Reviews with content warning for Classism - A Fragile Enchantment

Reviews tagging 'Classism'

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

35 reviews

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

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

4.5

This book really surprised me with how great it is, because I have not heard anyone talking about it. It is Bridgerton with a little bit of magic. Niamh is a seamstress who is able to magically embed feelings into her embroidery, making her designs not only gorgeous but breathtaking. She has been hired to create the wedding looks for the youngest prince and his soon to be wife. Years ago her people were taken over and they suffer to this day of poverty and racism, so not everyone is happy that she was brought to the palace for this esteemed job. The first time she meets the prince to discuss his wedding attire he is rude and does not seem interested at all. But maybe that is just because he has grown used to feeling empty and she makes him feel more.

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blewballoon's review

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I was enjoying this book just fine and then I'm not sure what happened, but around the 60% mark I started to feel exasperated with it and just wanted to finish as quickly as possible.

I liked the concept of the magic seamstress who could imbue her embroidery with emotion, and the tension that her magic came with a price and it would weaken her if she used it too much. I was baffled by the juxtaposition of this setup with a multitude of other (arguably more valuable and powerful) forms of magic that cost nothing for the users. People can just shoot lighting, have Elsa's Frozen powers, sprout plants everywhere, and more! This made it seem out of place that the main character's abilities would be so valuable, half the time she didn't even sew the right emotion into the garments that were commissioned of her. Speaking of, the book tries to make it seem like there's a little bit of a found family situation going on with the group of royals she is working for, but every time they are like "aww you work too hard, just relax!" it doesn't hit right because the reason she is working so hard is because of the complicated garments they have ordered her to create in such a short time frame?

I thought the political aspects of the plot were a bit weak and/or nonsensical.

How the hell could the prince regent keep the fact that the country was out of money hidden from anyone? They specifically say he's hiding it from Parliament? What? It was so obvious that was what he was hiding, but it didn't make sense. At the end most of the issues are basically resolved by "people inexplicably became a lot more chill about everything, and they just talked about stuff off-page and it all worked out."

Ultimately I probably could have looked past all of the above if I liked the romance more. I was looking for some cute tension with the premise of a seamstress falling in love with her client (like a gender swap of The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews) but I felt let down by the small amount of sewing/fitting/garments in the story. Kit kind of does the bare minimum in terms of being a love interest. He's outwardly a jerk most of the time and he turns on Niamh at the slightest discomfort. Their bickering/banter didn't feel healthy because the power dynamic was off-balance. I'm not even sure if having Kit's perspective would have helped.

I'll cut myself off there, I feel like I've complained enough. The audiobook narrator was pretty good, and the cover is gorgeous. I also didn't mind the writing style, there were some really pretty yet effective descriptions. I would try this author again.

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heathyfox's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I have many thoughts on this book, which I'll have to come back and write down later.

Right now, though... Reading this book was like listening to a grand symphony of prose, a unique magic system, and charming characters full of potential, and JUST when you think the beautiful, stirring music of all these elements is about to come to an outstanding crescendo... All you're left with is the pathetic, prolonged squeak of a rubber chicken.

I had to seriously adjust my expectations about halfway through the book. This is not the fantasy with Regency romance vibes I was hoping for... This is a Regency romance with fantasy waving in at the window outside, begging to be included in the party.
I still highly enjoyed it, but I am left wishing it was something different.

3.5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐

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not_another_ana's review against another edition

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Painfully boring and vapid, I'm shocked that this is from the same person who wrote A Far Wilder Magic. Once again, Allison Saft uses real life events, existing countries, and religions, and just changes their names and then refuses to do any world building. I wouldn't be so upset if, with that out of the way, she had focused on the characters and their relationships but what we got was so superficial and bland. And the romance was so insta love it had me rolling my eyes.

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frantically's review against another edition

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So boring and I didn't find any of the characters likeable/interesting

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vagrantheather's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

A cute sunshine and the grump, forced proximity, chaste romantasy. Nothing explicit. Nice longing and desire. The magic system was not very well developed, but novel. It is perhaps a bit unfortunate that the MC's brand of magic is essentially emotional manipulation. She's a sweet character who isn't using it in a corrupt manner and it still verges on unethical. But that is perhaps too nitpicky.

The political dynamics of the kingdom are thinly veiled remarks on the generation immediately following the English genocide on the Irish.

Parts of it, especially in the first half, made me laugh out loud. I loved the scene with the first coat she made for Kit, and loved the impertinence of their developing relationship.

Lightly addressed living with chronic illness in a way that was not disagreeable.

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jennifermreads's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

When I first read the blurb for this Regency Era romance, I could not add it to my TBR fast enough. I was thrilled to get a historical romance with sprinkles of magic and doses of royalty.

And, yet, I had to push myself to finish it. Why didn’t I DNF? Because it was an anticipated read and I feared it may be falling victim to my reading slump where every book I pick up is taking an eternity to read and feels like I am slogging along versus whipping through pages.

There were glimmers of enjoyment. I adored Sinclair and all his antics. I found moments of delight in the scenes with Niamh and Kit. But I mostly felt an overwhelming frustration with the world-building. I got more about the world and the affects of magic on Niamh from the dustjacket than I did from the text. And if her magic was so life-shortening and deadly, should it not have had a large part in the story’s development and in the story itself? I flipped back to re-read the jacket a half-dozen times while I read the book. I had to be sure I had not misread the copy. I had not. Niamh’s life should be getting shortened each time she wove a stitch but readers see her weakening…once? Twice? And, if you had skipped the jacket copy, you may have been completely baffled by what was happening to her!

From subscription boxes, I have two special edition copies of this book. The space on my bookshelves is precious and I cannot warrant using one spot much less two for a book I will not be re-reading much less one I was had a reaction of “meh.” To donate or to re-sell? I imagine it will be donated because it appears I’m not alone in my reactions—so resale demand is undoubtedly low.

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