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A review by bririley
Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
Did not finish book. Stopped at 78%.
⚠️ Trigger warning SA ⚠️
I had such high hopes for this series due to all the recommendations. All started off well, until I got to the sexual tension, flirtation and relationship between a god knows how old man and a SIXTEEN year old girl. Yes, the book focuses on years in the future, but also shows what happened when their relationship began.
The relationship begins after Callie has murdered her step father who had been SA'ing her for years. When she called upon the bargainer to help clean up her mess, she continued to call in bargains to spend time with him. Fully knowing her trauma and what she had been through he continues to form emotional connections and flirt with her, after she had just been abused by AN OLDER MAN! At SIXTEEN! He took advantage of her (soulmates or not), when she was a kid recovering from cPTSD. He continues to stay in her room, in her bed, and even avoiding sexual conduct, he still made sexual insinuations. She was a child, and he preyed on her.
Right from the beginning of the book I felt uncomfortable and really was questioning the grounds behind this relationship. It got worse, when the author is very clearly aware of this power and age imbalance after attempting to justify multiple times that the legal age for fairies is 16.
Clearly, this author is very much aware of her content and the difference and history is intentional. Which disturbs me even more. I tried so hard to push through, but I could not bring myself to finish as I was so creeped out by Des the entire time, and felt so much hurt for Callie who needs to heal yet has been taken advantage of yet again.
I am surprised more people aren't talking about this, as it is glaringly obvious that this is an issue validified by the author.
This story had SO much potential. Unfortunately, the story was lost in poor writing and lack of a strong plot. The book is very slow moving, with very poor sexual tension and even worse smut. But bffr I felt disgusted the entire time when it was supposed to feel sexy. It just felt gross.
I feel as someone who has been SA'd and experienced emotional abuse by partners following my experience, this would have been SUCH a damaging book for me to read then. This would have enabled my feelings about those older men coming to my rescue and encouraged predatory relationships & grooming. I think that's also important to acknowledge.
I also wanted to add that the stereotype of the person of colour in the writing and language they were using struck me immediately. I am a yt person, so it is not for me to confirm, but from an outsider perspective it felt off. Having one character use the word "bitch" a million times was just so fucking weird and TERRIBLE writing.
I really don't know how people enjoyed this book AT ALL. It was beyond terrible and I am beyond disappointed.
Call me a cranky bitch but this was just the creepiest book I've had the misfortune of reading 😂 Hopefully some others can find something in what I've said, I really wanted to like this book!! But could not continue feeling like an accomplice to a crime.
I had such high hopes for this series due to all the recommendations. All started off well, until I got to the sexual tension, flirtation and relationship between a god knows how old man and a SIXTEEN year old girl. Yes, the book focuses on years in the future, but also shows what happened when their relationship began.
Right from the beginning of the book I felt uncomfortable and really was questioning the grounds behind this relationship. It got worse, when the author is very clearly aware of this power and age imbalance after attempting to justify multiple times that the legal age for fairies is 16.
Clearly, this author is very much aware of her content and the difference and history is intentional. Which disturbs me even more. I tried so hard to push through, but I could not bring myself to finish as I was so creeped out by Des the entire time, and felt so much hurt for Callie who needs to heal yet has been taken advantage of yet again.
I am surprised more people aren't talking about this, as it is glaringly obvious that this is an issue validified by the author.
This story had SO much potential. Unfortunately, the story was lost in poor writing and lack of a strong plot. The book is very slow moving, with very poor sexual tension and even worse smut. But bffr I felt disgusted the entire time when it was supposed to feel sexy. It just felt gross.
I feel as someone who has been SA'd and experienced emotional abuse by partners following my experience, this would have been SUCH a damaging book for me to read then. This would have enabled my feelings about those older men coming to my rescue and encouraged predatory relationships & grooming. I think that's also important to acknowledge.
I also wanted to add that the stereotype of the person of colour in the writing and language they were using struck me immediately. I am a yt person, so it is not for me to confirm, but from an outsider perspective it felt off. Having one character use the word "bitch" a million times was just so fucking weird and TERRIBLE writing.
I really don't know how people enjoyed this book AT ALL. It was beyond terrible and I am beyond disappointed.
Call me a cranky bitch but this was just the creepiest book I've had the misfortune of reading 😂 Hopefully some others can find something in what I've said, I really wanted to like this book!! But could not continue feeling like an accomplice to a crime.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Rape, and Sexual assault