allisongm's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lisam1973's review against another edition
4.0
Downton Abbey/Upstairs Downstairs with magic
This book expands the Half a Soul universe.
Effie is a maid who has a lot of understandable anger about how she, and other servants, are treated. Unfortunately, she is also feels powerless to voice her anger because of the imbalance between upstairs and downstairs. She falls in love with one on of the upstairs sons and makes a desperate deal with a faerie to change her lot her in life.
I really liked the magic element in this book. I would love a more expanded version of that world and what Effie could do with her magic in the future. The side characters are great and, like with Half a Soul, the social commentary on gender and class is well done without being heavy handed.
I gave this one 4 stars instead of the 5 I gave Half a Soul because Jubilee fell a bit flat for me. We are told his feelings through the lens of others more than shown his feelings and
This book expands the Half a Soul universe.
Effie is a maid who has a lot of understandable anger about how she, and other servants, are treated. Unfortunately, she is also feels powerless to voice her anger because of the imbalance between upstairs and downstairs. She falls in love with one on of the upstairs sons and makes a desperate deal with a faerie to change her lot her in life.
I really liked the magic element in this book. I would love a more expanded version of that world and what Effie could do with her magic in the future. The side characters are great and, like with Half a Soul, the social commentary on gender and class is well done without being heavy handed.
I gave this one 4 stars instead of the 5 I gave Half a Soul because Jubilee fell a bit flat for me. We are told his feelings through the lens of others more than shown his feelings and
Spoiler
his relationship with Effie came off as more companionable than loving to me.gogglor's review
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
More! Fairy! Tales! About! Solidarity!
Loved, loved, loved this book, to the point where I can’t wait to read it again. I love the class consciousness. I love the magic system. I love the characters. I love the ending. I love the moral of the story. I just. I love it. Wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
Loved, loved, loved this book, to the point where I can’t wait to read it again. I love the class consciousness. I love the magic system. I love the characters. I love the ending. I love the moral of the story. I just. I love it. Wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
schlawiner's review against another edition
5.0
This was lovely, thought-provoking and inspiring. The world is similar to the one described in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - Regency England and a kind of a darkly whimsical fairy realm, set in a Downton Abbeyish upstairs-downstairs scenario.
It touches on class divides, the value of righteous anger and when it is useful to pass it on to others, intersectional feminism (a lady who is always disrespectful of her female servants suddenly shows great compassion with a seeming fellow lady treated badly by a man, because she reminds her of herself), and even appropriation (a maid character considering faeries who put on the role of servant for a day or two, like a toy they can put away anytime vs herself, who has to live the reality of it with no way of escaping).
It touches on class divides, the value of righteous anger and when it is useful to pass it on to others, intersectional feminism (a lady who is always disrespectful of her female servants suddenly shows great compassion with a seeming fellow lady treated badly by a man, because she reminds her of herself), and even appropriation (a maid character considering faeries who put on the role of servant for a day or two, like a toy they can put away anytime vs herself, who has to live the reality of it with no way of escaping).
teanahk's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
scarletserin's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
idc's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
beans_books's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars!!
I’m tempted to give this four just because I love the author’s writing style so much. I think she’s so great at creating fun and interesting characters that are quirky and flawed but still so loveable. This book was still good I think it just got a little too caught up in the message and sometimes the plot suffered for it. But the idea of Cinderella but make it a union uprising with a slice of romance is very cute and I loved the cameos from some characters as well. Very excited to read her third book!!
I’m tempted to give this four just because I love the author’s writing style so much. I think she’s so great at creating fun and interesting characters that are quirky and flawed but still so loveable. This book was still good I think it just got a little too caught up in the message and sometimes the plot suffered for it. But the idea of Cinderella but make it a union uprising with a slice of romance is very cute and I loved the cameos from some characters as well. Very excited to read her third book!!
argrenier's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5