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libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
Remember when I said I really wanted to read more Regency fantasy fiction? Little did I know The Dark Days Club was waiting for me on my library holds list! When I reserved this book, I was under the impression it was set during the Victorian era - I was shocked when I finally picked it up and realized it was actually set during the Regency!
Don't get me wrong, this is a very different kettle of fish compared to Newt's Emerald. The Dark Days Club is much darker, more realistic, and comes with a heap of fantasy world-building. It reminded me somehow of The Infernal Devices with actual historical accuracy and quite a bit more gore. The demons are very gross. I'm not 100% sold on all of the world-building, yet curious to see where it goes. I appreciate the magic getting more depth rather than just a quick fix. I liked the romance eventually but some of the tropes are not my fave. But, despite all that, I really enjoyed this book.
Alison Goodman is obviously incredibly passionate about her history. She seems like a woman I would love to become friends with! The Regency period comes alive in all of its shades through her writing. There's fashion, balls, royal presentations, manners, and heaps of little easter eggs of history goodness. Also, VAUXHALL. As soon as the characters mentioned it I was like, "OMG, pleeease let secret demon hunting fantasy shenanigans go down there!" And THEY DID except it was kind of awful but at least I got something! I will never get tired of Vauxhall appearing in fiction... (Where is my Vauxhall movie, dangnabit?)
While this book had its issues, I am definitely looking forward to the sequel! My final judgement is reserved until I see if Alison Goodman can deliver on her rather lengthy setup. There are many elements here that could be promising. In any case, I am so pleased to have discovered more Regency fantasy! I'm ready for more...
Don't get me wrong, this is a very different kettle of fish compared to Newt's Emerald. The Dark Days Club is much darker, more realistic, and comes with a heap of fantasy world-building. It reminded me somehow of The Infernal Devices with actual historical accuracy and quite a bit more gore. The demons are very gross. I'm not 100% sold on all of the world-building, yet curious to see where it goes. I appreciate the magic getting more depth rather than just a quick fix. I liked the romance eventually but some of the tropes are not my fave. But, despite all that, I really enjoyed this book.
Alison Goodman is obviously incredibly passionate about her history. She seems like a woman I would love to become friends with! The Regency period comes alive in all of its shades through her writing. There's fashion, balls, royal presentations, manners, and heaps of little easter eggs of history goodness. Also, VAUXHALL. As soon as the characters mentioned it I was like, "OMG, pleeease let secret demon hunting fantasy shenanigans go down there!" And THEY DID except it was kind of awful but at least I got something! I will never get tired of Vauxhall appearing in fiction... (Where is my Vauxhall movie, dangnabit?)
While this book had its issues, I am definitely looking forward to the sequel! My final judgement is reserved until I see if Alison Goodman can deliver on her rather lengthy setup. There are many elements here that could be promising. In any case, I am so pleased to have discovered more Regency fantasy! I'm ready for more...
sashapasha's review against another edition
4.0
Reading Soundtrack:
-An Unlikely Story (from "A Ballerina's Tale") - Chloe Flower
-Watch the World Burn (from A Dark Knight) - Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
-An Unlikely Story (from "A Ballerina's Tale") - Chloe Flower
-Watch the World Burn (from A Dark Knight) - Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
soehlmorgan's review against another edition
The pacing is way too slow. Also, the love triangle felt forced and really unnecessary. Almost like it was forced just to have the trope. Not for me!
nishaali's review against another edition
4.0
UGH just look at that cover! Gorgeous Lady Helen, Broody Lord Carlston – seriously just gimme! I’d not read any of Alison Goodman’s previous novels but the cover (more about that later…) and blurb definitely grabbed me. Also I’m a massive historical fiction fan, and the society/debutante Regency sub-genre has always intrigued me so this really was a no-brainer.
Orphan Lady Helen Wrexhall has a £40,000 inheritance but the appeal of this is tempered by the rumour that her mother was a traitor to the Crown. After the disappearance of her housemaid and on the cusp of her debut into Society she finds herself thrust into the world of the demon-fighting Dark Days Club and finds out her unusual story is even stranger than she could possible have imagined. And to top it off the mysterious (and deliciously handsome) Lord Carlston seems to be the only person who can help… Lady Helen sets out to understand her destiny but juggling societal expectations and the inusufferable Lord Carlston soon proves way more than she can handle and it’s not long before Lady Helen finds herself in over her head.
