A review by beccaannekent
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

For me, this was a book of two halves.

If I’m completely honest, I really struggled in the first 45-50%. The world building was complex and rich, but I was not invested in the characters or the situation enough to absorb the information being given in great detail.

However, there is a major turning point in the story (no spoilers, but something is discovered on the FMC), and at this point I sat up and took notice. 

After this, I became very invested in the story and the characters. I enjoyed how well the author wove her storylines together and how reveals with plots and secrets were made at the perfect moment to move the story along. 

After some initial hesitation, and yes even a strong consideration of DNF-ing, I am so glad I progressed with this book. I have never read anything by this author before, so the approach of short, vivid chapters was a new one to me and although this took me a while to enjoy, I most certainly will be back for the completion of the duology. 

I want to thank NetGalley, Pan Macmillan & Tor Bramble, and Mary E. Pearson for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.