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A review by aubreylane
The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Rakess and I had two false starts before I realised we were a love match. It wasn’t the easy, sexy escapist fiction I was expecting, but the angst baked into this narrative was worth the payoff.
The heroine of this novel, Seraphina, is a defiant feminist who embraces her scandalous reputation as a loose woman. While some readers may be looking for a regency celebration of feminine sexual confidence divorced from tragedy and injustice, that is not the project of Peckham’s new series #SocietyofSirens. The sex on the page is up to Scarlett Peckham’s usual standard - unflinchingly explicit and dirty - but she also refuses to shy away from the social and emotional toll that Seraphina’s choices have on her personal and love life. While both Sera and her sweet wholesome hero, Scottish architect Adam, have endured tragedy, and Sera engages in harmful use of alcohol on the page, the emotional payoff is realistic and satisfying.
The Rakess heralds the lush, complex, emotionally resonant regency world of the Society of Sirens series.
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
TW slutshaming, miscarriage, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, institutionalisation
The heroine of this novel, Seraphina, is a defiant feminist who embraces her scandalous reputation as a loose woman. While some readers may be looking for a regency celebration of feminine sexual confidence divorced from tragedy and injustice, that is not the project of Peckham’s new series #SocietyofSirens. The sex on the page is up to Scarlett Peckham’s usual standard - unflinchingly explicit and dirty - but she also refuses to shy away from the social and emotional toll that Seraphina’s choices have on her personal and love life. While both Sera and her sweet wholesome hero, Scottish architect Adam, have endured tragedy, and Sera engages in harmful use of alcohol on the page, the emotional payoff is realistic and satisfying.
The Rakess heralds the lush, complex, emotionally resonant regency world of the Society of Sirens series.
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
TW slutshaming, miscarriage, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, institutionalisation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Miscarriage
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Misogyny