The setting of Regency London is almost a character in and of itself in The Dark Days Club. I loved the rich description of everything from the attire of the nobility, the atmospheric London setting, and the strict rules and conventions that governed Regency society. Goodman’s detail is so immersive and as a born-and-bred Londoner many of the street names and parks were familiar to me. I really enjoyed imagining places like Piccadilly, Cheapside and Vauxhall with hackney carriages trundling down them and street peddlers on every corner. The references to real historical figures and events also helped to ground the book and made it so much more evocative of the era. There’s an Author’s Note at the end explaining the extensive research Goodman undertook in writing the book and it really shows. My favourite had to be the detail about Lady Helen’s wardrobe (seriously lush!) and the different rules of engagement between men and women (who knew ungloved hands could be so intimate?)
Lady Helen was a great character – she was spunky but at the same time sheltered and unsure of all the changes that were happening to and around her. I loved following the character’s progress as she finds out about The Dark Days Club and her place in it, and watching her transformation from a skeptical girl condemned to her lot in life as a Lady to the confident girl who makes her own decisions . The relationship between her and her lady’s maid, Darby, was a really wonderful portrayal of female relationships and they passed the Bechdel Test with flying colours. Lord Carlston was oh so swoonworthy – one of the reasons why I much prefer the UK cover over others ;) He’s a complex character with lots of secrets and I’m looking forward to learning more about him in the next installment. I cheered on Lady Helen’s suspicion of Lord Carlston and reluctance to immediately and naively look to him for answers and appreciated that Goodman made the romance between the two veeery slow-burning (the tension between the two was so thick that by the end I was all for a bit of classic YA insta-love resolution)
I thought the fantasy element was really original and interesting. Goodman goes to a lot of effort to world-build but I felt that sometimes the explanations were a bit dense and also lots of the rules around the demons were conditional e.g. certain things would only happen during a full moon or if a demon had been feeding. I found it was an effort to recall all of these conditions/details and assimilate them with the events as they were happening. Nonetheless, the concept was refreshing and as it is the first book, the dense explanations are perhaps understandable and expected – another reason why I’m looking forward to the next in series!
The Dark Days Club was a great mix of fantasy, history and romance with classic YA heroes and heroines and I would definitely recommend it to fans of The Infernal Devices or The Diviners series where the fantasy element and the rich historical background blend together really well. I would probably recommend this for the beautiful detail of Regency London alone and think anyone even vaguely interested in the era would find it enjoyable!
Orphan Lady Helen Wrexhall has a £40,000 inheritance but the appeal of this is tempered by the rumour that her mother was a traitor to the Crown. After the disappearance of her housemaid and on the cusp of her debut into Society she finds herself thrust into the world of the demon-fighting Dark Days Club and finds out her unusual story is even stranger than she could possible have imagined. And to top it off the mysterious (and deliciously handsome) Lord Carlston seems to be the only person who can help… Lady Helen sets out to understand her destiny but juggling societal expectations and the inusufferable Lord Carlston soon proves way more than she can handle and it’s not long before Lady Helen finds herself in over her head.
The setting of Regency London is almost a character in and of itself in The Dark Days Club. I loved the rich description of everything from the attire of the nobility, the atmospheric London setting, and the strict rules and conventions that governed Regency society. Goodman’s detail is so immersive and as a born-and-bred Londoner many of the street names and parks were familiar to me. I really enjoyed imagining places like Piccadilly, Cheapside and Vauxhall with hackney carriages trundling down them and street peddlers on every corner. The references to real historical figures and events also helped to ground the book and made it so much more evocative of the era. There’s an Author’s Note at the end explaining the extensive research Goodman undertook in writing the book and it really shows. My favourite had to be the detail about Lady Helen’s wardrobe (seriously lush!) and the different rules of engagement between men and women (who knew ungloved hands could be so intimate?)
Lady Helen was a great character – she was spunky but at the same time sheltered and unsure of all the changes that were happening to and around her. I loved following the character’s progress as she finds out about The Dark Days Club and her place in it, and watching her transformation from a skeptical girl condemned to her lot in life as a Lady to the confident girl who makes her own decisions . The relationship between her and her lady’s maid, Darby, was a really wonderful portrayal of female relationships and they passed the Bechdel Test with flying colours. Lord Carlston was oh so swoonworthy – one of the reasons why I much prefer the UK cover over others ;) He’s a complex character with lots of secrets and I’m looking forward to learning more about him in the next installment. I cheered on Lady Helen’s suspicion of Lord Carlston and reluctance to immediately and naively look to him for answers and appreciated that Goodman made the romance between the two veeery slow-burning (the tension between the two was so thick that by the end I was all for a bit of classic YA insta-love resolution)
I thought the fantasy element was really original and interesting. Goodman goes to a lot of effort to world-build but I felt that sometimes the explanations were a bit dense and also lots of the rules around the demons were conditional e.g. certain things would only happen during a full moon or if a demon had been feeding. I found it was an effort to recall all of these conditions/details and assimilate them with the events as they were happening. Nonetheless, the concept was refreshing and as it is the first book, the dense explanations are perhaps understandable and expected – another reason why I’m looking forward to the next in series!
