Reviews

Welcome to Dorley Hall by Alyson Greaves

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butilikefrogs's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

laurenmckane's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

2.0

loz_reads's review

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challenging dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was such a fun ride. This was a rollercoaster ride and I had so many ups and down while reading it. I didn't know what was going to happen next. It was very long, I will say that but give this a chance.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ellulin's review

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2.5

I think my biggest issue with this book is that I have no idea who the book is for.

Minor spoilers ahead

First of all this novel was written by a trans woman so she had every right to write about transness. And yet as a nonbinary trans person I was utterly confused by the premise. I'm still dumbfounded at the idea that the whole scheme is a reform operation kidnapping men and turning them into women and that it works. I did not get satire from this so I'm taking it as it is. How do none of the newly made women experience dysphoria? They all accept their fate so easily I'm just baffled.

And at the same time the main character's dysphoria is handled and described with such care it's like whiplash. Stef's struggle with his own gender (using he/him as that is what he uses in the novel) is masterfully described. The denial, the how can I ever be sure, guess that's my life now, it is on point.

So I'm confused because I feel that transness in this book is both represented well and terribly.

As for the bulk of the story it was mostly enjoyable but it was simply too long and some elements repetitivr. The Christine chapters felt very repetitive and boring. I get establishing connections etc but they are a lot of characters and it's just too much. The Stef chapters were the most interesting to me because it felt like we were moving forward with the story.

So yeah I don't think I will be reading the second book in the series but I also don't think it was a terrible book. Lots of mixed feelings.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.