A review by vilandra
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

When I started reading this, I was pleased because it seemed so much better than the Lost Apothecary (which I thought was ok but not great). This was my Book of the Month book and I got it in the hopes that the author had improved with her second book. But this book turned out just ok. Some reworking could have made this a very good story. Like others have said, this book was very well researched.  It’s clear the author put a lot of work into the spiritualism parts of the book. The story itself had issues. The main character, who is unlikable, is also an idiot in a lot of the situations she finds herself in. This is also a “men are creepy and terrible” book. When one male character seems to be redeemed, the author makes sure to tell us that, no, he’s really not a good guy after all. The reveals are eye-rolling or unsurprising. There’s no chemistry between characters who are supposed to be romantically involved, after knowing each other all of two weeks. The author felt the need to include cringey “50 Shades Lite” scenes. The main character is an expert in her field, again, after about two weeks. This author has good ideas but her books so far have needed some rewrites. I don’t think I will read another book by this author.
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