Reviews

Islands of Mercy by Rose Tremain

booksnake386's review against another edition

Go to review page

The writing style felt too contrived and made the story less enjoyable 

moemore's review

Go to review page

slow-paced

2.0

corvoid's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced

3.0

moominmama_11's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This drew me in at once, although I found myself wanting to get back to Bath during the Borneo section. The book reminded me of the Essex serpent, I suppose in it’s independent women in a Victorian setting ting. Will definitely read more Rose Tremain tho.

dreadpiraterudis's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

jen_smash's review

Go to review page

emotional medium-paced

2.5

Katie McGrath does a great job for the audiobook. Like most who have reviewed the Borneo storyline was not my favorite. It seemed like it was going somewhere but for me I was literally rolling my eyes anytime we focused on it. 

cowiealexandra's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Absolutely only bought this because the audiobook is narrated by Katie McGrath. A nice story, if a bit too long, drags at times but overall enjoyable!

themermaddie's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

i finally get the regency appeal because this book made me feel like a gossiping housewife and i loved it. i thought the writing was lovely, the depiction of jane and her comphet was very accurate, julietta (while a bit irksome at first) grew on me eventually, william was such a wholesome dad, and i really liked the imagery of emeline's golem. stan ashton for clear skin. this was the (eventual) polyamory rep i wasn't expecting but loved anyway (sorta).
i picked this up bc i heard the audiobook was narrated by katie mcgrath (<3) who did not disappoint.
i took a star off bc i found the borneo story difficult to follow and thus much less engaging, and it felt very disjointed at times bc i didn't feel like the two stories intertwined enough to make it worth telling both in the same novel. julietta and jane were very insta love, which wasn't exactly jarring, i think i just would've liked a little more reason for them to have fallen in love than just julietta liking jane's height and jane liking julietta's beauty.
i also thought that Ross's personality switched up very abruptly and that it felt quite out of character. sure he was kind of annoying and pathetic beforehand but murderously violent? i thought the build up to it could've been done better.

alyssarider's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

loml katie mcgrath does a great job but this book sucks

wind_up_hen's review

Go to review page

3.25

Quick reading - eh ending but interesting characters