Grey-haired Stella is the only one of her friends still unwed, and does not expect to marry soon either. But between her new acquaintance with aspirinGrey-haired Stella is the only one of her friends still unwed, and does not expect to marry soon either. But between her new acquaintance with aspiring artist Teddy and the pressure from her brother’s impending marriage, Stella finds that her path may not be what she always envisioned.
After a whirlwind read of the previous three books in the Belles of London series, we conclude with the story of Stella Hobhouse, a clergyman’s sister who is the best rider of the group. With the way she was left in the last book, it was exciting to be able to pick up right away in that same moment and head off to the races of her and Teddy’s romance!
As usual, Matthews’ latest offering is swoonworthy and sweet, with plenty of humor and friendship mixed in with the romance. Stella and Teddy are well-matched, and I loved seeing how over the course of the book they manage to set each other free. That I am fairly familiar with the historical backdrop of this particular book (specifically the birth of Impressionism) was just the cherry on top.
However, I did think the last section of the book stumbled a little bit, the conclusion drawing out into an anti-climax. I wish I could put my finger on where it fell short – maybe it was that we didn’t see where Stella and Teddy made their last mental leap to the happy ending, or maybe because some loose ends were addressed only in the epilogue. I also thought the blurb revealed a little too much too early – the marriage of convenience doesn’t come around until a good three-quarters through the book!
Overall though, I really enjoyed this series as a whole – and Matthews has definitely found herself another devoted reader.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review....more
Just as their gender and race impacted how the suffragists went about campaigning for the vote, Wendy L Rouse argues in this book that their sexualityJust as their gender and race impacted how the suffragists went about campaigning for the vote, Wendy L Rouse argues in this book that their sexuality played its part as well – but that those both within and outside the movement downplayed its importance in a bid for greater acceptance by the general public.
Being well-acquainted with the American suffrage movement as learned about in elementary through high school, it was fascinating to become reacquainted with through an entirely new lens which I had not even had an inkling of before. Rouse lays out how the queer identities of many activists permeated the movement, whether it be in the tactics they used, what motivated their dedication to the cause, or how they built alliances with other suffragists both locally and across the Atlantic.
Equally fascinating to me was how many in the movement sought to hide it, engaging with ‘politics of respectability’ and conforming to the social standards of the time where they could to make the change they were demanding seem not as threatening – a tactic that is unfortunately still thought necessary today. While I was aware of this concept I had never known the name or dived deeper into the ideas surrounding it, so I enjoyed the
However, the writing was a little dry for my taste, even for a book released by a university press; while the subject was definitely discussed in an accessible manner, I found myself reading it in shorter stretches than I usually do. I also felt the author repeated herself on some points, furthering the feeling of reading a very long term paper sometimes.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review....more
For all that Victorians had a reputation for being straitlaced, they had their fair share of scandals - and some of them ended up having major effectsFor all that Victorians had a reputation for being straitlaced, they had their fair share of scandals - and some of them ended up having major effects on contemporary society, sometimes even driving forth social changes which still affect us today.
I love a good gossip session about people I've never met, which is why history is one of my favorite subjects. In this book, we learn about seven major scandals that took place during the Victorian era, some which I'd heard of before and others which were unfamiliar to me. I liked that we got in depth with each story, discussing not only the scandal and its participants but also why it played out the way it did due to the broader context of the times.
I also appreciated that the scandals discussed were fairly weighty ones, relating to issues (among others) such as marriage and divorce law, human trafficking, and the treatment of LGBT individuals at the time. However, with just seven stories selected from such a long period of history, I felt like the view we got on Victorian life was rather limited - it would have been nice to have additional stories discussed, even if it was just supplementary material to show how these incidents fell in the broader context of the time.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review....more
Alice Spencer, the youngest daughter of a wealthy farmer, was just another building block in the Spencer dynasty, but the marriage that made her the CAlice Spencer, the youngest daughter of a wealthy farmer, was just another building block in the Spencer dynasty, but the marriage that made her the Countess of Derby was just the start of her spectacular rise through the ranks of Tudor England.
This book answered a very important question that's been bothering me for a very long time: Why did medieval aristocrats splash around so much money on frivolous luxuries? I knew the answer had something to do with amassing power and influence, but it's only in this book that I finally saw firsthand what kind of power and influence those frivolous luxuries could buy, and how.
I never heard of Alice Spencer before, but the brief description of her that we started with intrigued me, and as I read on I grew impressed with how she was able to move within the existing strictures of society to advance her family's goals. Wilkie does a good job breaking down exactly the tactics she used, contextualizing them adeptly and showing why they worked. And there was enough intrigue and drama in the major incidents of Alice's life to keep me engaged throughout.
However, while I enjoyed the broader perspective the book took to really show us how the family worked together to boost their status and reputation, I did feel that it left me less acquainted with Alice herself than I would have liked. Because her presence is not obvious in some of the major incidents discussed in this book - the Hesketh plot and Anne Stanley's sexual assault specifically - and because much of Alice's everyday life was not well-documented, it ended up a bit of an unevenly paced read.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review....more
Felicity doesn't want to get married after a lifetime of being neglected by her parents, but when a mysterious matchmaker throws her together with theFelicity doesn't want to get married after a lifetime of being neglected by her parents, but when a mysterious matchmaker throws her together with the visiting Atticus, they end up changing each other's lives.
This is the second book in the Society of Swans series, which revolves around a group of friends who receive letters from an anonymous matchmaker called Lady Swan. I haven't read the first book, but this works well as a standalone.
I wanted to read this book because I was intrigued by the pairing of an outspoken, fiery heroine and an anxious, withdrawn hero. On that front, the author really delivered, and I loved how the pair meshed together, enhancing each other's best qualities and shoring up where the other is weak. This is a fairly low angst, quiet romance, but there was enough going on in the slow budding of the relationship and Felicity's grappling with the effects of her neglectful parents to keep me engaged throughout.
However, the style of writing just did not work for me. The author often glosses over what's actually being said by characters, summarizing scenes between Felicity and Atticus or between other characters without actually writing out the dialogue. It left me feeling robbed of really getting to know all the little quirks and witty banter and sparking chemistry that's a hallmark of the romance genre. To have it happen repeatedly just made me feel like I couldn't get inside the story at all.
I also wished we got more of an understanding of Atticus's social anxiety. We explore how Felicity's background has contributed to the person she is and how she acts, but that just made me wonder more about Atticus. I thought the consequences of being so anxious in a society that places such weight in one's charm and conversation was worth discussing more in depth, especially as it's one of Atticus's defining traits.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review....more
In an effort to untangle her complicated feelings about the loss of her cosmic twin, author Axelle decides to unspool her life in an off-kilter autobiIn an effort to untangle her complicated feelings about the loss of her cosmic twin, author Axelle decides to unspool her life in an off-kilter autobiographical comic.
This is a surreal and funny graphic novel which depicts a year in young Axelle's life as she starts going to school, forms a strange connection with the forest by her home, and begins to suffer in the grip of acute anxiety. The art is both atmospheric and humorous, and I enjoyed the many visits present-day Axelle makes to reinterpret past events and emotions. Axelle's siblings are absolute scene-stealers, and I loved every time they appeared on the page.
However, it's definitely a slow moving story, and while there's some strange elements upfront (alien parents, Tonio's imaginary friend who may be more demonic than imaginary), the cosmic twin and other elements are only briefly shown or discussed. They'll probably be expounded upon in future installments, but in the meanwhile we are left with a lot of questions and very few answers, which made the reading experience of this volume less satisfying for me.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review....more
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