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galliexyc's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Classism, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
anjasshelf's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Classism, and Sexism
wishbea's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I kept reading this book because I was interested in the development of Beatrice's relationship with Ysbeta and Ianthe Lavan, however the intrigue of the romance fell apart for me once the book started wrapping up. Yet I still enjoyed the friendship between Beatrice and Ysbeta. I found Harriet to be an incredibly annoying and inconsistent character, which was a shame as she is a prevalent character in this story.
A great deal of the male characters were reprehensible and it made the book very hard to read, and the minor characters such as Clara simply have no personality and are merely there to do whatever the plot requires of them.
The book at first glance appears to have negative consequences for the characters, but they are very shallow consequences that are solved within a couple chapters. It never felt to me that there were any stakes and the pacing toward the end of the book was breakneck, I felt very unsatisfied by the way loose ends were tied up.
The events that happened at the end of the book felt like they were happening because the plot said they had to, plot developments to tie everything up felt extremely forced and I was disappointed by the very sudden changes in personality of certain characters at the end.
A great deal of the male characters were reprehensible and it made the book very hard to read, and the minor characters such as Clara simply have no personality and are merely there to do whatever the plot requires of them.
The book at first glance appears to have negative consequences for the characters, but they are very shallow consequences that are solved within a couple chapters. It never felt to me that there were any stakes and the pacing toward the end of the book was breakneck, I felt very unsatisfied by the way loose ends were tied up.
The events that happened at the end of the book felt like they were happening because the plot said they had to, plot developments to tie everything up felt extremely forced and I was disappointed by the very sudden changes in personality of certain characters at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Confinement, and Sexism
Minor: Pregnancy
robin_reads's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A regency era fantasy novel about two women out in society, who are supposed to find husbands but don’t want that and try to find ways around it.
I like the main idea of the story but it felt like the characters were dense and dramatic for the drama of it all and I don’t like that very much. Same with the withholding of information and miscommunication that could’ve been solved so very easily.
The author has a good way of telling the story and I enjoyed the story for the most part. I was invested into the outcome, even when I got annoyed with the characters. It was partly predictable and the epilogue is very all-around happiness and Happy End, which I don’t always care for.
All in all, it was a solid read about women’s rights to their own bodies and magic and overcoming societal expectations.
I like the main idea of the story but it felt like the characters were dense and dramatic for the drama of it all and I don’t like that very much. Same with the withholding of information and miscommunication that could’ve been solved so very easily.
The author has a good way of telling the story and I enjoyed the story for the most part. I was invested into the outcome, even when I got annoyed with the characters. It was partly predictable and the epilogue is very all-around happiness and Happy End, which I don’t always care for.
All in all, it was a solid read about women’s rights to their own bodies and magic and overcoming societal expectations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Confinement and Pregnancy
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Miscarriage
graff_fuller's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Downton Abbey mashed with Indian Bollywood mashed with Djinns.
This is the way that I saw it as I was reading it. It may not be totally representative, but I think it is close.
As a father of two grown daughters...this book made me SO frustrated as I was reading it (not in the way it was written, but because of the actions of some of the supportive characters and the world that Beatrice was living in). If it had been a physical book...it might have been flung across the room. Ugh. The Obtuseness of Beatrice's father, Henrietta, one of the men that could be seen as the main antagonists for the sequence, etc.
As you can see, I enjoyed the book overall, but I felt fatherly affection for the main protagonist, Beatrice and her two main counterparts (un-named here, so as not to spoil any of the great scenes that provided their friendships).
Also, the minor spirit Nadi was such a breathe of fresh air, though at times, as Beatrice also felt, she needed to be reigned in...for her natural desire was to devour every new experience, whether that was cake, alcohol, or experience (without tact, most of the time). She (at least it seemed to have a femine voice, though I'm not totally sure that was said) seemed unbridled by convention of the times.
The wordbuilding was done gradually, but with a deft hand. I was invested in Beatrice's plight. I could see my own daughters in her role...and how I, at this moment in time (and when we were raising them) that we didn't not hold them back, but exhorted them to be WHATEVER they desired, be damned the world and its restrictions.
One of the devices that quells the ability of female magic made me furious. Since I am a HUGE fan of The Wheel of Time...the Seanchan have a "similar" device...and my rage against the idea of this, let alone the implimentation of it...made my blood boil.
And lastly, I want to say that the speech and the way it was done was genius. Also, the response of the collected male Mages was perfect. Ironic in a way.
So well written...and with its ability to "get to me", it was perfectly written for me.
In some ways, I wish there was a sequel, but maybe if there was a sequel...it might diminish the awesomeness of how it ended.
This is the way that I saw it as I was reading it. It may not be totally representative, but I think it is close.
As a father of two grown daughters...this book made me SO frustrated as I was reading it (not in the way it was written, but because of the actions of some of the supportive characters and the world that Beatrice was living in). If it had been a physical book...it might have been flung across the room. Ugh. The Obtuseness of Beatrice's father, Henrietta, one of the men that could be seen as the main antagonists for the sequence, etc.
As you can see, I enjoyed the book overall, but I felt fatherly affection for the main protagonist, Beatrice and her two main counterparts (un-named here, so as not to spoil any of the great scenes that provided their friendships).
Also, the minor spirit Nadi was such a breathe of fresh air, though at times, as Beatrice also felt, she needed to be reigned in...for her natural desire was to devour every new experience, whether that was cake, alcohol, or experience (without tact, most of the time). She (at least it seemed to have a femine voice, though I'm not totally sure that was said) seemed unbridled by convention of the times.
The wordbuilding was done gradually, but with a deft hand. I was invested in Beatrice's plight. I could see my own daughters in her role...and how I, at this moment in time (and when we were raising them) that we didn't not hold them back, but exhorted them to be WHATEVER they desired, be damned the world and its restrictions.
One of the devices that quells the ability of female magic made me furious. Since I am a HUGE fan of The Wheel of Time...the Seanchan have a "similar" device...and my rage against the idea of this, let alone the implimentation of it...made my blood boil.
And lastly, I want to say that the speech and the way it was done was genius. Also, the response of the collected male Mages was perfect. Ironic in a way.
So well written...and with its ability to "get to me", it was perfectly written for me.
In some ways, I wish there was a sequel, but maybe if there was a sequel...it might diminish the awesomeness of how it ended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Slavery
lovealwaysadi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Bullying, Child death, and Classism
taranim's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood and Emotional abuse
cgcunard's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-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? No
4.0
Okay, so, it's hard to even say what I liked or did not like about this book because I was too busy being caught up in the FUCKING INTENSE emotional world of not having control over your body as a young woman. It's honestly fascinating to me and it reminds me in its later pages of nothing so much as Frances Burney novels. Wow. What a wild ride.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Emotional abuse
fungivibes's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
3.75
Didn't love this one. I found the characters a bit shallow and the climax happened way to quickly and everything was wrapped up a too little neatly and didn't really make sense for the characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Child death
ruthh's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship