hobbithopeful's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
5.0
Witty, funny, cozy, this was such a delight to read! I love the concept of a society of refined and polished ladies who are also pirates! There was not a single chapter in this that I didn't laugh out loud, I thoroughly enjoyed every page I read.
India Holton has a very distinct writing style and I was immediately drawn in by the historical world and magic she brought. I loved how badass all the characters are, and how they ran the show and treated men with disdain or exasperation.
I am so glad this is a series, I can't wait to read the next book.
If you are looking for a cozy and funny book filled with adventures, pirates, and romance, then this is the perfect book for you. (Or if you just want to read a good book, I HIGHLY recommend!)
India Holton has a very distinct writing style and I was immediately drawn in by the historical world and magic she brought. I loved how badass all the characters are, and how they ran the show and treated men with disdain or exasperation.
I am so glad this is a series, I can't wait to read the next book.
If you are looking for a cozy and funny book filled with adventures, pirates, and romance, then this is the perfect book for you. (Or if you just want to read a good book, I HIGHLY recommend!)
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Death
clairew97's review
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual content, Abandonment, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Sexism
sarahsbookss's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Stalking, Alcohol, Death, Kidnapping, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Sexual content
louisegraveyard's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, and Drug use
callenmecait's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Loved this book. It’s like Bridgerton but with magic and pirates and the overthrowing of the patriarchy. Only has one smut scene but lots of tension building up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
Minor: Death and Sexism
bubblegirl858's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book was read as part of the 2023 book club for march. This was the second time I read this book and the first time I feel like I enjoyed it more, I gave it 5 stars. I raced through the first read and laughed out loud, cheered and finished the book with a happy sigh. This read, I found a lot more things problematic and just outright boring. Ned can be overly pushy and Ceclia really just existed. Both the main characters were pretty one dimensional and I couldn’t tell you a single thing either of them did or even anything deeper than basic likes and dislikes. They were great characters to project yourself on to, but as far as being human? Not so much. Things I loved about the book include the plethora of witty quotes, Jane Austen references, fighting and having a conversation at the same time, the “only one bed” trope, older women being absolute legends, and Pleasance’s character. She was such a fun aspect of the book and it would have been so much better with more of her.
Spoiler
The plot takes a major pace hit after they enter Morvath’s castle. The book drags for the next 100 or so pages. Cecila choosing to run away with Ned was expected as it is a romance novel, however it felt so conflicting compared to the goal she had literally the entire book. With the main undertones in this book being very feminist, I was expecting something else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Sexism, and Death of parent
samchase112's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The definition of a madcap adventure romance! This wasn’t a perfect book — it dragged on too long, the beginning was nearly nonsensical because of the lack of world building — but it certainly dared to be different and I appreciate the satirical whimsy. Altogether an enjoyable adventure, if not my favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Death of parent
erebus53's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a lighthearted romp humorously told, with a swig of casual gun violence, occasional swashbuckling, and graphic sex.
In this, the first book in the Dangerous Damsels trilogy, we are introduced to a world of magical realism where aristocratic pirates pilot flying houses that are mounted with canon and guns. Raised to be a ladylike scoundrel, with savvy and decorum, our main character is a young woman who has not yet been accepted into her Society as an adult. This coming of age story deals with a woman facing her evil father, choosing her own path, engaging in the martial art of Polite Conversation, and facing the warring parts of her psyche, both emotional and rational.
Although not especially diverse in its lineup of characters, it is fiercely anti-Patriarchy.
Good fun if not very deep. Pass the popcorn, there's a love.
In this, the first book in the Dangerous Damsels trilogy, we are introduced to a world of magical realism where aristocratic pirates pilot flying houses that are mounted with canon and guns. Raised to be a ladylike scoundrel, with savvy and decorum, our main character is a young woman who has not yet been accepted into her Society as an adult. This coming of age story deals with a woman facing her evil father, choosing her own path, engaging in the martial art of Polite Conversation, and facing the warring parts of her psyche, both emotional and rational.
Although not especially diverse in its lineup of characters, it is fiercely anti-Patriarchy.
Good fun if not very deep. Pass the popcorn, there's a love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Alcohol, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Drug use, Kidnapping, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Death, and Sexism
Minor: Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, and Stalking
tors_tomes's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Death
buildingtaste's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a 2020s novel with an excellent conceit must be deeply in want of better execution. I feel bad giving this such a low rating, as it is probably one of the better conceived 2020s novels of the ones I've tried, but once again, after the elevator pitch is over, the book collapses like an under-baked teacake. And under-baked is the overarching theme: we are given rather thin sketches of the titular society, a teeming cast of characters, an intergenerational revenge plot nodding heavily to the Brontes, and a requisite romance. All of them are glossed over in favour of comic asides which, after a few repetitions of (and that was rather a funny bit there, er, wasn't it?) seems more like an author's lack of faith in their own prose than a stylistic choice.
Most egregious here, though, is something I can't blame Holton for, because it seems to be more a convention of the historical fantasy-romance genre than anything: Cecilia is just the least interesting person in the bunch. And we have to stick with her a good 80% of the time. When your heroine sums up her role in the story with a glib "I'm afraid I've done nothing to advance the plot," and it's true, a good editor should perk up and recommend doing something about that. Cecilia, despite her bog-standard spunk, finds herself constantly outpaced and outsmarted, by the titular society, by the love interest, and by her villainous father. Not once does she get to be heroic on her own terms, and she's so baldly horny for Ned that her internal refrain of "well-I-never" gets dull.
So. Janky start. But I think the world of Wisteria has some real promise--I'd be interested in reading a short fiction anthology delving more into the lore of historical Lady Scoundrels and the senior ladies.
Most egregious here, though, is something I can't blame Holton for, because it seems to be more a convention of the historical fantasy-romance genre than anything: Cecilia is just the least interesting person in the bunch. And we have to stick with her a good 80% of the time. When your heroine sums up her role in the story with a glib "I'm afraid I've done nothing to advance the plot," and it's true, a good editor should perk up and recommend doing something about that. Cecilia, despite her bog-standard spunk, finds herself constantly outpaced and outsmarted, by the titular society, by the love interest, and by her villainous father. Not once does she get to be heroic on her own terms, and she's so baldly horny for Ned that her internal refrain of "well-I-never" gets dull.
So. Janky start. But I think the world of Wisteria has some real promise--I'd be interested in reading a short fiction anthology delving more into the lore of historical Lady Scoundrels and the senior ladies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, and Sexism
A teenaged character and young adult character have a sexual relationship. It is played for comedy, with the younger character repeatedly lying about her age and the adult acting distraught about the revelation. Characters drink on several occasions and a character gets drunk without real consent or awareness that alcohol will intoxicate her; this character vomits while drunk. The backstory of a character involves being abandoned by his parents. The lower class characters are usually fearful, superstitious, and deemed foolish. Most characters are kidnapped and imprisoned. The backstory of multiple characters involve their mothers being murdered in front of them. The main character's aunt is controlling and overbearing. Alcohol and cocaine pastilles are used by characters. A verbal spar of two characters involves multiple fatphobic remarks. Most characters have and use guns with murderous intent, though no one dies from a gunshot in the text. There is cousin marriage. The villain's primary motivation is named as misogyny. There is a chapter dedicated to a sex scene (Chapter 20).