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lj_mx18's review
lighthearted
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Overall, I most enjoyed the build up of interpersonal relationships, and elements of the worldbuilding that included the social etticute of the victorian era. However, the implications of a continue british empire were glossed over and simplified in order to keep the focus on the characters. I think if you are wanting this book to go into details about this extreme colonization, you will be greatly disappointed as it goes into it all very matter of factly, and attempts to mention other countries and culture "blending" with the british empire. This ignores the aspects of other cultures that would be lost and require assimilation, thought the book actively critiques assimilation being pushed? So it feels kind of like the author wanted to have her cake( fun victorian era YA romance with a "melting pot" world) and eat it too (acknowledge systemic issues cause by british colonization, without addressing them). I also believe it implies the U.S. breaking away from the British Empire led to how preposterous it is, despite much of how the U.S. is presently and would be in this book, would be tied to the British, as it was not Indigenous people that had been encroached upon leading a revolution, it was british descendents to... the british.
Anyway, I listened to the audiobook so I can't give good insight into the pacing or repitiveness I saw others mentioned. However, I did find there was a lot of mulling over the same things without communication/change even when steps had been acknowledged to change a situation. This stressed me out and bothered me.
I quite enjoyed Elizabeth and Margarets initial friendship, and I wish the perspectives didn't jump around so much.
I would have liked to have a greater insight into some of the characters motivations, I don't feel was fleshed out.
Spoilers:
While I did enjoy aspects of Margaret and Helenas relationship, the aspect of them knowingly NOT communicating with August really bothered me. I also found that Margaret's affection for Helena seemed like it could have had more build up, honestly on both sides.
I think if the world building had honestly been less, it would have been better to have that time spent on the characters, because it feels like it is meant to be a character driven book, but the author also wants to tell us about the new and improved british empire with acknowledging that just because cultures "blended", it doesn't mean there wouldn't have been great losses for many people, and that acknowledging peoples presence is not the same as acknowledging that many countries would still be ruled by the British Monarchy???
I think if the author focused more on the following it would have been more enjoyable:
-Focus on where the british empire is, and instead of trying to shine such a positive light on the current state of the empire in cannon, either choose to spread out the world and create a more plot based narrative, or turn away from the empire as a focus, and just say... the empire still has harmed many and is doing what it can to ammend things, but it feels too much like there are no other countries taking issue, and just the U.S. being an annoyance/trade hinderance. Acknowledging the harm clearer, such as expanding on how much of Canada really would be governed by the First Nations would be more relevant, than acknowledging that the identity of two spirit is acknowledged... by the CHURCH OF ENGLAND... but not in a computer system. This inherently shows the eurocentric aspects of the colonial sci-fi in this.
I still enjoyed this book, but I think it is framed to be much more lighthearted than the horror story that is implied by the growth and control held by the empire, no matter how "great" it is trying to govern everyone.
I also thing genetic matching is always messy business, and while I do understand it's use in this story, I think not acknowledging the intention of blending European dna with other races as much as possible and the potential for eugenics/preventing certain people from reproducing was glossed over greatly. I also think the prospect of a colputer system not being inherently biased by its creators is unlikely. I truly think this would have been better as a fantasy inspired by the victorian era, or as a sci-fi with a stronger social message. I think the book is trying to do a lot, and ends up not making strong points in all wheelhouses because of this.
If you are looking for a lighthearted fun romance, there is a possibility you will enjoy this, but also a possibility the global implications will exhaust you, or the interpersonal strain will irritate you as well.
The audiobook voice actor did do an excellent job with the different accents, thought I am unqualified to say how accurate it is! Helens voice reminded me of the Countess of Grantham in downton abbey.
It does make me feel happy in any case to read ANY sapphic relationships, despite the flaws. T-T And I appreciate that because of their young young adult age there are no explicit sex scenes.
The authors note felt like a way to patch up and half ass accountability, which just felt disingenuous even if it was well intentioned.
