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A review by bookish_bullsh_t
The Brass Queen by Elizabeth Chatsworth
Did not finish book.
Personal rating- 2/10
DNF at 33%
I received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I'm not gonna beat around the bush here. This is a rant review, I usually try to uphold both my personal positives and negatives of the book and let the reader decide for themselves; because reading is a subjective experience and they might like something that I don't like. This time it's just a rant, hopefully explaining why I would DNF an Arc. I wish the author and publisher all the best for their success, but this book was just not for me, and I think I'd grow to loathe it more if I force myself to read it instead of just moving on.
The only thing that I probably liked about the book was the premise. The idea is so creative- which is why I requested for the Arc in the first place. I don't have much to add.
My first issue with the book is the Main Character. I did NOT like Constance. She's just so childish and one dimensional. I expected The Brass Queen to be.. you know... Badass? And her little "quirks" are also very annoying. She's supposed to be 21! She feels like a 14-year-old. Maybe she develops further on in the story, but I wanted and was waiting for a gradual maturity to a more. oh, idk a capable arms dealer? Am I really expected to believe that an established arms dealer who's supposed to be finessing people all over to have 0 people skills? She's an awful liar, mutters while thinking, and cannot keep a poker face and she's supposed to be the "badass" Brass Queen? Good luck with that. And She's just so bland. Whatever, have a quote.
So.. yeah.
Then we have the cowboy-spy boy. Trusdale, well... he doesn't have enough character for me to start a substantial discussion yet. So, moving on...
This setting was on colonialist Britain, although an alternate version. It's just history and I see characters glorifying it but not the author, so that's a good job on her part. I was just... estranged from it, as a citizen of a previously colonized country. This one's on me though, it's just history and I should've seen this coming.
Speaking about Britain, it honestly felt like a parody. An idea of what the modern commonfolk thinks when they think of Victorian Era Britain. I could feel the dissonance of the characters from the setting. They felt like a modern YA protagonist stuck in that setting. It was just meh.
The Writing is just so tedious to get through. I'm not even gonna try to explain, I don't know HOW to explain except that "It's just not for me".
Well, I can't pinpoint on why I find lines like this tedious, but I do.
The time I truly began to lose hope was when the oh so Proper British Noble Ladies referred to Italy and the likes as "Europe", as if Britain is not a part of the European Continent...
So yeah... I guess I'm done with ranting. Happy reading!
DNF at 33%
I received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I'm not gonna beat around the bush here. This is a rant review, I usually try to uphold both my personal positives and negatives of the book and let the reader decide for themselves; because reading is a subjective experience and they might like something that I don't like. This time it's just a rant, hopefully explaining why I would DNF an Arc. I wish the author and publisher all the best for their success, but this book was just not for me, and I think I'd grow to loathe it more if I force myself to read it instead of just moving on.
The only thing that I probably liked about the book was the premise. The idea is so creative- which is why I requested for the Arc in the first place. I don't have much to add.
My first issue with the book is the Main Character. I did NOT like Constance. She's just so childish and one dimensional. I expected The Brass Queen to be.. you know... Badass? And her little "quirks" are also very annoying. She's supposed to be 21! She feels like a 14-year-old. Maybe she develops further on in the story, but I wanted and was waiting for a gradual maturity to a more. oh, idk a capable arms dealer? Am I really expected to believe that an established arms dealer who's supposed to be finessing people all over to have 0 people skills? She's an awful liar, mutters while thinking, and cannot keep a poker face and she's supposed to be the "badass" Brass Queen? Good luck with that. And She's just so bland. Whatever, have a quote.
"She cursed her lack of fluency. She was only proficient in nineteen languages, including French, Latin, Russian, Welsh, Portuguese, and nine dialects of Ancient Sumerian."
So.. yeah.
Then we have the cowboy-spy boy. Trusdale, well... he doesn't have enough character for me to start a substantial discussion yet. So, moving on...
This setting was on colonialist Britain, although an alternate version. It's just history and I see characters glorifying it but not the author, so that's a good job on her part. I was just... estranged from it, as a citizen of a previously colonized country. This one's on me though, it's just history and I should've seen this coming.
Speaking about Britain, it honestly felt like a parody. An idea of what the modern commonfolk thinks when they think of Victorian Era Britain. I could feel the dissonance of the characters from the setting. They felt like a modern YA protagonist stuck in that setting. It was just meh.
"Did Americans have no concept of the British need for three feet of personal space?"
The Writing is just so tedious to get through. I'm not even gonna try to explain, I don't know HOW to explain except that "It's just not for me".
"A shaving shelf behind the dolphins held an extendable mirror, a straight razor, a mug, soap, a badger hair brush, grooming scissors, and a tin of mustache wax. Everything the modern gent needed to look presentable to the fairer sex."
Well, I can't pinpoint on why I find lines like this tedious, but I do.
The time I truly began to lose hope was when the oh so Proper British Noble Ladies referred to Italy and the likes as "Europe", as if Britain is not a part of the European Continent...
"Indeed? Servants can be so self-centered. You give them a roof over their head and pennies in their pocket, and then poof. Off they go to Europe at the drop of a hat. There should be a law against it. Is this the same maid who put you in that awful white dress?
So yeah... I guess I'm done with ranting. Happy reading!