A review by mimosaeyes
An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur

4.0

I've been mildly sleep-deprived for the past three days because I kept staying up at night to read just a little bit more, or because I set this book down, turned out the lights, and then found myself still haunted by these characters and this emotive writing style.

Yes, there's quite a bit more sex in this book than I generally like. Yes, some lines come off a bit weird: too poignant, verging on contrived. And yes, the plot definitely strays into soap opera territory, shrugs, and builds a home there. Particularly
SpoilerAri and Deane turning out to be cousins - which, by the way, squicked me out, especially when they then knowingly continue their relationship
.

Still, I can't deny that I found this a compelling read... even if it is kind of unsatisfactory in its resolution. (I'm not used to this much queer yearning not paying off, though I guess that's what the second book is for.)