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A review by eveofrevolution
The Lioness of Morocco by Julia Drosten
3.0
I enjoyed this book while I was reading it, and it's only sitting down to write this review that I'm thinking of the issues I really had with it. I'm one of those readers who's usually content to be along for the ride, and unless something seriously jumps out at me, I don't tend to think too critically as I'm reading.
First of all, I should have read the description of the book before starting it! I thought the book would be about a Moroccan woman, rather than a British woman living in Morocco. All the characters who are Moroccan (or non-European in general) are secondary/periphery characters, and the most prominent of these characters only becomes important in the last 1/3 of the book or so. So, if you're looking for a book about a strong-willed, independent WOC, this is not the book you're looking for! Again, it didn't bother me much while I read it, aside from the initial surprise from Sibylla, the main character, being British. But looking back, it is pretty crappy that the book was set in an ~exotic location without putting the inhabitants of that location in the front and center of the story.
Other than that gripe, it was a fairly enjoyable story, if a bit predictable. I guessed the ~twist very early on...not sure if I'm getting better at guessing twists, or if it was just that obvious. Though I'm not super into romance, I did appreciate some of the more romantic parts of the book, even though that too was pretty predictable and a bit half-baked. Love at first sight tropes are always kind of cringeworthy, and it played up the star-crossed lovers bit too much in my opinion. Though, somehow, I was still rooting for the couple, so I suppose the book did its job?
What I really enjoyed, however, was the historical background of the book, as well as some of the business dealings that took place. I'm surprised talk of Sibylla's company didn't go further over my head, but it was talked about in a fairly approachable way so it was pretty easy to understand.
Overall, it was okay. I actually lowered the star rating from 4 to 3, but I'll say 3.5 stars. I think the story was really interesting, but the more I think about the issues I've already said, as well as Sibylla's pretty cookie-cutter "independent woman" personality*, the more I'm disappointed.
*To clarify, I LOVE independent, forward-thinking women in my fiction. However, I felt like her characterization was pretty basic in those terms. Yes, she was independent because she ran the portion of her father's company, did what she liked despite propriety, and wore non-traditional (for Brits) clothing, but all of these things are pretty typical of the "independent woman" trope. I just wanted more from her.
First of all, I should have read the description of the book before starting it! I thought the book would be about a Moroccan woman, rather than a British woman living in Morocco. All the characters who are Moroccan (or non-European in general) are secondary/periphery characters, and the most prominent of these characters only becomes important in the last 1/3 of the book or so. So, if you're looking for a book about a strong-willed, independent WOC, this is not the book you're looking for! Again, it didn't bother me much while I read it, aside from the initial surprise from Sibylla, the main character, being British. But looking back, it is pretty crappy that the book was set in an ~exotic location without putting the inhabitants of that location in the front and center of the story.
Other than that gripe, it was a fairly enjoyable story, if a bit predictable. I guessed the ~twist very early on...not sure if I'm getting better at guessing twists, or if it was just that obvious. Though I'm not super into romance, I did appreciate some of the more romantic parts of the book, even though that too was pretty predictable and a bit half-baked. Love at first sight tropes are always kind of cringeworthy, and it played up the star-crossed lovers bit too much in my opinion. Though, somehow, I was still rooting for the couple, so I suppose the book did its job?
What I really enjoyed, however, was the historical background of the book, as well as some of the business dealings that took place. I'm surprised talk of Sibylla's company didn't go further over my head, but it was talked about in a fairly approachable way so it was pretty easy to understand.
Overall, it was okay. I actually lowered the star rating from 4 to 3, but I'll say 3.5 stars. I think the story was really interesting, but the more I think about the issues I've already said, as well as Sibylla's pretty cookie-cutter "independent woman" personality*, the more I'm disappointed.
*To clarify, I LOVE independent, forward-thinking women in my fiction. However, I felt like her characterization was pretty basic in those terms. Yes, she was independent because she ran the portion of her father's company, did what she liked despite propriety, and wore non-traditional (for Brits) clothing, but all of these things are pretty typical of the "independent woman" trope. I just wanted more from her.