Scan barcode
A review by bel017
The Brothers Sinister: The Complete Boxed Set by Courtney Milan
You can read the first novella for free, if you like that you'll likely like the rest of them.
My favourite heroine was Free, as she was so eloquent about her independance; my favourite romance was Sebastian and Victoria, as they'd known each other the longest; my favourite story was Rose and Stephen, because I am a nerd; my favourite dialogue was the doctor talking about sex without euphemism.
I didn't like the way adoption was talked about. The biological father isn't the "real" father, Oliver isn't Free's half-brother. He is her brother. Real is the wrong adjective, but if you have to use it then his "real" father is his adoptive father - the one who turned up every day and did the work.
I also didn't like the sex scenes. No one asks what the other likes, or spends any time finding out: they all followed a similar pattern of kisses, marriage, (graphic sexual content) women who are virgins or who have had negative sexual experiences providing very clear (but uninformed, to varying degrees) consent, the men going down on them to bring them to orgasm, then immediately climbing on top of them for penetrative sex, with both parties orgasming shortly thereafter. I think queer romances have ruined me for straight romances. In *Brothers Sinister* sex scenes there was no exploration, very little talking, not even any real variety. Whereas in, for example, m/m romance *Band Sinister* (which I'm 100% choosing as an example because of the similar name) by KJ Charles, there is so much about found family, deft handling of power imbalance and consent, exploration, and so much talking (the hilariously dirty pillow talk includes the conjugation of Latin verbs for various sexual acts). I would have loved to have seen more of that here, not just the feeling of hitting the beats.
Despite those two complaints, I really enjoyed this series, it was a great distraction while I've been suffering with a flu. There are some fabulous characters. And Milan has clearly done her research, I enjoyed her notes at the end of each story, explaining what was real and what was stretched. I love that she gave the women such an interesting variety of vocations. And the call backs to earlier stories gave a lovely cohesion.
My favourite heroine was Free, as she was so eloquent about her independance; my favourite romance was Sebastian and Victoria, as they'd known each other the longest; my favourite story was Rose and Stephen, because I am a nerd; my favourite dialogue was the doctor talking about sex without euphemism.
I didn't like the way adoption was talked about. The biological father isn't the "real" father, Oliver isn't Free's half-brother. He is her brother. Real is the wrong adjective, but if you have to use it then his "real" father is his adoptive father - the one who turned up every day and did the work.
I also didn't like the sex scenes. No one asks what the other likes, or spends any time finding out: they all followed a similar pattern of kisses, marriage, (graphic sexual content)
Despite those two complaints, I really enjoyed this series, it was a great distraction while I've been suffering with a flu. There are some fabulous characters. And Milan has clearly done her research, I enjoyed her notes at the end of each story, explaining what was real and what was stretched. I love that she gave the women such an interesting variety of vocations. And the call backs to earlier stories gave a lovely cohesion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Miscarriage and Sexual content
Minor: Rape and Racism