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classicista's review against another edition
4.0
In a genre much populated by Mary-Sues and boring oversexed Power Girls, I have to say that Emily Edwards is a refreshing departure, and a heroine I can wrap my arms around. That beings said, if the author decides to go forward with the world she built in Native Star and Hidden Goddess, I'd prefer that she'd leave Emily to her nominal happy ending. I want to continue to like the character.
threerings's review
3.0
I gave the first book in the series 5 stars, and I was debating whether to give this 3 or 4. 3.5. I don't remember much of the first book other than I really, really liked it, so I went back to read my review to see what was different from this second book. I adored the characters in the first one, but I really kinda didn't in this one.
This book just doesn't really hold up to the first in plot or character moments. It's a fairly unpleasant book, in that the characters are unhappy and things are bad and people are unlikable and I just didn't have the enjoyment that I should have.
The romance which was developed so well in the first book was really messed up in this one. The relationship was torn apart until I really couldn't even feel that they belonged together. And the POV is so strongly on Emily and Dreadnought Stanton was in it so little that I had no emotional connection to him.
So, I'm disappointed. But mostly in ways that are difficult for me to put my finger on. I will continue reading the series, but I won't rush about it.
Also there were not really any steampunk elements to this book. It's the 1870s and there is magic, but there wasn't any advanced technology in this one, so I can't really call it steampunk.
This book just doesn't really hold up to the first in plot or character moments. It's a fairly unpleasant book, in that the characters are unhappy and things are bad and people are unlikable and I just didn't have the enjoyment that I should have.
The romance which was developed so well in the first book was really messed up in this one. The relationship was torn apart until I really couldn't even feel that they belonged together. And the POV is so strongly on Emily and Dreadnought Stanton was in it so little that I had no emotional connection to him.
So, I'm disappointed. But mostly in ways that are difficult for me to put my finger on. I will continue reading the series, but I won't rush about it.
Also there were not really any steampunk elements to this book. It's the 1870s and there is magic, but there wasn't any advanced technology in this one, so I can't really call it steampunk.
mcummings's review against another edition
4.0
More like 4 1/2 stars - really enjoyed this almost as much as the first book in the series. Although the two main characters from the first book are here, Emily and Dreadnought, it is (almost) entirely set in New York. We don't see the cross country travel adventures from the first book, but more of a character study. Emily is learning about her past, which is very fascinating, and Dreadnought is learning how to run an Institute. Emily is trying to navigate New York and magical society, even though it's not really her style. But there is mayhem and intrigue and mystery galore.
Some of the highlights for me were the characterizations of the main characters. Emily lost her hand in the last book, and guess what she still doesn't have it. She's unhappy about it, but she doesn't wallow in it. And she finds out things about Dreadnought that she has to decide if she can deal with or not. I found that very realistic. I also really loved the magic slates, although they could have been used more to head off problems.
Everyone has things that they don't like. The part that I actually did not get, was that she went off to Lost Pines to check on her Pap, after a vision that he was in trouble, and didn't bother to tell anyone! Really? And of course trouble happened.
Some of the highlights for me were the characterizations of the main characters. Emily lost her hand in the last book, and guess what she still doesn't have it. She's unhappy about it, but she doesn't wallow in it. And she finds out things about Dreadnought that she has to decide if she can deal with or not. I found that very realistic. I also really loved the magic slates, although they could have been used more to head off problems.
Everyone has things that they don't like. The part that I actually did not get, was that she went off to Lost Pines to check on her Pap, after a vision that he was in trouble, and didn't bother to tell anyone! Really? And of course trouble happened.
janetlun's review against another edition
I'm really enjoying this series, a sort of steampunk alternate history with witchcraft. In the first book, small-town witch Emily has adventures and falls in love with a warlock. In this book, she's figuring out the adult world, and goes to some much darker places. Emily is a true heroine, smart, down-to-earth, resilient, and brave as hell.
annieeditor's review against another edition
4.0
After enjoying the first book so much, I looked forward to this second one. And while I liked this one too, I have to give Hobson credit for not trying to stretch her story out into a trilogy. "The Hidden Goddess" picks up the story of Emily and Dreadnaught and gives it a very satisfying ending.
