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lyrangalia's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
The culmination of the All Souls trilogy is essentially more of the same. Book 1 is the courtship, Book 2 is the marriage, and Book 3 is the family building.
I personally found them readable in a “I’m trapped on an airplane” way but would I have read them all if I hadn’t been stuck on a tube for 18 hours? Unlikely.
They’re a very specific niche of upper middle class wish fulfillment,in which our protagonist, an Independent Career Woman, finds love with a Charmingly Old Fashioned and Domineering Man, married into his wealthy old fashioned family, and has children, which are then conveniently raised/watched over by Old Fashioned Man’s wealthy extended family, allowing our FMC to continue to have her career, marriage, and children.
The only part of the whole thing that I find distressing is how the entire fantasy includes the spectre of our MMC’s “blood rage”, a condition that leads to blinding rage and an inability to be reasoned with, a sense of overpossessiveness, and which has already caused the death of of the MMC’s previous lover at his hand.
The obviousness of the domestic abuse metaphor here cannot be overstated. And the fact that the blood rage is overcome by the love of our male protagonist’s wife and his love for their children is… well the metaphor is pretty unsubtle. And the fact that it’s presented in the context of a wish fulfillment fantasy is… uncomfortable.
I personally found them readable in a “I’m trapped on an airplane” way but would I have read them all if I hadn’t been stuck on a tube for 18 hours? Unlikely.
They’re a very specific niche of upper middle class wish fulfillment,
The only part of the whole thing that I find distressing is how the entire fantasy includes the spectre of our MMC’s “blood rage”, a condition that leads to blinding rage and an inability to be reasoned with, a sense of overpossessiveness, and which has already caused the death of of the MMC’s previous lover at his hand.
The obviousness of the domestic abuse metaphor here cannot be overstated. And the fact that the blood rage is overcome by the love of our male protagonist’s wife and his love for their children is… well the metaphor is pretty unsubtle. And the fact that it’s presented in the context of a wish fulfillment fantasy is… uncomfortable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
artmajorese's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I mostly picked this one up because I'm a completionist, I needed something to do on a 5-hour flight, and I had already powered through book 2. To my surprise, I enjoyed reading the book! Expect a convoluted plot, which to me felt a little bit un-earned in its resolution. Most of the book is spent doing things OTHER than solving the central problem. But if you can suspend your disbelief, you'll find some fun character development moments and (finally) the answer to "what's the deal with Ashmore 782?"
Heads up that the main subplot contains a lot of sexual violence, including incest and sexual violence against children.
Heads up that the main subplot contains a lot of sexual violence, including incest and sexual violence against children.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Torture, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence