Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall

14 reviews

kay_w's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

A great book but the last third started slow and then began to feel rushed towards the end.

I loved the whole concept and execution of the narrator. Without it I don’t think I would’ve have enjoyed the book as much.

I’m very keen to read more of Alexis Hall’s books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Excrement, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

A delightful adventure of two young women's love, in a magical version of regency England that's full of witches and fairies and old gods and magic. I sometimes have trouble getting into sapphic romances but this one was a quick easy read that grabbed me right away. The narrative framing was great.

The whodunnit that we start with seemed very obvious, but then it turned out to not be the real focus of the story, so I was more okay with it having been obvious. The rest of the story was well done. 

And Alexis Hall always treats the characters (especially the queer ones) with the respect and nuance they deserve, which I really appreciate.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Racism, Blood, Kidnapping, and Classism

Minor: Rape, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Despite all the content warnings, this was a pretty easy, low-to-medium stakes read; nothing terribly traumatic to most readers.

booksthatburn's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

MORTAL FOLLIES is a story of curses and romance, narrated by a faerie intimated to be Robin/Puck of A Midsummer Night's Dream. While it is set in 1814, Puck seems to be telling the story from some time further in the future, possibly in the 21st century. Maelys seems to be cursed, and keeps running into a woman nicknamed "the Duke of Annadale" who is rumored to have murdered her own father and brothers. She's also rumored to know magic, and seems to be Maelys's only chance at getting rid of the curse (as long as she's not really the one who cast it). 

The romance was fun, and the stakes escalated appropriately. I liked the story but found Puck frustrating as a narrator. Because they are recalling these events from so far in the future, their interjections kept me from sinking completely into the 19th century setting. It seems like these may form some overarching story which moves between books, but it happened to hit upon a style I don't personally enjoy.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Death of parent, War, and Classism

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Blood

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, and Classism

musebeliever's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Transphobia, and Classism

risaleel's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Blood and Classism

ramakn22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Classism

ladythana's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Blood and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation

jencolumb0's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.75

This is a bit darker of a tale than I am used to from Hall, and without the more intense periods of emotional struggle/growth endured by the main characters (so more on par with Something Fabulous). Nonetheless, Hall carries it off in their typical hallmarks of deliciously layered tales, classical references, delightful subversion, and deft honesty. It’s also not the typical kissing book with magic, by any stretch of the imagination, but well worth exploring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, and Blood

Moderate: Stalking and Death of parent

Minor: Slavery, Transphobia, Excrement, Colonisation, and Classism

Given that this book is about confronting a lack of agency and aggressively claiming space and happiness that the patriarchy denies, a number of these difficult topics are challenged. There’s also a bit about food turning to maggots in someone’s mouth that is not for the squeamish.

aileron's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Gore, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Classism