In the last book, both characters were dragging around luggage from a mysterious past. While they ended up engaged, things start going badly because they find themselves in new positions, and neither quite knows how to handle it.
Emily strikes out to learn about who her parents were, and in the process, she also finds out more sordid details about Dreadnaught's history. Despite everyone telling her not to, she has to open that luggage up and shake out all the dirty laundry to find out not only where she came from, but where she should be going.
Usually, it irks me when a series spends one or more books bringing together two characters, only to have them separated as soon as they're a couple. In this case, though, the characters got engaged too quickly and the drama isn't "are they going to stay together" but "should they stay together." Not because of being threatened by outside forces, but because of who they are.
Hobson does a good job with Dreadnaught, who is basically a decent man, but his ambitions and the power of his job at the institute bring out the worst in him. It's a believable struggle between him and Emily, because he'd have to give those things up for her.
Oh yeah, and the fate of the world is at stake, too. They have to prevent Armageddon, and it's all thrilling.
In the last book, both characters were dragging around luggage from a mysterious past. While they ended up engaged, things start going badly because they find themselves in new positions, and neither quite knows how to handle it.
Emily strikes out to learn about who her parents were, and in the process, she also finds out more sordid details about Dreadnaught's history. Despite everyone telling her not to, she has to open that luggage up and shake out all the dirty laundry to find out not only where she came from, but where she should be going.
Usually, it irks me when a series spends one or more books bringing together two characters, only to have them separated as soon as they're a couple. In this case, though, the characters got engaged too quickly and the drama isn't "are they going to stay together" but "should they stay together." Not because of being threatened by outside forces, but because of who they are.
Hobson does a good job with Dreadnaught, who is basically a decent man, but his ambitions and the power of his job at the institute bring out the worst in him. It's a believable struggle between him and Emily, because he'd have to give those things up for her.
Oh yeah, and the fate of the world is at stake, too. They have to prevent Armageddon, and it's all thrilling.
dee2799d's review against another edition
3.0
17 April
Okay, I'm not finished with the book yet, but this doesn't fit in the status update, so here it shall have to go:
In page 34, M.K. Hobson talks about how Emily feels bad for young men, because they always have to give up their seats for ladies, help people carry stuff, and people judge them for leaving a place of unrest (even though as most young men are non-magic folk, they won't be very useful anyway), comparing those 'deserters' as
Dost I detect internalised misogyny here, Ms Hobson?
Why the fuck would you feel bad for young men? They didn't have to walk around in corsets, they didn't have to be accompanied by guardians when going out for walks, they were allowed to have adventures, they are allowed not to marry if they didn't want to, they were allowed to fucking vote.
Of course I feel bad~ for young men. Complete and utter bollocks.
And while there was sarcasm in comparing 'cowards' to women (seeing as how Emily was disguised as a young man at the time), this is not the first time M.K. Hobson showed us such male dislike for women in her novels. Most of the time, Emily gets annoyed and shit, but we don't see anyone wanting to change this, we don't see anyone wondering how they can get to an America where women are treated equally.
I am very very disappointed in this, woman.
22 April
Finished this yesterday, and I must say, M.K. Hobson really does that thing where lots of shit happens in the end after a protracted middle where nothing much happens. After all the things her characters have gone through, I feel like the end was a bit idk, hurried? I have a slight feeling I got cheated. But anyway, life's a mess and it's uncertain, so hello reality? :P
Still feel a bit unsatisfied about how she treats her female characters. Still a bit disappointed by the lack of Dreadnaught Stantonwho loses pretty much everything that makes him interesting in the end. I mean, giving up his name even!
