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elderwoodreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? No
4.0
I picked this up after reading Even Though I Knew The End, wanting to try more of Polk's work. This didn't disappoint! I feel like Polk did a little better with the novella as I felt this novel got a little repetitive at points, but I loved the characters and worldbuilding (which is where I feel Polk shines). This is a great read with a fun cast of characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage
bookishcori's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Unlike most things I read but this surprisingly worked for me. An entertaining fantasy regency romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Minor: Miscarriage
robin_reads's review against another edition
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
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Sexism, and Slavery
hilarylouise's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Confinement
Moderate: Violence and Miscarriage
ehmannky's review
emotional
tense
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? Yes
4.5
I love when writers dabble in historical fantasy. There's something about throwing magic in with petticoats that just makes me so happy. I loved the central love story between Ianthe and Beatrice, and I also loved that Ysbeta is ace. I loved Beatrice's struggle to balance familial duty with her own desires. I'd recommend this book if you're a fan of Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories series or Silvia Moreno-Garcia's The Beautiful Ones. They have a similar vaguely 1800s with magic setting and are centered on women's stories navigating that world. If I'm honest, I'm a bit bummed that there's only one in this series, because I would love to read a series of relationships in this world like what if there was a ployam throuple or a single woman trying to do her best in defending her children. So much to think about.
It's a great read, with women's rights and really interrogating what it means to be equal in a partnership beyond just *allowing* someone to be who they are and loving them. That a solid relationship demands compromises and sacrifices from both parties.
It's a great read, with women's rights and really interrogating what it means to be equal in a partnership beyond just *allowing* someone to be who they are and loving them. That a solid relationship demands compromises and sacrifices from both parties.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Violence and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Vomit, Murder, and Miscarriage
podanotherjessi's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-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? No
4.25
This is one of those books where I was barely interested in the first half, and then the second half absolutely ruined me. If you love Jane Austen but wish her protagonist pushed just a little further past the boundaries of propriety, this is the book for you. It's beautifully written - although sometimes it goes beyond just flowery - and has a wonderful albeit heavy handed message about the choices women have had to make for years and never should have to. I'd recommend this if you want a book that's lighthearted but still full of emotion.
Characters: 10
Plot: 8
Setting: 8
General appeal: 9
Writing style: 7
Originality: 7
Ending: 8
Characters: 10
Plot: 8
Setting: 8
General appeal: 9
Writing style: 7
Originality: 7
Ending: 8
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Miscarriage
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