Scan barcode
A review by alienshrimp
Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
2.0
I feel very frustrated by this book. As a Gothic Ho ™, I was very excited for this. Unfortunately it did not live up to my hopes.
I take issue with this story being described as gothic, because even though it uses elements commonly associated with the gothic, they are not applied in the same way here and instead function as a sort of shallow set dressing.
There was also a major issue of telling and not showing throughout the book. I felt like we were told a lot of things, especially about Leta, but then not really shown proof. Like we're constantly told how Rowan is a monster, but it's very clear early on that he isn't and yet Leta won't stop harping on it. I did like Rowan however.
Leta also suffers from major self-sacrifice martyr syndrome that makes her almost unbearable. For someone who we are constantly told is so selfless, she makes a lot of selfish decisions without any forethought whatsoever. She never thinks anything through. Also for a story written in first person, it was strange that halfway through the book Leta internally discloses something major to the reader that she acted like she didn't know about this whole time when she did. Super frustrating.
The LGBTQ rep was also really odd. There would be these random brief mentions of some of the secondary character's sexualities, but then it was never brought up again and these characters were never allowed to be anything other than flat background characters that exist to coddle the main character. If you're going to give us representation, that give us actual representation - this was borderline insulting with its low effort.
I liked the romance a lot. So there's that. But I love a literal devil, so I also want something to happen with the Lord Under despite hating love triangles. I probably need therapy lmao.
I had a few other things to say, but now can no longer remember them. Will update if I do.
edit: lots of use of pet phrases throughout that drove me a bit insane.
what does silt taste like? I am curious but absolutely unwilling to find out first hand
I take issue with this story being described as gothic, because even though it uses elements commonly associated with the gothic, they are not applied in the same way here and instead function as a sort of shallow set dressing.
There was also a major issue of telling and not showing throughout the book. I felt like we were told a lot of things, especially about Leta, but then not really shown proof. Like we're constantly told how Rowan is a monster, but it's very clear early on that he isn't and yet Leta won't stop harping on it. I did like Rowan however.
Leta also suffers from major self-sacrifice martyr syndrome that makes her almost unbearable. For someone who we are constantly told is so selfless, she makes a lot of selfish decisions without any forethought whatsoever. She never thinks anything through. Also for a story written in first person, it was strange that halfway through the book Leta internally discloses something major to the reader that she acted like she didn't know about this whole time when she did. Super frustrating.
The LGBTQ rep was also really odd. There would be these random brief mentions of some of the secondary character's sexualities, but then it was never brought up again and these characters were never allowed to be anything other than flat background characters that exist to coddle the main character. If you're going to give us representation, that give us actual representation - this was borderline insulting with its low effort.
I liked the romance a lot. So there's that. But I love a literal devil, so I also want something to happen with the Lord Under despite hating love triangles. I probably need therapy lmao.
I had a few other things to say, but now can no longer remember them. Will update if I do.
edit: lots of use of pet phrases throughout that drove me a bit insane.
what does silt taste like? I am curious but absolutely unwilling to find out first hand