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agw622's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
This is such an amazing twist for Hattie's character. The growth she is given is inspiring, and I love how she was able to start taking more control of her life. I only wish the ending had been a little more drawn out to show periods between some time jumps.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Classism, and Death of parent
tak_everlasting's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
i truly don't know if the book was good/bad, a true 3 am reading experience
also for a more "modern" version of historical romance, it still had a massive age & experience gap, and that was very uncomfortable. did not help that he highkey manipulated her into the relationship at first.
the fact that she still gets to study her art in paris after being married is both too much and not enough. it comes too late to really matter, and i get sick of annoying classmates sexually harrassing the protagonist being a set up for him being possessive,,, dunmore please read the room, no one wanted that.
any representation this book had was very much "BEHOLD, A BISEXUAL" about it and while i can speak to some of the adhd stuff being accurate, sometimes i could've sworn it was her only personality trait (see premise of the book, where she ends up at his house because she's IMPULSIVE, see isn't that so quirky of her?? completely forgetting the social requirements of your class and time period is something i /always/ do.)
also the fact that he talks about his former mistresses is cringe. i do not care. i don't give a flying fig about the male love interests prior dalliances, and in fact i'd rather prefer if they were both on a level playing field of either a) both having no sexual experience or b) both having some sexual experience, to about the same degree.
it doesn't have to be historically accurate. no one <i>wants</i> a historical romance to be particularly accurate. and if you're going to market yourself as being a more progressive voice in the genre, please don't slap a basic notion of feminism on your characters and call it a day, leaving all the musty pitfalls of the genre lying just beneath, waiting for an unsuspecting reader to fall through
also for a more "modern" version of historical romance, it still had a massive age & experience gap, and that was very uncomfortable. did not help that he highkey manipulated her into the relationship at first.
any representation this book had was very much "BEHOLD, A BISEXUAL" about it and while i can speak to some of the adhd stuff being accurate, sometimes i could've sworn it was her only personality trait (see premise of the book, where she ends up at his house because she's IMPULSIVE, see isn't that so quirky of her?? completely forgetting the social requirements of your class and time period is something i /always/ do.)
also the fact that he talks about his former mistresses is cringe. i do not care. i don't give a flying fig about the male love interests prior dalliances, and in fact i'd rather prefer if they were both on a level playing field of either a) both having no sexual experience or b) both having some sexual experience, to about the same degree.
it doesn't have to be historically accurate. no one <i>wants</i> a historical romance to be particularly accurate. and if you're going to market yourself as being a more progressive voice in the genre, please don't slap a basic notion of feminism on your characters and call it a day, leaving all the musty pitfalls of the genre lying just beneath, waiting for an unsuspecting reader to fall through
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
eleek0609's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Classism, Child death, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
meganpbennett's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I was very disappointed in Portrait of a Scotsman: I feel it was a let down for the series. Hattie is tricked into marriage to Lucien Blackstone, and she soon realizes that she's completely at his mercy, thanks to the law that makes her (literally) her husband's property. Realizing this, she tries to run away, and he kidnaps her, dragging her to Scotland against her will. Portrait of a Scotsman also doesn't have a happy ending, though the ending is just shy of hopeful.
The story took what felt like forever to get going, and then wobbled around as it tried to figure out what it wanted to be. Was it a biting social commentary about women in the Victorian Era and how much work went into getting the act amended so that women were not property and how much work went into getting (white, middle and upper class) women the right to vote? Was it a biting social commentary about mine safety? Was it a romance novel, featuring enemies to lovers, with a asshole with a heart of gold who's really a softy deep down? Was it the story of how a young woman learns what she wants out of life?
The story took what felt like forever to get going, and then wobbled around as it tried to figure out what it wanted to be. Was it a biting social commentary about women in the Victorian Era and how much work went into getting the act amended so that women were not property and how much work went into getting (white, middle and upper class) women the right to vote? Was it a biting social commentary about mine safety? Was it a romance novel, featuring enemies to lovers, with a asshole with a heart of gold who's really a softy deep down? Was it the story of how a young woman learns what she wants out of life?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Death
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