heroine with a heart a gold and magic in her fingertips, a cranky prince surrounded by a wall of thorns (sometimes literally), and a kingdom in peril. The magic system doesn't get much detail, leaving the reader to have to accept that magic is magic, but the rest of the world building is solid - weighted heavily on real world history, including a frank look at colonization, classism, the fact that LGBT people have existed at every point in history. And yet even with all the weight, it remains a dreamy, sometimes cozy read about a gently blossoming romance between two lonely people.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Classism
Moderate: Blood and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia and War
pagewanderer_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
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 am such a huge fan of Allison Saft’s writing style. It is lyrical and cozy and silly which made A Fragile Enchantment such a quick and fun read.
I don’t usually gravitate towards Regency Romance books, but knowing it would incorporate Fantasy, and being such a fan of Saft’s work, I knew this was a perfect time to give it another try. And she did not disappoint. If you like Bridgerton-esque books with a magical backdrop, look no further.
Niamh is an impoverish seamstress who gets the job of a lifetime when she is offered to create the Prince’s entire wardrobe for the “Season” leading up to his wedding. The Prince, Christopher (Kit), however, is a grumpy unwilling participant in the arranged marriage and makes Niamh’s job very hard.
Niamh’s life is limited due to a “generational magical disease” and this job is the last hope she has to providing for her family. So she works even harder to try to get Kit to cooperate. But as they spend more time together, she sees he’s not as prickly as he makes himself out to be. With the Season in full swing, Niamh has to navigate not only court etiquette and the politics behind the marriage, but also her burgeoning attraction to Kit. (The slow burn is unreal and so satisfying!)
But this is why Niamh is the perfect FMC. Despite everything she has been through and is going through, she is resilient and kind and a little naive but so true to herself while continuously growing and learning to be better.
Saft hits on a lot of very big themes with not only her beautiful world building, but also with each character we are introduced to. Every character is so well thought out and has a purpose spotlighting things like LGBTQ issues, alcoholism, chronic illness, race, status, and politics.
I think the only critique I would have of this book is that the fantasy of it all is just in the background. As in, it exists and some people have it, but there’s not really much backstory. I guess I just wanted more of it.
Regardless, it was a whimsical tale with so much underneath the YA surface that will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, Allison Saft for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, and Classism
Moderate: War