But the world building is good, the magic system still pretty much believable, and there were enough entertaining/interesting parts in the book that kept me reading without wanting to throw it out the window.
Okay, I'm not finished with the book yet, but this doesn't fit in the status update, so here it shall have to go:
In page 34, M.K. Hobson talks about how Emily feels bad for young men, because they always have to give up their seats for ladies, help people carry stuff, and people judge them for leaving a place of unrest (even though as most young men are non-magic folk, they won't be very useful anyway), comparing those 'deserters' as
little more than a lily livered coward, a weakling, a woman
Dost I detect internalised misogyny here, Ms Hobson?
Why the fuck would you feel bad for young men? They didn't have to walk around in corsets, they didn't have to be accompanied by guardians when going out for walks, they were allowed to have adventures, they are allowed not to marry if they didn't want to, they were allowed to fucking vote.
Of course I feel bad~ for young men. Complete and utter bollocks.
And while there was sarcasm in comparing 'cowards' to women (seeing as how Emily was disguised as a young man at the time), this is not the first time M.K. Hobson showed us such male dislike for women in her novels. Most of the time, Emily gets annoyed and shit, but we don't see anyone wanting to change this, we don't see anyone wondering how they can get to an America where women are treated equally.
I am very very disappointed in this, woman.
22 April
Finished this yesterday, and I must say, M.K. Hobson really does that thing where lots of shit happens in the end after a protracted middle where nothing much happens. After all the things her characters have gone through, I feel like the end was a bit idk, hurried? I have a slight feeling I got cheated. But anyway, life's a mess and it's uncertain, so hello reality? :P
Still feel a bit unsatisfied about how she treats her female characters. Still a bit disappointed by the lack of Dreadnaught Stanton
But the world building is good, the magic system still pretty much believable, and there were enough entertaining/interesting parts in the book that kept me reading without wanting to throw it out the window.
athenalindia's review against another edition
3.0
Second book in the saga of Emily Edwards. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. The pacing is off. The main character feels curiously passive, even though, thinking back, she actually did keep taking matters into her own hands. But for some reason, it doesn't feel like it. Why is that?
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
nessochist's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Oh you tricky little book! Making me think all the fun of Native Star was stubbornly refusing to show up in the sequel. Beware: the first half of The Hidden Goddess is pure hair-pulling frustration--full of interrupted scenes, unfinished sentences and forced separation between important characters. Everyone is confused, no one is sharing information and the reader is harshly weaned off of Native Star's sugar high.
To me, a lot of what made Native Star so fun was Emily and Stanton's odd couple, road trip adventures. In comparison, Stanton has about 10 pages of screen time in the first 200 pages of Hidden Goddess. It was driving me insane. I feared the moral of the story was "Fall in love, get engaged and never have fun again." And although as much as I think the first half of the book (and the plot as a whole) would have benefited by a few more Emily/Stanton Native Star style scenes, the second half more than made up for all the frustrations. Never fear, the adventure, awesomeness and oh, the angst shows up to save the day.
I loved Emily throughout. Even when she was confused (I hear you, sister) she was never stupid. Full disclosure: I was smiling like an idiot the entire last few chapters.
To me, a lot of what made Native Star so fun was Emily and Stanton's odd couple, road trip adventures. In comparison, Stanton has about 10 pages of screen time in the first 200 pages of Hidden Goddess. It was driving me insane. I feared the moral of the story was "Fall in love, get engaged and never have fun again." And although as much as I think the first half of the book (and the plot as a whole) would have benefited by a few more Emily/Stanton Native Star style scenes, the second half more than made up for all the frustrations. Never fear, the adventure, awesomeness and oh, the angst shows up to save the day.
I loved Emily throughout. Even when she was confused (I hear you, sister) she was never stupid. Full disclosure: I was smiling like an idiot the entire last few chapters.
wart's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. It was fun and interesting and the characters continue to be awesome and the world continues to be fantastic, but it just wasn't as good as the first one. Still, I liked it.