Anyway, I listened to the audiobook so I can't give good insight into the pacing or repitiveness I saw others mentioned. However, I did find there was a lot of mulling over the same things without communication/change even when steps had been acknowledged to change a situation. This stressed me out and bothered me.
I quite enjoyed Elizabeth and Margarets initial friendship, and I wish the perspectives didn't jump around so much.
I would have liked to have a greater insight into some of the characters motivations, I don't feel was fleshed out.
Spoilers:
I think if the world building had honestly been less, it would have been better to have that time spent on the characters, because it feels like it is meant to be a character driven book, but the author also wants to tell us about the new and improved british empire with acknowledging that just because cultures "blended", it doesn't mean there wouldn't have been great losses for many people, and that acknowledging peoples presence is not the same as acknowledging that many countries would still be ruled by the British Monarchy???
I think if the author focused more on the following it would have been more enjoyable:
-Focus on where the british empire is, and instead of trying to shine such a positive light on the current state of the empire in cannon, either choose to spread out the world and create a more plot based narrative, or turn away from the empire as a focus, and just say... the empire still has harmed many and is doing what it can to ammend things, but it feels too much like there are no other countries taking issue, and just the U.S. being an annoyance/trade hinderance. Acknowledging the harm clearer, such as expanding on how much of Canada really would be governed by the First Nations would be more relevant, than acknowledging that the identity of two spirit is acknowledged... by the CHURCH OF ENGLAND... but not in a computer system. This inherently shows the eurocentric aspects of the colonial sci-fi in this.
I still enjoyed this book, but I think it is framed to be much more lighthearted than the horror story that is implied by the growth and control held by the empire, no matter how "great" it is trying to govern everyone.
I also thing genetic matching is always messy business, and while I do understand it's use in this story, I think not acknowledging the intention of blending European dna with other races as much as possible and the potential for eugenics/preventing certain people from reproducing was glossed over greatly. I also think the prospect of a colputer system not being inherently biased by its creators is unlikely. I truly think this would have been better as a fantasy inspired by the victorian era, or as a sci-fi with a stronger social message. I think the book is trying to do a lot, and ends up not making strong points in all wheelhouses because of this.
If you are looking for a lighthearted fun romance, there is a possibility you will enjoy this, but also a possibility the global implications will exhaust you, or the interpersonal strain will irritate you as well.
The audiobook voice actor did do an excellent job with the different accents, thought I am unqualified to say how accurate it is! Helens voice reminded me of the Countess of Grantham in downton abbey.
It does make me feel happy in any case to read ANY sapphic relationships, despite the flaws. T-T And I appreciate that because of their young young adult age there are no explicit sex scenes.
The authors note felt like a way to patch up and half ass accountability, which just felt disingenuous even if it was well intentioned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility and Ableism
Minor: Transphobia, Slavery, Homophobia, Colonisation, and Racism
vagaybond's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Mind boggled by a book existing that has a setting I grew up around? Like I wasn't in "cottage country" exactly but I grew up in so-called Trenton (Anishinaabe aki, Haudenosauneega, Nionwentsïo) which is at the end of the Trent Severn Waterway. I feel like this book really glossed over the colonialism of the Trent Severn and the treaty land it crossed in order to exist. The book seemed to touch on racism and colonialism but somehow it didn't go into actual decolonization. I'm not sure why that is other than ignorance on the author's part, particularly around the history of the land depicted. I'm not even that familiar with it but I do know how rough the cottagers vs Indigenous people conflict has been in this area. None of that was mentioned.
Maybe this wouldn't have been the bar I expected the author to step over gracefully normally. But the fact is that so much emphasis was spread on this weird idea that an empire could be more inclusive and be okay. The bar the author set out to fill was high. And it was not surpassed.
The love story was cute. I loved that it ended up in a polyamorous vee and I loved that there was intersex rep. It doesn't change the confusion I have about what the author choose historical narratives about and what was not mentioned about the specific setting.
Maybe this wouldn't have been the bar I expected the author to step over gracefully normally. But the fact is that so much emphasis was spread on this weird idea that an empire could be more inclusive and be okay. The bar the author set out to fill was high. And it was not surpassed.
