Scan barcode
davidreyno's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Awesome book about a strange group of female detectives in the late 1800's.
makiichin's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
it was cool and entertaining. i just didn’t really care. maybe because i'm unfamiliar with all the fairytales these girls are based on. I don’t think i’ll continue the series
jordiers's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Fun times at a younger audience so easy to read.
sandragee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.0
thegrok's review against another edition
5.0
Well told story with an authentic female perspective
It’s a tale of the horrifying injustices men commit against women and the victories of women despite them, all wrapped up in an amalgamation of classic literary characters and their respective lore that works without being at all on the nose.
The only jarring element in book is that of Sherlock Holmes actually being a pleasant enough fellow.
It’s a tale of the horrifying injustices men commit against women and the victories of women despite them, all wrapped up in an amalgamation of classic literary characters and their respective lore that works without being at all on the nose.
The only jarring element in book is that of Sherlock Holmes actually being a pleasant enough fellow.
micsar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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
3.75
bookishnerdyandcurious's review against another edition
4.0
**4.5 stars!**
I have heard a ton of buzz about this from a few Booktubers and was sufficiently intrigued to place it on hold at the library. Many weeks later, it arrived and I dove in... and while I was enjoying what I was reading, I wasn't completely pulled in. The first 6 chapters were fairly slow going for me and I couldn't figure out why because I was thoroughly enjoying the story and I didn't want to DNF it if possible, so I saw that the audio was available on Scribd and decided to give that a shot. That absolutely was the way for me to read this as the book lends itself really well to audio. I did not have a lot of exposure to the source texts where are characters are from/about (Jekyll and Hyde, Rappaccini's Daughter, The Island of Dr. Moreau and Frankenstein), but I did know the basics of each, which was nice in understanding each of the characters. Is it necessary to know the stories involved? No, but it will enhance your enjoyment. Add in Sherlock Holmes and Watson along with a few mysteries to solve and I had a blast listening to this. I've already downloaded the next two books in the series because once I found the medium that worked for me, I don't want to forget about the other two. I'm really glad I gave this another chance before DNFing, I would have hated to miss out on the fun of this one.
I have heard a ton of buzz about this from a few Booktubers and was sufficiently intrigued to place it on hold at the library. Many weeks later, it arrived and I dove in... and while I was enjoying what I was reading, I wasn't completely pulled in. The first 6 chapters were fairly slow going for me and I couldn't figure out why because I was thoroughly enjoying the story and I didn't want to DNF it if possible, so I saw that the audio was available on Scribd and decided to give that a shot. That absolutely was the way for me to read this as the book lends itself really well to audio. I did not have a lot of exposure to the source texts where are characters are from/about (Jekyll and Hyde, Rappaccini's Daughter, The Island of Dr. Moreau and Frankenstein), but I did know the basics of each, which was nice in understanding each of the characters. Is it necessary to know the stories involved? No, but it will enhance your enjoyment. Add in Sherlock Holmes and Watson along with a few mysteries to solve and I had a blast listening to this. I've already downloaded the next two books in the series because once I found the medium that worked for me, I don't want to forget about the other two. I'm really glad I gave this another chance before DNFing, I would have hated to miss out on the fun of this one.
poppydawson_'s review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.5
meghaha's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter because 1) I've read some of Theodora Goss's short stories before and liked them and 2) I'm doing a lot of bus rides and solitary walks during my travels, so I'm pretty much continually in need of something to listen to on audiobook, and it just so happened to be available through my library's Overdrive.
As perhaps is becoming an unfortunate pattern with me, I didn't pay too much attention to the blurb, because I thought I'd like the author. Closer inspection would've let me know that although I might like some of Goss's short stories, this isn't the kind of book I'm particularly interested in reading anymore (though I would've devoured it eagerly five years ago).
I've been trying to keep away from British Empire fiction (the last ones have left a bad taste in my mouth--must have something to do with all the colonialism, racism, classism, sexism, social darwinism, and exceptionalism), and I would like to extend this avoidance to the weirdly overpopulated subsection of Anglophilic contemporary American fiction that is situated in the approximate era and geography of Victorian Britain. But I remembered something of Goss's short story aesthetic -- mythpunk might be an apt term for her kinds of lyrical fairytale-inflected stories--which is pretty much exactly where my heart lies in literary terms.
I will admit this book was readable and kept me listening and that the idea of a society of women monsters hints tauntingly at the kind of heroines that I need in my life. The problem is that ultimately, I felt the focus was much more on Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and crime investigating (which has been done so many times already and better) than the emotional and thematic implications of womanhood and monstrosity. That's what I'm here for, and there were a few sentences here and there in this book, but nothing that really unlocked the potential of that subject.
I was also pretty disappointed by how conventional this book was. I think Goss has a recognizable style and aesthetic in her short stories, but this book could have been written by anyone at all -- I didn't see anything special in terms of prose or thought, and like I said, this subgenre is so overdone and overcooked already that originality is the only thing that can save any fiction situated in it. I think though that short stories are naturally more open to experimentation than a novel, and I can understand why conventionality was the natural route for a longer form, even if I found it unsatisfying.
As perhaps is becoming an unfortunate pattern with me, I didn't pay too much attention to the blurb, because I thought I'd like the author. Closer inspection would've let me know that although I might like some of Goss's short stories, this isn't the kind of book I'm particularly interested in reading anymore (though I would've devoured it eagerly five years ago).
I've been trying to keep away from British Empire fiction (the last ones have left a bad taste in my mouth--must have something to do with all the colonialism, racism, classism, sexism, social darwinism, and exceptionalism), and I would like to extend this avoidance to the weirdly overpopulated subsection of Anglophilic contemporary American fiction that is situated in the approximate era and geography of Victorian Britain. But I remembered something of Goss's short story aesthetic -- mythpunk might be an apt term for her kinds of lyrical fairytale-inflected stories--which is pretty much exactly where my heart lies in literary terms.
I will admit this book was readable and kept me listening and that the idea of a society of women monsters hints tauntingly at the kind of heroines that I need in my life. The problem is that ultimately, I felt the focus was much more on Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and crime investigating (which has been done so many times already and better) than the emotional and thematic implications of womanhood and monstrosity. That's what I'm here for, and there were a few sentences here and there in this book, but nothing that really unlocked the potential of that subject.
I was also pretty disappointed by how conventional this book was. I think Goss has a recognizable style and aesthetic in her short stories, but this book could have been written by anyone at all -- I didn't see anything special in terms of prose or thought, and like I said, this subgenre is so overdone and overcooked already that originality is the only thing that can save any fiction situated in it. I think though that short stories are naturally more open to experimentation than a novel, and I can understand why conventionality was the natural route for a longer form, even if I found it unsatisfying.