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A review by jenny_librarian
Velvet by Mary Hooper
3.0
Trigger warning: mentions of death, child abuse
3 ⭐️
This book was... okay I guess?
The setting was interesting. Early 21st century London, with a hint of feminist theory sparkled here and there (although very lightly). The atmosphere is intriguing, and it would have been nice to get more from it, like the steam laundry or the street life.
But the main character is absolutely useless. While Velvet seems to be 16 or 17, she thinks and acts as if she’s 12. And, frankly, for a poor orphan who’s had to live on her own for about a year, it’s not really believable. Not to mention that she’s unable to carry out anything by herself and always needs to be saved and comforted by a guy.
The other characters are barely fleshed out. Lizzie is mentioned only in passing once Velvet finds Madame Savoya. George is a fine piece of ass... and that’s it, really, until that “plot twist” in the end. Charlie is only there to be the knight in shinning armour. As for Madame Savoya, she’s cunning, but any morally grey vibe is overlooked by Velvet’s being “naïve” (I’d just call that stupid, in her circumstances).
The action was okay, even if it could have taken a much more interesting turn had it been better developed and less black and white. I wish it’d been a historical fantasy novel instead. Maybe the whole thing would have seemed more vivid then.
3 ⭐️
This book was... okay I guess?
The setting was interesting. Early 21st century London, with a hint of feminist theory sparkled here and there (although very lightly). The atmosphere is intriguing, and it would have been nice to get more from it, like the steam laundry or the street life.
But the main character is absolutely useless. While Velvet seems to be 16 or 17, she thinks and acts as if she’s 12. And, frankly, for a poor orphan who’s had to live on her own for about a year, it’s not really believable. Not to mention that she’s unable to carry out anything by herself and always needs to be saved and comforted by a guy.
The other characters are barely fleshed out. Lizzie is mentioned only in passing once Velvet finds Madame Savoya. George is a fine piece of ass... and that’s it, really, until that “plot twist” in the end. Charlie is only there to be the knight in shinning armour. As for Madame Savoya, she’s cunning, but any morally grey vibe is overlooked by Velvet’s being “naïve” (I’d just call that stupid, in her circumstances).
The action was okay, even if it could have taken a much more interesting turn had it been better developed and less black and white. I wish it’d been a historical fantasy novel instead. Maybe the whole thing would have seemed more vivid then.