The love story was cute. I loved that it ended up in a polyamorous vee and I loved that there was intersex rep. It doesn't change the confusion I have about what the author choose historical narratives about and what was not mentioned about the specific setting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Infertility
zombiezami's review against another edition
2.75
If you were to tell someone about a book focusing on a technofuturistic society in which coupling is largely decided by a dating site based in genetic testing, the British empire never fell, one of the characters is intersex, and the main characters essentially end up in a throuple , that person would likely think this was a fascinating book. In another author's hands (I'm thinking N.K. Jemisin in particular), it could have been. However, aside from a few moments, getting through this book was a trudge. It was incredibly boring and repetitive.
The characters really didn't have much personality, and I had trouble telling them apart. Up until the end, I was like, "Wait, which one is Helena again?" There were so many missed opportunities. For example, the author didn't explore the eugenicist implications of this genetic testing program, which definitely would have been an issue. Also, this is a society with robots part of everyday life, and they're barely mentioned. here were fucking pirates involved in one of the plotlines and, again, they're barely brought up. What do they want other than money? Is it no more complicated than that? What is an average person's daily life like in this society? You won't find out from reading this book.
Finally, I take issue with the author's framing of this society in the author's note as just "a little bit better" than what actually happened in history. Empires require incredible amounts of violence to expand and maintain. Surely the author could have explored possible contradictions between how the empire is on the surface and what people experience on a more in-depth level. But nope. It's just, "What if there was a British empire that respected your pronouns and said Black Lives Matter? uwu" And because of this surface-level plot, it felt like there were never any real stakes or point to any of the characters' actions.
The characters really didn't have much personality, and I had trouble telling them apart. Up until the end, I was like, "Wait, which one is Helena again?" There were so many missed opportunities. For example, the author didn't explore the eugenicist implications of this genetic testing program, which definitely would have been an issue. Also, this is a society with robots part of everyday life, and they're barely mentioned. here were fucking pirates involved in one of the plotlines and, again, they're barely brought up. What do they want other than money? Is it no more complicated than that? What is an average person's daily life like in this society? You won't find out from reading this book.
Finally, I take issue with the author's framing of this society in the author's note as just "a little bit better" than what actually happened in history. Empires require incredible amounts of violence to expand and maintain. Surely the author could have explored possible contradictions between how the empire is on the surface and what people experience on a more in-depth level. But nope. It's just, "What if there was a British empire that respected your pronouns and said Black Lives Matter? uwu" And because of this surface-level plot, it felt like there were never any real stakes or point to any of the characters' actions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Medical content, Stalking, and Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness, Slavery, and Religious bigotry
20sidedbi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
iksme's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Ok so I would rank this higher, but I don't like the being a coloniser is ok because we accepted everyone before we made every bad setting, it just sits wrong with me.
And also the audio book is narrated in the Queen's English, which is difficult, annoying and unpleasant to listen to, it is also a very posh accents which does not help this book.
And also although the British empire is much less racist and homophobic it is still very very classist. With very unequal wealth distribution, elite upper class full on monarchy still going on, religion as part of the state ect.
So normally I would have given this two stars, but I didn't because (now let me fanboy over problematic fiction without judgement here) INTERSEX AND POLYAMORY REP!!!! Like this is a rare combination and I'm stannin the rep! That is why it gets a low 3 stars.
And also the audio book is narrated in the Queen's English, which is difficult, annoying and unpleasant to listen to, it is also a very posh accents which does not help this book.
And also although the British empire is much less racist and homophobic it is still very very classist. With very unequal wealth distribution, elite upper class full on monarchy still going on, religion as part of the state ect.
So normally I would have given this two stars, but I didn't because (now let me fanboy over problematic fiction without judgement here) INTERSEX AND POLYAMORY REP!!!! Like this is a rare combination and I'm stannin the rep! That is why it gets a low 3 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Colonisation
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Infertility
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