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ClareR (6157 KP) rated The Anarchists Club in Books

May 9, 2019

The Anarchists Club

Alex Reeve | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Mystery

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Family secrets and murder in Victorian London.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I think that this one exceeds the last in every way. Leo has become a much more 3 dimensional character here as we get to know him more. I love his inner voice, and while I don’t enjoy his inner turmoil, it’s written so well that you can’t help but feel for him. In fact all of the characters are written with care and understanding, so much so that you understand what drives them to act as they do.
This story is based around the murder of a woman in an Anarchists Club. Leo is implicated in the murder, and so feels compelled to try and solve the case. The murdered woman had children, and Leo for the first time, feels parental obligation and affection for them. Rosie, who was in the last book, works with Leo to solve this murder - she’s a great strong female character. A woman who runs a business and brings up her children on her own.
This is a dark story of poverty, family secrets and sibling rivalry in Victorian England. Reeve captures the atmosphere of London and the times so well. I love these stories and I’ll be looking out for more from Leo and Rosie.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great choice!

Kudos

Ande Thomas (69 KP) rated White Fang in Books

May 30, 2019

White Fang

Jack London | 2014 | Children

7.4

(7 Ratings)

Book Rating

I appreciate this book; I just don't like it.

Jack London is a unique breed. His voice is so distant, so separated from the subjects in his stories. In short bursts (<i>To Build a Fire</i>) it works for me - there's a beauty in watching the action unfold from such a distance. So too is there a beauty in the way White Fang is portrayed in this book. With an absolute minimum of anthropomorphism, we can see and feel what White Fang experiences. This isn't a cartoon version of a wolf-turned-man's-best-friend. The animals don't talk, don't even think in the way we're accustomed to their thoughts when we try to imagine what goes through their minds. White Fang is a dog; nothing more. It just so happens that we hear the story from his perspective.

But. While I appreciate that sort of perspective, one I wouldn't dream of finding from any other author, I still found myself speeding through the book, and not out of excitement. I just wanted to get it done and move on. The dissociation from the characters, though necessary, can only get you so far. Eventually it dissociated me from the story itself. I'll always maintain that I like Jack London. I just...maybe...won't re-read him.

Kudos

Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Doll Factory in Books

Feb 7, 2020

The Doll Factory

Elizabeth Macneal | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery

8.3

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

The Doll Factory is the debut novel of Elizabeth Macneal. It is not a children's book. Before reading it, some reviewers thought it could be because of the cover. Afterward, they realized they were mistaken.

It is a historical fiction novel set in 1850 London. It revolves around Iris, a doll maker, who dreams of a better life. Iris knows her life drastically changes when she meets Louis Frost, a painter, who agrees to teach her to paint in exchange for sitting as his model. What she does not know is it also drastically changes with a brief exchange with Silas, a strange collector who is entranced and quickly becomes obsessed with Iris.

The story is a slow burn and took a while for me to really get into it. It was because of this, the story felt longer than 336 pages. Macneal's description of Silas's increasing obsession with Iris is creepy, dark, and extremely believable. What made it creepier is that Iris does not even remember meeting Silas. Yet, he believes Iris is as infatuated with him as he is with her. This theme has been done before but the 1850 London setting helps make the obsession even darker.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 2/6/2020.