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mabechel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Torture, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Child abuse
readskiesatdawn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The magic system is a good balance of hard and soft, with clearly defined rules that still allows for creativity. Information about it is balanced well through the book with us learning bits and pieces along with the non magical character. There's very little info umping.
Both leads are likable in different ways and are also relatable in different ways. It's clear which narrative voice you're reading as the point of view switches back and forth and this switching is used well for dramatic irony. The failures to communicate that happen have clear and logical character motivations behind them and as a result are frustrating for the intended narrative reasons.
Four stars due to some minor pacing issues and a few one or two things I don't feel were foreshadowed well.
Graphic: Sexual content and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent and Child abuse
bergha1998's review against another edition
- 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
Fantasy Mystery, MLM Romance, 2 1/2 🔥
“You look like a Turner painting and I want to learn your textures with my fingertips. You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful house. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you.”
“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”
“And I’m sick to death of being afraid, and I want you. Enough to risk it. More than enough. You make me feel like something—extraordinary.”
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Colonisation, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny
laraloops's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse
mollybear888's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Murder, and Sexism
raineydayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, and Cursing
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Bullying, and Homophobia
Minor: Suicide and Murder
gooseboy's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia and Death of parent
ninoshmino's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I did find out that it’s very awkward to listen to hot sex scenes while at the gym or on the bus, so I’ll probably get the sequel from the library. But I love the world enough to want to linger in it for another story, and I’m hoping Marske will continue to write in this world. And hey! It turns out that (some of) the rich people are corrupt, and the innate inequity of the situation was commented enough to satisfy my grumpy inner Marxist literary bitching.
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child abuse
xandry's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Bullying, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Torture, Murder, Chronic illness, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Xenophobia and Racism
thebetterstory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The romance is a classic warm/cold dynamic and works well for it. Both the characters it centers are likeable, with Robin amiably stumbling into the world of magic and Edwin reluctantly serving as his guide when he'd much rather be sealed away reading. I did find myself wishing for a little more time for the leads to develop their feelings and pine for each other, but I'm a fiend for slowburn and generally difficult to satisfy in that regard.
The setting, an alternate Edwardian England, has some fun hints of worldbuilding around the magic that never goes too far in-depth. Similarly, the narrative skims gently over topics like women's rights and colonization. Edwin and Robin are kept likeable by being perhaps unrealistically willing to see the women around them as people. Even the two Indian women, both of whom are enjoyable side characters that are apparently uninterested in bringing up any of the effects of colonization, or any discrimination they might face other than the few sideways looks the book includes.
It's hard to see how the book could keep its fluffy tone if it actually did decide to dig into any of that, and whether it'll grate on you to see the narrative sidestep the full the implications of its choice of setting will depend on the person. The topic of women's rights, at least, is likely to be explored further in the sequel, which focuses on Robin's suffragette sister.
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Bullying