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sheaisaliterarywreck's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and KDP for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lying with Lions is a historical fiction family saga that follows the Bryant/Davenport family primarily from the perspective of Agnes Ashford, a young archivist with forged qualifications who is looking to make her place in the world. Agnes falls into an affair with Lady Bryant and finds herself catapulted into the family drama: no longer is she merely the orphaned archivist, she is now the dearest confidant and secretary to Her Ladyship. The drama that unfolds is brutal, and none are left unscathed.
LwL reads very much like a classic from the period, but lacks the social commentary I normally appreciate coming hand-in-hand with the style. I hoped I would find the family saga compelling enough on its own, but I instead found myself irritated with the success of Agnes' manipulations despite her regular lack of forethought (many of her actions seemed to be contradictory to her characterization—in an unbelievable way, rather than in an unreliable narrator way) and the stale chemistry between Agnes and Lady Bryant. The last quarter of the book did finally begin to change my harsh opinion of Agnes and her affair, but not significantly enough for me to rate the book a full 4 stars. The concept of the story and much of its plot I thoroughly enjoyed, but its execution less so.
Lying with Lions is a historical fiction family saga that follows the Bryant/Davenport family primarily from the perspective of Agnes Ashford, a young archivist with forged qualifications who is looking to make her place in the world. Agnes falls into an affair with Lady Bryant and finds herself catapulted into the family drama: no longer is she merely the orphaned archivist, she is now the dearest confidant and secretary to Her Ladyship. The drama that unfolds is brutal, and none are left unscathed.
LwL reads very much like a classic from the period, but lacks the social commentary I normally appreciate coming hand-in-hand with the style. I hoped I would find the family saga compelling enough on its own, but I instead found myself irritated with the success of Agnes' manipulations despite her regular lack of forethought (many of her actions seemed to be contradictory to her characterization—in an unbelievable way, rather than in an unreliable narrator way) and the stale chemistry between Agnes and Lady Bryant. The last quarter of the book did finally begin to change my harsh opinion of Agnes and her affair, but not significantly enough for me to rate the book a full 4 stars. The concept of the story and much of its plot I thoroughly enjoyed, but its execution less so.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and War
li_reading's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Lying with Lions delivers exactly what the synopsis promises: an archivist, family wounds and a dark secret; all within the first quarter, what follows is a difficult-to-follow journey through Edwardian politics. While there were sparks of intrigue, I largely found myself anticipating a strong narrative that never took hold.
I struggled with the pacing, with an engaging start that fizzled out as the story progressed. The element of romance was a pleasant change of pace, although it was rather contrived and seemed to appear out of thin air. What could have been the book's saving grace, instead fell flat.
Characters such as Meredith and Harold were positively enchanting and provided much-needed relief from the politics of the Bryant household, I only wish the story could have revolved around them instead.
The first-person narrative took getting accustomed to, however there were several moments which brought a smile to my face at the beauty of the writing. Unfortunately some typographical errors did pull me back into reality, breaking the flow of the story.
In all, I found many components of the book to be enjoyable (the setting, the characters, the lesbian romance) but found the delivery to be lacking.
I struggled with the pacing, with an engaging start that fizzled out as the story progressed. The element of romance was a pleasant change of pace, although it was rather contrived and seemed to appear out of thin air. What could have been the book's saving grace, instead fell flat.
Characters such as Meredith and Harold were positively enchanting and provided much-needed relief from the politics of the Bryant household, I only wish the story could have revolved around them instead.
The first-person narrative took getting accustomed to, however there were several moments which brought a smile to my face at the beauty of the writing. Unfortunately some typographical errors did pull me back into reality, breaking the flow of the story.
In all, I found many components of the book to be enjoyable (the setting, the characters, the lesbian romance) but found the delivery to be lacking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Animal death, Violence, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use and Misogyny
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