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A review by whatellaread
Reputation by Lex Croucher
5.0
Georgiana has just retreated into the shadows of the very dull party she’s been dragged to by her equally dull aunt and uncle when she meets the enigmatic and wild Frances Campbell. Frances is everything Georgiana is not: popular, wealthy, and effortlessly cool, but for some reason Frances wants Georgiana as a friend. As two girls grow closer, Georgiana finds herself drawn deeper into a world of super wealthy teens, mysterious young men, and debaucherous parties. But the consequences and stakes seem to ratchet higher and higher with every party Georgiana attends, and before long she is questioning if this world she longs to be part of is worth the price of admission.
Oh wow, I loved this so much, historical inaccuracy be damned (in absolutely no Regency world would so much unchaperoned nonsense be going on, and that is just for starters). Georgiana is deeply relatable, even when she is unlikeable - a rare feat! - and Lex Crouther has managed to create a whole group of characters who are complex and multidimensional and feel like real teens. Despite its Regency setting, these are kids dealing with timeless issues: wanting to fit in, abandonment, cliques, unrequited love, grief and guilt, assault, consent and slut-shaming, and the ever present power dynamics of class, misogyny, and patriarchy. It does at times veer a little toward the preachy side, but I felt like that was earned, plot wise, so I didn’t mind. Highly recommended, especially for teens (or adults!) who love Bridgerton, Gossip Girl, and Mean Girls, but do note that it comes with serious CWs: heavy drug and alcohol use, sexual violence, parental abandonment, and sibling loss.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy!
Oh wow, I loved this so much, historical inaccuracy be damned (in absolutely no Regency world would so much unchaperoned nonsense be going on, and that is just for starters). Georgiana is deeply relatable, even when she is unlikeable - a rare feat! - and Lex Crouther has managed to create a whole group of characters who are complex and multidimensional and feel like real teens. Despite its Regency setting, these are kids dealing with timeless issues: wanting to fit in, abandonment, cliques, unrequited love, grief and guilt, assault, consent and slut-shaming, and the ever present power dynamics of class, misogyny, and patriarchy. It does at times veer a little toward the preachy side, but I felt like that was earned, plot wise, so I didn’t mind. Highly recommended, especially for teens (or adults!) who love Bridgerton, Gossip Girl, and Mean Girls, but do note that it comes with serious CWs: heavy drug and alcohol use, sexual violence, parental abandonment, and sibling loss.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy!