leelah's review against another edition
4.0
London, 1888.;
the age of prevalent moral ideals and great technological progress;
rich and bored figured out some other uses for camera and discovered pornography;
and somewhere in West End two young men who are helping in photographer's shop fell in love.
*~*~*
There are some books you like for story.
Some you like for characters, so you read along to see where will they end up.
And then there are some you keep reading for phrasing and descriptions because these strings of words are just so damn beautiful. It's reward on itself. How are some people able to put these random words one after another in this particular order and transform ordinary statements into something that sounds so amazing? I have no idea, but it makes me read some passages twice and then sometimes aloud because it's not ok for them to stay voiced only in my head. I get like this over [b:Glitterland|17727137|Glitterland (Glitterland #1)|Alexis Hall|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364942814s/17727137.jpg|24797122] or [b:An Instance of the Fingerpost|15888|An Instance of the Fingerpost|Iain Pears|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388353701s/15888.jpg|950198] or...gah, nevermindshyembarrassed. It's a craft I admire greatly.
That was like reading [b:Captured Shadows|23395712|Captured Shadows|Richard Rider|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413725797s/23395712.jpg|42952720] for me.
You see... plot of this novel is not new or terribly clever. I had these flashbacks of [b:Hot Head|10506237|Hot Head (Head, #1)|Damon Suede|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1307050057s/10506237.jpg|15412114] which surprised me because there couldn't be two books more different, and yet.. they are telling (arguably) the same story. So,I am just repeating what everyone else had to say in their reviews: this is one beautifully written book and it's my strongest impression of it.
*~*~*
Entire story is told from Jim's pov; but it's more his remembrance then straight up reconstruction of events. I am mentioning this because it occurred to me few times that he is not reliable narrator at all.He remembers things so selectively; his focus is entirely on Archie while everything else:, people, places,things, is fuzzy on edges. But Archie? He remembers every little thing about Archie, from peculiar coloring his hair gets on sun to face reactions and every muscle twitch.
It's one man's memory of a person who matters the most. :)
Characters were both lovely and frustrating together: they fell in love and do stupid things because they are in love; then they fight and do stupid things because they fought. I would be more annoyed by this and their utter lack of communication if not for the fact that Archie is only 19y old and Jim is couple of years older.
I chucked a star off because, while great tool to satisfy readers like me who appreciate lyrical prose, this complete awareness Jim had of Archie, ended up working against story. We are simply left wondering about some events, especially ones that preceded culmination. I wanted more on antagonist and general feel of setting. It actually occurred to me that it's 1888. and there is not a whiff, not a mention of Whitechapel murders and it's just strange, especially considering the fact they work with prostitutes so often. It's totally crazy and unrelated* but... one of examples I wondered just why is Jim's scope so narrow.
*I blame my brain. :|
kiiseumi's review against another edition
5.0
Gay historical books will always be one of my greatest pleasures, and this one was definitely it. I didn't expect to cry so much at the end. I knew they were so old already by that time and death was inevitable and so are my tears. That was painful af. There's just too much death in this one but that one at the end really ended me. I'm just glad they get to live together for so long and were able to spend their lifetime somewhere special for the both of them. I liked how it didn't necessarily tackle too much on the romantic aspect maybe just a gist but that's one of its charms I guess. Just two blokes being eternally happy finding someone they could be with for the rest of their lives. I won't forget you Archie and Jim. Mr Everett is freaking a legend btw.
P.S. I only just realized the book cover is such a major spoiler I can't even
P.S. I only just realized the book cover is such a major spoiler I can't even
walford's review against another edition
4.0
Very sweet. Beautifully told. Excellent period. Hope Rider writes more historicals.
tansy's review
emotional
reflective
sad
2.75
Well-written, but the plot is more of a series of vignettes than a cohesive narrative. Lots of yearning, if that's your thing, although the relationship never feels as though it progresses due to the characters; they're always reacting to external events instead.
georgiewhoissarahdrew's review
2.0
A slight story - short in length, sketchy characterisation, and minimal plot. The writing was fluent, and the background of the photographic studio interesting, though. Worth reading, but I won't go back to it.
agmaynard's review
4.0
Lovely, heartfelt, poignant. Characters and situations seemed quite real; acts of kindness seen throughout, cutting the unavoidable seediness of the setting. Recommended!
semidreamless's review
I really love the setting, I really love the development of the relationship, there was super adorable flirting and tension and apology via potato, and all the photography details were fascinating, but a lot of the plot did not feel like it came naturally, and I'm really sick of romances where there's a huge time jump to many years down the line when they're old or one of them has died (not to spoil the ending or anything...) But seriously I am so done with that trope.
On the other hand, apology potato:
On the other hand, apology potato:
"Bleeding hell, is this what it's come to? I'm sorry, alright? I didn't know what to say to make it better so I never said a thing and that didn't work neither so I bought you a bloody potato and if that don't work I might just go and pick a bridge to fling myself off because I'm all out of ideas. This ain't something I've done before, you know."
"This?" I echoed cautiously, wondering exactly which part of this he meant, and he made a vague sort of hand gesture between us.
kjcharles's review
I really enjoyed this. Terrific atmosphere, lovely setting, great historical detail and sense of place and time. Lovely and sweet and sexy, with a constant tension about the illegality of their love that became nerve-jangling at times.
I would say, the plot was a bit picaresque - a series of events, more than a tightly spun sequence of X leading inexorably to Y - but then that's life and it's a very lifelike book in some ways. And I'd have liked more growth in the romance. It was lovely, but the challenges were basically anger and forgiveness, repeated; we didn't see a huge amount of growth and which for me would have really lifted the book. But nevertheless a hugely enjoyable and extremely well written book with lovely MCs. I hope the author does a lot more historicals because I'm in like Flynn.
I would say, the plot was a bit picaresque - a series of events, more than a tightly spun sequence of X leading inexorably to Y - but then that's life and it's a very lifelike book in some ways. And I'd have liked more growth in the romance. It was lovely, but the challenges were basically anger and forgiveness, repeated; we didn't see a huge amount of growth and which for me would have really lifted the book. But nevertheless a hugely enjoyable and extremely well written book with lovely MCs. I hope the author does a lot more historicals because I'm in like Flynn.
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