The Dark Days Club was a great mix of fantasy, history and romance with classic YA heroes and heroines and I would definitely recommend it to fans of The Infernal Devices or The Diviners series where the fantasy element and the rich historical background blend together really well. I would probably recommend this for the beautiful detail of Regency London alone and think anyone even vaguely interested in the era would find it enjoyable!
lyakimov's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
I enjoyed this book, but it really dragged during the middle and I was struggling trying to get through those parts and ended up skimming a bit. That being said, I still enjoyed the story and I think that it has a lot of promise. I might read the second book in the future.
In my opinion, the best thing about the book is the characters. I liked most of them (Darby being my absolute favorite), but I do not want to be dealing with this love triangle. I can’t stand love triangles anymore. My question is, WHYYYYYYY did Carlston have to be Helen’s second cousin?? They said he was not related by blood, only by marriage, but the fact that he calls Helen “cousin” is WEIRD!!!! Stop this!! I know it was a different time and all because the 1800s was so different but still.
I did greatly appreciate the intricacies that the author detailed about the time period, and I think it was pretty accurately done, especially with the fantasy elements. I probably shouldn’t have a say though, because I’m not super invested nor educated on the eras of England in the 1800s. But I give credit where credit is due. I was definitely drawn in to the story and it was very entertaining. I must say, I love the whole “woman ruining her reputation” in books because it’s so dramatic and entertaining (cough cough, Chain of Gold).
Finally, I need to commend the author for passing the Bechdel test!! Helen and Darby, congratulations! It’s insane that most books I read fail to pass, so I must give Alison Goodman credit for this incredible feat.
I enjoyed this book, but it really dragged during the middle and I was struggling trying to get through those parts and ended up skimming a bit. That being said, I still enjoyed the story and I think that it has a lot of promise. I might read the second book in the future.
In my opinion, the best thing about the book is the characters. I liked most of them (Darby being my absolute favorite), but I do not want to be dealing with this love triangle. I can’t stand love triangles anymore. My question is, WHYYYYYYY did Carlston have to be Helen’s second cousin?? They said he was not related by blood, only by marriage, but the fact that he calls Helen “cousin” is WEIRD!!!! Stop this!! I know it was a different time and all because the 1800s was so different but still.
I did greatly appreciate the intricacies that the author detailed about the time period, and I think it was pretty accurately done, especially with the fantasy elements. I probably shouldn’t have a say though, because I’m not super invested nor educated on the eras of England in the 1800s. But I give credit where credit is due. I was definitely drawn in to the story and it was very entertaining. I must say, I love the whole “woman ruining her reputation” in books because it’s so dramatic and entertaining (cough cough, Chain of Gold).
Finally, I need to commend the author for passing the Bechdel test!! Helen and Darby, congratulations! It’s insane that most books I read fail to pass, so I must give Alison Goodman credit for this incredible feat.
rachd24's review against another edition
4.0
Check out my full review:
http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2016/08/24/review-the-dark-days-club/
I almost put this book down on more than one occasion. It's quite a long read, and for the first quarter/third it's also quite slow, added to that it's a historical novel set in Regency England so there were times when the writing was Jane Austin-esque (fine if you like that writing style, I tend to struggle with it). So, overall, I didn't get off to a great start with it, BUT I'm giving it 4/5*, curious? Read on...
Once you get used to the writing style, and get past the first third of the book, and once the action starts happening, this book picks up pace, smacks you in the face with a gripping story-line, and reads like a cross between Pride and Prejudice and Shadowhunters. While I initially struggled with the writing style, it actually grew on me, and by the end I could really appreciate the care Goodman had taken to make the novel have an authentic Regency voice. Yes, this book is a slower read, because there's quite a bit of world building, both from a historical and paranormal point of view, but now that the foundations are set I'm itching to get my hands on the next instalment!
As a modern day woman, I have a problem with how our main character, Helen, is sometimes treated, and the restrictions placed on her life. However, within the setting it is historically accurate, so I just have to suck it up. It does makes for an interesting (though sometimes frustrating) conundrum - how she can kick-ass when she has a curfew, and needs to be chaperoned practically everywhere she goes? I can see how this can sometimes limit where Goodman can take the story, but due to a few plot points, I'm hoping the action drives up a notch in book 2.
Lady Helen is obviously in the market for a husband, and there are a couple of potential relationships hinted at throughout the novel, one of which is very slow burning and pretty intense considering there's minimal sexual activity/detail. Not to fear for those who are a little tired of romances and love triangles, the romance side of the story really does take a back seat in this series (so far), but I've a feeling it will become more prominent in future books.
If you are thinking about reading this book, or you've picked it up and tried a few chapters and haven't gotten into it, you are going to want to hang in there. This is definitely a DNF you will regret.
http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2016/08/24/review-the-dark-days-club/
I almost put this book down on more than one occasion. It's quite a long read, and for the first quarter/third it's also quite slow, added to that it's a historical novel set in Regency England so there were times when the writing was Jane Austin-esque (fine if you like that writing style, I tend to struggle with it). So, overall, I didn't get off to a great start with it, BUT I'm giving it 4/5*, curious? Read on...
Once you get used to the writing style, and get past the first third of the book, and once the action starts happening, this book picks up pace, smacks you in the face with a gripping story-line, and reads like a cross between Pride and Prejudice and Shadowhunters. While I initially struggled with the writing style, it actually grew on me, and by the end I could really appreciate the care Goodman had taken to make the novel have an authentic Regency voice. Yes, this book is a slower read, because there's quite a bit of world building, both from a historical and paranormal point of view, but now that the foundations are set I'm itching to get my hands on the next instalment!
As a modern day woman, I have a problem with how our main character, Helen, is sometimes treated, and the restrictions placed on her life. However, within the setting it is historically accurate, so I just have to suck it up. It does makes for an interesting (though sometimes frustrating) conundrum - how she can kick-ass when she has a curfew, and needs to be chaperoned practically everywhere she goes? I can see how this can sometimes limit where Goodman can take the story, but due to a few plot points, I'm hoping the action drives up a notch in book 2.
Lady Helen is obviously in the market for a husband, and there are a couple of potential relationships hinted at throughout the novel, one of which is very slow burning and pretty intense considering there's minimal sexual activity/detail. Not to fear for those who are a little tired of romances and love triangles, the romance side of the story really does take a back seat in this series (so far), but I've a feeling it will become more prominent in future books.
If you are thinking about reading this book, or you've picked it up and tried a few chapters and haven't gotten into it, you are going to want to hang in there. This is definitely a DNF you will regret.
daijahsbookworld's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
read for tbr jar picks my reads vlog: coming soon
if you're looking for a blend of shadowhunters and the bridgerton era, this book is perfect for you. the journey through the story was enjoyable, but i found the pacing to be quite slow. the atmosphere, characters, and historical details were great, yet the story felt like it dragged on for too long, making it feel like it took an eternity to finish. the main characters, especially lord carlston, stood out. he's the dark, brooding figure that many readers love in their books. however, there were too many side characters overall, which often left me confused about who was who. despite the slow pace, the plot was intriguing. demon hunters in the 1800s? absolutely! however, the complexity of the world was often confusing and didn't necessarily add up. i did have a really fun time with this story despite the couple of problems i had.
if you're looking for a blend of shadowhunters and the bridgerton era, this book is perfect for you. the journey through the story was enjoyable, but i found the pacing to be quite slow. the atmosphere, characters, and historical details were great, yet the story felt like it dragged on for too long, making it feel like it took an eternity to finish. the main characters, especially lord carlston, stood out. he's the dark, brooding figure that many readers love in their books. however, there were too many side characters overall, which often left me confused about who was who. despite the slow pace, the plot was intriguing. demon hunters in the 1800s? absolutely! however, the complexity of the world was often confusing and didn't necessarily add up. i did have a really fun time with this story despite the couple of problems i had.
greenyqt's review against another edition
4.0
The book read like a series so there was a lot of setting up. The book addressed the time period incredibly accurately, which is not always done in fantasy. I look forward to the next book!
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
A fun read. The world is well done, and I enjoyed the characters. The supernatural aspects were intriguing as well. My one critique is I would like to see the characters ruminate at least a bit on how cheaply the lives of those of lower castes were held. I found the attitudes in the book in keeping with the times, but considering how unconventional the lives the characters would have to leave are, I guess I'd like to see them manifest some other unusual opinions about the unfairness built into their world. I do plan on reading the next book.