kshertz's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Animal death, and Death
ladythana's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Classism and Blood
Minor: Racism, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Transphobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Slavery, and Body horror
readthesparrow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
'Fuck' also just feels a bit… uninspired, in this context. I’d much prefer some more interesting, funny, or clever ways of swearing or referring to intercourse than just using ‘fuck.’ Like, come on! The narrative is drawing, at least partially, from Shakespeare. Have at least a little fun with it.
Robin is obnoxious. While their humor is, I admit, sometimes clever, it often isn’t. Their humor--and thus, the novel's--relies too much on the whole quirky “wow being a human is sucks, what do you mean you have to pay rent, you can’t turn into mist? that’s soooo silly” gimmick. I cannot stand it.
They also constantly insert themself into the narrative in a way that wore out my welcome as soon as it came through the door. I'm fairly certain this is to set up later books, as I believe this is going to be a series.
Spoiler
(which focused on solving the mystery of Miss Mitchelmore’s curse).Spoiler
(which sort of? focused on the romance and on Lady Landrake's backstory, which ended up being, in my opinion, boring)Spoiler
an Orpheus-and-Eurydice mini-retelling.Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Transphobia
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Cursing
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia
robinsong's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Positives:
- Setting/world building
Negatives:
- Character voice
Spoiler
He also gets the bonus role of taking us to Transphobia Club: where gay and gender non-conforming men gather to invalidate trans women.- Homophobia/transphobia
Spoiler
Mae's cousin goes to an old gay haunt of his and talks to other gay men and drag-queens. They are pissed at one of their former friends bc she is now a priestess and has essentially transitioned. They say that she has betrayed them bc she's denying that she'll "always be a man". Literally horrific- Narration
- The Ick
Any time a character talks about sex outside of the sex scenes I want to break my feet with a hammer. I have no desire to read 19 year olds sexual fantasies. Also, making up silly ye olde terms for shipping your friends is just as cringe as telling your real life friends that you ship them.
- Pacing
- Desperate attempts to not seem problematic
There were SEVERAL moments throughout the book where it felt like the author paused and turned to face the reader to say Worry Not Dear Reader, My Wealthy British Aristocrats Are Not Bigots Or Racists. They all feel just as shoehorned as you might imagine. This adds nothing and just exists to relieve some imagined hand-wringing over whether the characters are acceptable by modern standards.
Overall, this book was fun briefly and in spurts. I wish the characters didn't make me want to rip my hair out. I also wish that it wasn't so fucking weird to gay and trans people. 2/5 stars.
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Blood, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Animal death, Classism, Murder, Sexual violence, Cursing, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Minor: Incest, Outing, and Grief