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eleven_hummingbird's review against another edition
On digital storefronts, this book is marketed as "turn-of-the-nineteenth-cenury." This is inaccurate. The story starts in 1909, being rather the turn of the twentieth century. I hope the print copy did not fail to miss such an oversight. That digital marketplaces have not amended this mistake is, frankly, gross negligence.
Another complaint on the digital edition is the contents page. Rather than being listed in any sort of useful structure, the chapters are simply listed in an alternating crescendo of "Jack; Wilhelm; Jack; Wilhelm;" and so forth.
These were the first red flags, and we've not even started reading the book yet. Unfortunately, things do not improve.
The prose is nothing more than serviceable, and the dialogue is just disinteresting.
The historical setting is not utilized in any interesting nor creative way beyond aesthetics, and even these are not described in an engaging manner.
The narrative itself is not impressive either. Orphan narratives can be told well, but these boys are just abused and taken advantage of for little reason other than to make one feel sorry for them.
Wilhelm is physically and verbally abused. He is forced to wear a restraint, yet he apparently has the magical power to teleport at will. While the complexities of an abusive relationship might keep him from escaping for psychological reasons, it makes no sense for him to suffer the restraint. Further, it is not explained why Wilhelm feels he has to keep his talent a secret.
Unfortunately, the characters are just not likeable, rather leaning more towards insufferable. Jack is introduced as a calous heartbreaker. He is taken up under the Enchantress, who seems like a mysterious, intelligent, and daring lady, but on introduction is shown to be shallow, manipulative, and mean. Wilhelm does not have much to say, nor think. His abuser, meanwhile, is described as "plain, forgettable even." The cast expands early on with the introduction of Ruth. She is pleasant enough, but is sexualized and plagued by white-saviorism.
I hope this book gets better, but these are my impressions fifteen-percent through, and I am not inclined to continue further.
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Minor: Racism
archcon's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Racism, Sexism, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
meliroo's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Torture, Vomit, and Murder
verito2805's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Classism
mals_library's review against another edition
1.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Classism
orchidd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
puddlemud's review against another edition
- 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
1.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder, and Lesbophobia
criticalgayze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Coming in at 504 pages, there's a lot of room in this YA tome for streamlining. A better editor would have talked Hutchinson into slimming this down by cutting down on the performances and the ruminating on abuse and the " white gay man reflects on how hard America has been for marginalized people" and the "is this thing that is definitely the plan the plan?" Then we could have had a really great 300 page novel.
I know this is asking a lot of the "too much to read" among us, but the back 30% contains the evidence of a really great novel waiting to be edited out. Once the thing that has obviously been the plan is officially revealed to be the plan, the novel kicks into high gear. The romance becomes achingly cute (see the bottom two quotes), the tension ramps up to WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN levels, and the inclusion of illusions becomes a really fun plot device.
To add a quick note on white men including greater inequality in their MM romances, I did find it troubling how much "America was really racist" plays into the novel, yet the story also exists in a world in which sodomy laws aren't a big deal with the moments at the end of the story in which the leads display fairly public displays of affection.
Quotes:
"'I was running because I didn’t want to be late,' Wil said. 'He was waiting for me and I said I would meet him. I was afraid I had taken too long, but then I saw Jack standing by the entrance to Cairo, and he smiled when he saw me as if it were his happiest day instead of my own.'" (52%)
“'Yes. Yes to today, yes to tomorrow, and yes to whatever comes after that.'” (76%)
"I think it must’ve been a person who’d wished for love but had never known it who’d created the first clock. Because time is a reminder of how quickly the present passes and how little of the future remains, and no one in love would want to know that." (76%)
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Minor: Misogyny, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
scorpioreads_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent
erins_bookshelf_'s review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
It was super cool and I loved the magic/historical fiction stuff going on, it was great.
Honestly I loved every single character in this book except for Teddy and George (Evangeline wasn’t great either but she was slightly better than they were and she was interesting)
Jack and Wil are adorable and every time one of them was in danger I was so scared, this was really really good I really loved it :)
Graphic: Physical abuse and Blood
Moderate: Torture, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, and Vomit