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raeanne's review
3.0
The Good
+easy fun read
+hooked me from the get-go
+liked all the characters
+perspectives were spot-on
+loved the character growth
+didn't see the surprises coming
The Bad & The Other
-Halfway through Marguerite almost lost me with her antics
- Iroquois men seen as exotic man candy, which is problematic and not called out like the classism is.
Right away, I was pulled into the story. It was easy on the eyes and flowed beautifully. Thereâs plenty of refresher information so I didnât feel like I missed anything. It was quite comfortable just jumping in. My luck paid off and the good feeling lasted.
Marguerite and Outil, the automaton, were a blast. Margueriteâs voice was spot on with her airs and perspective. She really is too spontaneous. I was cursing her stupid actions from the beginning, but wasnât put off; I was cheering for her to get it right. It was only after numerous occasions of the same kind of stunts and her persistent privilege that it finally got to me.
I was about to say fuck this, but she turned it around right after. And I mean RIGHT AFTER I was tired of her antics. Then the threads came together, and she stepped up. I loved how she was authentically flawed from this standpoint at first and thankfully she progressed so it didnât become a liability. It can be right but irritating to read and the line in the sand was drawn in the right spot.
Besides are troublesome heroine and her voice of reason, Jacques the love interest plays the biggest role. They have a push-pull flirty courting-but-not relationship. Marguerite is all about her independence, while Jacques is the âprotecting you for your own goodâ gentleman.
I was on Margueriteâs side at first and then became frustrated how she kept sabotaging herself. She became a liability to where I had to admit the fools had a point about her. Thatâs, again, when she stepped up. I was so relieved! Then ~stuff~ was revealed that I didnât see coming because I was wrapped up in her narrative. Now Iâm like âWell, you both learned your lesson. Youâll be better next time. I look forward to it.â
Thereâs one other thing to mention thoughâŚMinor Spoilers Below:
Marguerite grows from her elitist views of other airwomen and lower class women in general. Which is fantastic. Really. (Though she doesnât spare the same thought for lower-class men.) And I was quite pleased how she was corrected in regards to the Iroquois and legitimately changed.
âI am Iroquois, and my people are native to this land, but we are not native in the way you suggest.â His voice was proud and sharp.
She stopped calling them ânativesâ very quickly. What also happened was being attracted to the man like *that*. It was all animal lust tied into how different he was. She had to remind herself OF Jacques. Itâs hard to pinpoint, but all their interactions feltâŚimproper.
She wondered what her father, or any of the upper classes of France, would say if she walked into a ball with Otetiani on her arm. My, but he was handsome.
She started with the sheltered perspective of what white academics thought of the ânativesâ in books, and grew a tiny bit. And swooned. But they remained curiosities and fantasies to her using stereotypes of men of color. Which made me uncomfortable to say the least.
Plus, given I though Iroquois were matrilineal I was rather disappointed we only saw the men and that the men werenât different living in a society like that. I mean, why flirt with the white girl that would have nothing in your society so youâd have nothing too? How would that even work? Would the women decide to accept her in or shun them both? Why is it automatically assume heâd move with her to her society and not the other way around?
HmmmmâŚ.
Quotes:
Independence was nice, but so was luxury.
âI was up half the night thinking of all my hard work being thwarted by the men who claim to love me.â
She had much more important things to think about than getting along with common aerwomen.
She was much better with machines and gadgets than she was with everyday nonsense such as rope.
Bottomline:
Problematic 4 star read that was a light, quick, and fun read. If you like spontaneous women that grow as people, I highly recommend it. Unless you canât stand sheltered, elitist snobs.
thepageladies's review
4.0
I had a good time with this book! I really enjoyed the adventure the book offers. At first Marguerite was a little annoying but she definitely changed as the story progressed. The world building was good; it's a mix of steampunk, historical fiction and some great imagination which is what really makes this book stand out! It's a great book easy to get lost in and enjoy! Thank you Rockstar Book Tours and Leigh Statham for sharing this book with me!
lara_likecroft's review
3.0
3.5 stars, enjoyable! A little outside my normal reading habits so it was fun to try something new- definitely felt YA but Iâm looking forward to sharing it with my niece
aprilbosworth's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book when it first came out several years ago, and this slightly revised new edition is even better: well-paced adventure, sweet romance(s), unexpected twists, a nod to interesting history, and a great steam-punk world! Also, pirates! (And pockets!)
Such delightful details show up in the machines of the steam punk world and the gardens and the monastery.
I received a free copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
Such delightful details show up in the machines of the steam punk world and the gardens and the monastery.
