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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
4 stars ⭐
I enjoyed my time while reading A Restless Truth, though it was hard to continue reading some parts since I was getting a little bored
I enjoyed my time while reading A Restless Truth, though it was hard to continue reading some parts since I was getting a little bored
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Blood, Classism
adventurous
funny
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
This story is told in third person. It is the second book in The Last Binding series and while I adored book 1, A Marvellous Light, I was a bit disappointed in this one. It read excruciatingly slow for me. Too much time was spent talking, planning and strategizing without moving the story along. There is an overall story arc which I assume will take place over at least three books so while you could read this as a stand-alone sapphic romance, you would be missing some of the magical information and world-building previously mentioned that contribute to the larger picture.
I enjoyed most of the characters, their backgrounds and reactions to others and the events that occurred. The romance between Maud and Violet was a bit steamier this time around and I enjoyed the main protagonists dance around each other and their differences in life and experience. We moved along a little bit in the overall storyline arc finding the Forsythia members and more details on their plans to hide The Contract.
Overall, I had the feeling that this book was suffering from middle book syndrome. I am looking forward to the next book which I believe will feature Hawthorne and Ross and hope that some of the excitement of the series will revisit me then.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tordotcom for a copy provided for an honest review.
I enjoyed most of the characters, their backgrounds and reactions to others and the events that occurred. The romance between Maud and Violet was a bit steamier this time around and I enjoyed the main protagonists dance around each other and their differences in life and experience. We moved along a little bit in the overall storyline arc finding the Forsythia members and more details on their plans to hide The Contract.
Overall, I had the feeling that this book was suffering from middle book syndrome. I am looking forward to the next book which I believe will feature Hawthorne and Ross and hope that some of the excitement of the series will revisit me then.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tordotcom for a copy provided for an honest review.
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
'A Marvelous Light' introduced readers to an alternative Edwardian England subject to the Last Contract and a simultaneously twee and immoral world. Magic is hereditary and magicians are a secret aristocracy with very little oversight.
The plot takes us to ship making the return voyage to England across the Atlantic. On board is one of our heroines escorting an elderly magician guarding a magical artifact of immense value. Unfortunately there are others on board who know to look for it. We soon have a locked room mystery with all suspects trapped on board for the remaining days of the trip. Our young heroine teams up with a "disreputable" young woman with experience on stage and off. Can they work together to recover the artifact, retain their lives, and perhaps discover something between them?
I think you know the answer, but it's always fun being along for the journey.
There is a huge problem here where Freya Marske - who handled the male romance between Robin and Edwin so sensitively - doesn't seem to know much about how or why women love each other. Their romance sets off red flags, is probably painful to the ladies concerned, and doesn't have...substance. It's bizarre for a queer romance written by a woman to fall so flat, but the book must be read to get to the trilogy's conclusion.
The Last Binding
Next: 'A Power Unbound'
Previous: 'A Marvelous Light'
The plot takes us to ship making the return voyage to England across the Atlantic. On board is one of our heroines escorting an elderly magician guarding a magical artifact of immense value. Unfortunately there are others on board who know to look for it. We soon have a locked room mystery with all suspects trapped on board for the remaining days of the trip. Our young heroine teams up with a "disreputable" young woman with experience on stage and off. Can they work together to recover the artifact, retain their lives, and perhaps discover something between them?
I think you know the answer, but it's always fun being along for the journey.
There is a huge problem here where Freya Marske - who handled the male romance between Robin and Edwin so sensitively - doesn't seem to know much about how or why women love each other. Their romance sets off red flags, is probably painful to the ladies concerned, and doesn't have...substance. It's bizarre for a queer romance written by a woman to fall so flat, but the book must be read to get to the trilogy's conclusion.
The Last Binding
Next: 'A Power Unbound'
Previous: 'A Marvelous Light'
You don't need to have read the first book in the series to understand what's going on here. In fact, as someone who didn't, I generally felt the author did a pretty good job at filling in details that happened in a previous iteration without overly expounding upon them, making it enjoyable either way.
That said I left off feeling, well, probably very similar to how the characters felt: unfulfilled. The book itself was a lovely jaunt. But, as the characters pointed out several times: 6 days isn't a long time, which makes the romance feel a tad trite to me. Especially since it's mostly concerned with the spicy details and barely with anything else. I would hope that in the next installment (which at the time of this review should be coming sometime later this year) allows Violet and Maud to see more time together so we can see how they might grow or their relationship succeeds or fails but with the focus shifting to other characters, I wonder at that.
That said I left off feeling, well, probably very similar to how the characters felt: unfulfilled. The book itself was a lovely jaunt. But, as the characters pointed out several times: 6 days isn't a long time, which makes the romance feel a tad trite to me. Especially since it's mostly concerned with the spicy details and barely with anything else. I would hope that in the next installment (which at the time of this review should be coming sometime later this year) allows Violet and Maud to see more time together so we can see how they might grow or their relationship succeeds or fails but with the focus shifting to other characters, I wonder at that.