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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow, this was bad. I may or may not have pirated the English version, so the horrible translation is certainly because of that. But even beyond the mismatched pronouns and odd word choices, the overall unbearableness of the plot still managed to shine through.
Let's start from the fact that the author seemed to just pick a bunch of tropes she liked and simply stacked them on top of each other, so now this Frankenstein of a book exists. I feel like I get what Mona Kasten was trying to do, I really do, but the result is just bad. James controls his emotions as well as a 6-year-old boy, and can always be trusted to wreck everything as soon as there is something to wreck. All the "good" things he does are a direct result of his money(buying Ruby gifts, lending the private Victorian collection) , and there's only one scene in which he actively defends Ruby from his god-awful friends (with whom, by the way, he never considers parting ways, despite his so-called character development). Ruby, on the other hand, is just as annoying for the opposite reasons. Her whole thing is being organised. That's it. Good luck finding more personality. We are constantly told she's smart, but we are never shown. Oh wait! Her other thing is also finding out people's deepest, darkest secrets in the most bizarre ways. Charming.
Don't even get me started on the sub-plot of a 15-year-old girl dating her teacher and the fact that it's portrayed in a positive light, because I will lose it. I would just squint while reading and hope it was over soon.
Let's start from the fact that the author seemed to just pick a bunch of tropes she liked and simply stacked them on top of each other, so now this Frankenstein of a book exists. I feel like I get what Mona Kasten was trying to do, I really do, but the result is just bad. James controls his emotions as well as a 6-year-old boy, and can always be trusted to wreck everything as soon as there is something to wreck. All the "good" things he does are a direct result of his money
Don't even get me started on the sub-plot of a 15-year-old girl dating her teacher and the fact that it's portrayed in a positive light, because I will lose it. I would just squint while reading and hope it was over soon.
Ruby wants nothing more than to get into Oxford for college, and the best way for her to do that is to succeed in her studies and keep her head down and out of trouble at Maxton Hall, the toney private school she has a scholarship too. But when she sees one of the upper elite students in a compromising position, she gets pulled into much more drama than she ever anticipated. And the student pulling her the hardest is James Beaufort, the ne'er-do-well heir to a fashion fortune.
I had never heard of the Maxton Hall books, but I figured they must have something to them if Amazon created a show. Ruby and James are very much opposites attract, but a magnet keeps pulling them together. There are some juicy side plots, and together it makes for a great drama soup.
These are romance but it looks like we don't get the happy ending until the third book. So don't be surprised by the cliffhanger at the end and just dive on in to the second book!
I had never heard of the Maxton Hall books, but I figured they must have something to them if Amazon created a show. Ruby and James are very much opposites attract, but a magnet keeps pulling them together. There are some juicy side plots, and together it makes for a great drama soup.
These are romance but it looks like we don't get the happy ending until the third book. So don't be surprised by the cliffhanger at the end and just dive on in to the second book!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is probably closer to 3.5 stars but rounded down mostly because Ruby was truly so insufferable to read about! If these characters were aged up just a tad, I think that would have helped get out of the “annoying, high strung high school overachiever” trope but, alas, I guess we shall see what happens when the next book comes out.
While I have criticisms of this book… this is the exact kind of dumb drama I love to read about. Inject this straight into my veins.
While I have criticisms of this book… this is the exact kind of dumb drama I love to read about. Inject this straight into my veins.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As someone who read the book after I watched the TV show (which I never do - it was because of the wait time for the English translation), I actually like the TV better in retrospect because it’s a very faithful adaptation. I could see the scenes from the book very clearly in scenes/memories from the show.
That being said, I liked about 85% of this book. There were a few times where I felt like we were doing the same cycles too many times. And when they barely get 15 minutes to be happy before dropping into a crazy cliffhanger at the end of the hook? DMPO.
Too many breakups/non relationships for me. BUT, I have to admit that I love Ruby. I think she’s feisty as hell - and absolutely perfect match for James. I need them to work their shit out more clearly in books 2 and 3 but incredibly excited for the journey!
That being said, I liked about 85% of this book. There were a few times where I felt like we were doing the same cycles too many times. And when they barely get 15 minutes to be happy before dropping into a crazy cliffhanger at the end of the hook? DMPO.
Too many breakups/non relationships for me. BUT, I have to admit that I love Ruby. I think she’s feisty as hell - and absolutely perfect match for James. I need them to work their shit out more clearly in books 2 and 3 but incredibly excited for the journey!
My 14 year old me would’ve probably enjoyed this more
I simply can’t tho, I listened to it as an audiobook and had to pause multiple times, because of the extreme amount of cringe I felt flooding through my whole body.
Didn’t even manage to finish it in the end and just gave up
I simply can’t tho, I listened to it as an audiobook and had to pause multiple times, because of the extreme amount of cringe I felt flooding through my whole body.
Didn’t even manage to finish it in the end and just gave up
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
I love the Maxton Hall universe and I CANNOT wait for book/season 2. The end oh my drama. I was surprised just how closely the tv adaptation was to the book. I actually really enjoyed having the split POVs, I liked knowing what both of their viewpoints were as we went along and see them grow to care for one another. Would definently read it again. Like binding 13 and paper princess I love a good poor girlie and strong rich guy love story.