I received a free copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
a_blue_box_full_of_books's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lady Marguerite lives a life most 17th-century French girls can only dream of: money, designer dresses, suitors, and a secure future. Except she can't quite commit to a life of dull luxury and she suspects she may be falling for her best friend, Claude, a common smithy in the family's steam forge. When Claude leaves for New France in search of a better life, Marguerite decides to follow him, but the trip proves to be more harrowing than she anticipated. Love, adventure, and restitution await if she can survive the voyage.
This alternative historical novel is an exciting fast read full of strange machines and intriguing characters. Based in 17th-century France, The Perilous Journey of the Not So Innocuous Girl follows the misadventures of Lady Marguerite, a noble and rich heiress that refuses her fatherâs will to see her married. To be honest, I found her character highly annoying at first as she has everything of a spoiled little rich girl : she is extremely self-centered and loves to give orders, expecting others to serve her. But her character evolves strongly during the novel, turning her into a quite pleasing character. Nothing better than losing your home comfort and risking your life a few times to change a character !
I really love how Leigh Statham included steampunk elements in Louis the XIVâs time, which is quite unexpected. But it works really well ! The author inspired from the story of her own ancestor to imagine Margueriteâs story : like her, the heroine is part of the The Daughters of the King, Louis the XIV's social program to settle the wilds of Canada with women of noble birth. It results in a very interesting historical novel full of unexpected adventures.
brokebybooks's review
3.0
The Good
+easy fun read
+hooked me from the get-go
+liked all the characters
+perspectives were spot-on
+loved the character growth
+didn't see the surprises coming
The Bad & The Other
-Halfway through Marguerite almost lost me with her antics
- Iroquois men seen as exotic man candy, which is problematic and not called out like the classism is.
Right away, I was pulled into the story. It was easy on the eyes and flowed beautifully. Thereâs plenty of refresher information so I didnât feel like I missed anything. It was quite comfortable just jumping in. My luck paid off and the good feeling lasted.
Marguerite and Outil, the automaton, were a blast. Margueriteâs voice was spot on with her airs and perspective. She really is too spontaneous. I was cursing her stupid actions from the beginning, but wasnât put off; I was cheering for her to get it right. It was only after numerous occasions of the same kind of stunts and her persistent privilege that it finally got to me.
I was about to say fuck this, but she turned it around right after. And I mean RIGHT AFTER I was tired of her antics. Then the threads came together, and she stepped up. I loved how she was authentically flawed from this standpoint at first and thankfully she progressed so it didnât become a liability. It can be right but irritating to read and the line in the sand was drawn in the right spot.
Besides are troublesome heroine and her voice of reason, Jacques the love interest plays the biggest role. They have a push-pull flirty courting-but-not relationship. Marguerite is all about her independence, while Jacques is the âprotecting you for your own goodâ gentleman.
I was on Margueriteâs side at first and then became frustrated how she kept sabotaging herself. She became a liability to where I had to admit the fools had a point about her. Thatâs, again, when she stepped up. I was so relieved! Then ~stuff~ was revealed that I didnât see coming because I was wrapped up in her narrative. Now Iâm like âWell, you both learned your lesson. Youâll be better next time. I look forward to it.â
Thereâs one other thing to mention thoughâŚMinor Spoilers Below:
Marguerite grows from her elitist views of other airwomen and lower class women in general. Which is fantastic. Really. (Though she doesnât spare the same thought for lower-class men.) And I was quite pleased how she was corrected in regards to the Iroquois and legitimately changed.
âI am Iroquois, and my people are native to this land, but we are not native in the way you suggest.â His voice was proud and sharp.
She stopped calling them ânativesâ very quickly. What also happened was being attracted to the man like *that*. It was all animal lust tied into how different he was. She had to remind herself OF Jacques. Itâs hard to pinpoint, but all their interactions feltâŚimproper.
She wondered what her father, or any of the upper classes of France, would say if she walked into a ball with Otetiani on her arm. My, but he was handsome.
She started with the sheltered perspective of what white academics thought of the ânativesâ in books, and grew a tiny bit. And swooned. But they remained curiosities and fantasies to her using stereotypes of men of color. Which made me uncomfortable to say the least.
Plus, given I though Iroquois were matrilineal I was rather disappointed we only saw the men and that the men werenât different living in a society like that. I mean, why flirt with the white girl that would have nothing in your society so youâd have nothing too? How would that even work? Would the women decide to accept her in or shun them both? Why is it automatically assume heâd move with her to her society and not the other way around?
HmmmmâŚ.
Quotes:
Independence was nice, but so was luxury.
âI was up half the night thinking of all my hard work being thwarted by the men who claim to love me.â
She had much more important things to think about than getting along with common aerwomen.
She was much better with machines and gadgets than she was with everyday nonsense such as rope.
Bottomline:
Problematic 4 star read that was a light, quick, and fun read. If you like spontaneous women that grow as people, I highly recommend it. Unless you canât stand sheltered, elitist snobs.
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