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A review by justinkhchen
The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham
5.0
4.5 stars
This is very different, in a great way, the role-reversal setup seemed like all fun and games in the beginning (having the heroine ravishing the hero), but quickly switched lane into a more somber observation on female trauma, coping mechanism and misogyny. I was captivated by Seraphina Arden's character arc, and how her way of 'recovering' ultimately failed her, forcing her to really confront her past.
People who are seeking an escapist read might find the tone off-putting, and not what they signed up for, but I thoroughly enjoyed Scarlett Peckham's twist on genre conventions, introducing contemporary ideas, venturing into sensitive territories without feeling like a PSA. The would make for a nice pairing with Kerrigan Byrne's The Highwayman for standout tortured hero/heroine.
The reason for the deduction in rating is perhaps a strange one: I wish The Rakess doesn't have an all-encompassing happy ending. For the amount of turmoils and hurts these characters endured, I would've preferred a bittersweet ending (their lives collided, both grown through the experience, but ultimately not together), instead of the 'all's well' ending that felt overly optimistic and rang false. I do realize a cheery ending is a genre requirement for historical romance, and that's perhaps where Scarlett Peckham's envelope-pushing storytelling is bursting at the seams.
Still, this remains a unique, gutsy read like no others.
**Historical Romance Readathon 2021: Holiday Edition | Bingo Board Prompts: Non-titled Hero / Clinch Cover / Rec'd to You**
This is very different, in a great way, the role-reversal setup seemed like all fun and games in the beginning (having the heroine ravishing the hero), but quickly switched lane into a more somber observation on female trauma, coping mechanism and misogyny. I was captivated by Seraphina Arden's character arc, and how her way of 'recovering' ultimately failed her, forcing her to really confront her past.
People who are seeking an escapist read might find the tone off-putting, and not what they signed up for, but I thoroughly enjoyed Scarlett Peckham's twist on genre conventions, introducing contemporary ideas, venturing into sensitive territories without feeling like a PSA. The would make for a nice pairing with Kerrigan Byrne's The Highwayman for standout tortured hero/heroine.
The reason for the deduction in rating is perhaps a strange one: I wish The Rakess doesn't have an all-encompassing happy ending. For the amount of turmoils and hurts these characters endured, I would've preferred a bittersweet ending (their lives collided, both grown through the experience, but ultimately not together), instead of the 'all's well' ending that felt overly optimistic and rang false. I do realize a cheery ending is a genre requirement for historical romance, and that's perhaps where Scarlett Peckham's envelope-pushing storytelling is bursting at the seams.
Still, this remains a unique, gutsy read like no others.
**Historical Romance Readathon 2021: Holiday Edition | Bingo Board Prompts: Non-titled Hero / Clinch Cover / Rec'd to You**