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killerwhaletank 's review for:
The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin
by Alison Goodman
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved the first book in the series and was very much looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, it was just okay. There was a stretch where I was verging on DNF, but pushed through and was glad to reach the end. It didn't over several "cases" like the previous one; it was more like a traditional mystery/thriller/adventure type of book.
It's not quite as dark or disturbing as the first book, but still has some of the same dark elements regarding violence against women. If you were worried after the end of the last one that you had reached the edge of your tolerance for the horrors being done to the women in the book, be assured that this one dialed it back a little bit... more along the lines of the first story in the first book rather than the last. That doesn't mean it's a warm or happy book though.
The problem is... that I found it really hard to love any of the characters in this book. I found Miss Grant and Hester really irritating and wanted to slap Miss Grant a few times. Augusta's scenes with Lord Evan are fantastic, but she was a little too overbearing at times. There were some side characters I enjoyed, but overall, I didn't feel attached to Gus or Julia.
Without spoilers, there is some closure to the story line regarding the fatal duel Evan was part of, but it does end on another unresolved note, setting up a third adventure.
I will likely borrow the third from the library out of curiosity to see where this goes, but I'm not anticipating it as highly as I did this one.
It's not quite as dark or disturbing as the first book, but still has some of the same dark elements regarding violence against women. If you were worried after the end of the last one that you had reached the edge of your tolerance for the horrors being done to the women in the book, be assured that this one dialed it back a little bit... more along the lines of the first story in the first book rather than the last. That doesn't mean it's a warm or happy book though.
The problem is... that I found it really hard to love any of the characters in this book. I found Miss Grant and Hester really irritating and wanted to slap Miss Grant a few times. Augusta's scenes with Lord Evan are fantastic, but she was a little too overbearing at times. There were some side characters I enjoyed, but overall, I didn't feel attached to Gus or Julia.
Without spoilers, there is some closure to the story line regarding the fatal duel Evan was part of, but it does end on another unresolved note, setting up a third adventure.
I will likely borrow the third from the library out of curiosity to see where this goes, but I'm not anticipating it as highly as I did this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty