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themermaddie's review against another edition
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.
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
1.0
loml katie mcgrath does a great job but this book sucks
wind_up_hen's review against another edition
3.25
Quick reading - eh ending but interesting characters
ebreeze's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dizzymissruby's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
whatabetty's review
pass. i basically could not stand anyone. i read it, but thank god for katie mcgrath narrating tho.
esthermich4's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-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
3.25
petitpoucetreveur's review against another edition
2.0
Dnfed but still considered read for all the time I invested in it
I can't really pinned point what didn't work for me. Maybe the altering point of view? I wasn't invested in what was happening to the characters, i thought they were rather flat and forgettable. The writing was fine, it has a sort of rich and flowery language that supposed to bring us back in the 19th century. The plot was slow, sometimes i read three or four chapters and looked back on it without being able to really said how they had moved the plot further. I wouldn't say the book is bad, it would be unfair, but it definitely didn't do it for me.
One thing that didn't disappoint me : the voice of Katie McGrath ! Gosh, her voice was absolutely perfect, low and grave when necessary, light and soft or sensual and deep when needed. It was beautiful to listen to.
I can't really pinned point what didn't work for me. Maybe the altering point of view? I wasn't invested in what was happening to the characters, i thought they were rather flat and forgettable. The writing was fine, it has a sort of rich and flowery language that supposed to bring us back in the 19th century. The plot was slow, sometimes i read three or four chapters and looked back on it without being able to really said how they had moved the plot further. I wouldn't say the book is bad, it would be unfair, but it definitely didn't do it for me.
One thing that didn't disappoint me : the voice of Katie McGrath ! Gosh, her voice was absolutely perfect, low and grave when necessary, light and soft or sensual and deep when needed. It was beautiful to listen to.
ruthlemon08's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm a big Tremain fan in general, and I really enjoyed this book. Being just up the road from Bath made it extra fun.
There's a lot of exploration of power threaded through these storylines. Valentine Ross is giving off mega incel vibes and is desperate to have power over people. Leon is also seeking power, prestige, money. Ralph Savage's relationship with Leon is interesting too - clearly Leon is powerless to say no to Savage, in many ways, and there is some muted, subtle exploration of the impact of Imperial power on colonised countries and communities. Julietta has a captivating power over Jane, and seemingly this is reciprocated. Jane is also seeking independence and the power (money, thanks to Victorian England's attitudes to women) to establish her own path in life. So, plenty of power dynamics at work here.
I was sad to leave these characters behind, which feel like a mark of a very good book, and one which will be with me for a long time.
There's a lot of exploration of power threaded through these storylines. Valentine Ross is giving off mega incel vibes and is desperate to have power over people. Leon is also seeking power, prestige, money. Ralph Savage's relationship with Leon is interesting too - clearly Leon is powerless to say no to Savage, in many ways, and there is some muted, subtle exploration of the impact of Imperial power on colonised countries and communities. Julietta has a captivating power over Jane, and seemingly this is reciprocated. Jane is also seeking independence and the power (money, thanks to Victorian England's attitudes to women) to establish her own path in life. So, plenty of power dynamics at work here.
I was sad to leave these characters behind, which feel like a mark of a very good book, and one which will be with me for a long time.
smyth21's review against another edition
4.0
Review for Katie McGrath narrative alone. It was a decent listen, not something I would go out of my way to read myself but listening to this was nice. It had a decent story, set in 1800’s Bath and follows an young Irish woman so the narrative by Katie is undoubtedly perfect.