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hrcheese 's review for:
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics
by Olivia Waite
4.5 Stars
So I essentially agree with everything in this review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2851247314
Separately from that, I think the majority of my hang-ups with this book are simply because romance just isn't my genre. The attraction between Lucy and Catherine happened a bit too quickly for my tastes... Everything that happened was a bit too expected... The romantic conflict, especially at the end, was a bit too fraught with dramatic misunderstandings (that admittedly made sense with the characters' mindsets, but were a bit overdone)... The main "villians" were either too caricaturishly negative (though I won't pretend the overt sexism wasn't entirely accurate) or. Overarchingly, I loved everything that happened, but at times it felt more like I was watched a script play out. But in spite of this (or because of it) this was a quick and fun read that elicited all the right emotions.
I did enjoy that this wasn't simply a romance. It actually was deeper than I expected, with a highly relevant plot running in the background of the romance. Not only did I appreciate the discussions on the nature of science and art the characters had, I'm also left with a deep sense of loss since finishing this book because of the thought of the countless women who have been forgotten in the annals of history, given no opportunity to contribute to the world or leave a legacy for themselves.
Something I really liked was that these were real characters with histories and personal complexities. Most importantly, they were irrevocably products of their societies and not anachronistic in the slightest. None of their personal issues felt fake. And it was simply beautiful to watch their personal growth, supported by but not dependent on each other.
I don't really care about sex scenes (don't ask me why I read a romance novel when I don't like much of the actual romance parts), but what really struck out to me was the expert display of consent. It was glorious, and an excellent example of how non-problematic this book was.
So I essentially agree with everything in this review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2851247314
Separately from that, I think the majority of my hang-ups with this book are simply because romance just isn't my genre. The attraction between Lucy and Catherine happened a bit too quickly for my tastes... Everything that happened was a bit too expected... The romantic conflict, especially at the end, was a bit too fraught with dramatic misunderstandings (that admittedly made sense with the characters' mindsets, but were a bit overdone)... The main "villians" were either too caricaturishly negative (though I won't pretend the overt sexism wasn't entirely accurate) or
Spoiler
too willing to change by the end of the novelI did enjoy that this wasn't simply a romance. It actually was deeper than I expected, with a highly relevant plot running in the background of the romance. Not only did I appreciate the discussions on the nature of science and art the characters had, I'm also left with a deep sense of loss since finishing this book because of the thought of the countless women who have been forgotten in the annals of history, given no opportunity to contribute to the world or leave a legacy for themselves.
Something I really liked was that these were real characters with histories and personal complexities. Most importantly, they were irrevocably products of their societies and not anachronistic in the slightest. None of their personal issues felt fake. And it was simply beautiful to watch their personal growth, supported by but not dependent on each other.
I don't really care about sex scenes (don't ask me why I read a romance novel when I don't like much of the actual romance parts), but what really struck out to me was the expert display of consent. It was glorious, and an excellent example of how non-problematic this book was.