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The Last Binding #2
A Restless Truth
Magic! Murder! Shipboard romance! The second entry in Freya Marske's beloved The Last Binding trilogy, the queer historical fantasy series that began with A Marvellous Light
The most interesting things in Maud Blyth's life have happened to her brother Robin, but she's ready to join any cause, especially if it involves magical secrets that may threaten the whole of the British Isles. Bound for New York on the R.M.S. Lyric, she's ready for an adventure.
What she actually finds is a dead body, a disrespectful parrot, and a beautiful stranger in Violet Debenham, who is everything—a magician, an actress, a scandal—Maud has been trained to fear and has learned to desire. Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of loathsome, aristocratic suspects, they must solve a murder and untangle a conspiracy that began generations before them.
Listening length: 13 hours, 43 minutes
The most interesting things in Maud Blyth's life have happened to her brother Robin, but she's ready to join any cause, especially if it involves magical secrets that may threaten the whole of the British Isles. Bound for New York on the R.M.S. Lyric, she's ready for an adventure.
What she actually finds is a dead body, a disrespectful parrot, and a beautiful stranger in Violet Debenham, who is everything—a magician, an actress, a scandal—Maud has been trained to fear and has learned to desire. Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of loathsome, aristocratic suspects, they must solve a murder and untangle a conspiracy that began generations before them.
Listening length: 13 hours, 43 minutes
14 pages, Audiobook
First published November 1, 2022
912 people are currently reading
33715 people want to read
About the author
Freya Marske
17 books3,192 followersFreya Marske lives in Australia, where she is yet to be killed by any form of wildlife. She writes stories full of magic, blood, and as much kissing as she can get away with, and she co-hosted the Hugo Award nominated podcast Be the Serpent. Her hobbies include figure skating and discovering new art galleries, and she is on a quest to try all the gin in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,813 reviews
November 9, 2022
1 star
The only thing I liked about this book was that it ended. Which was shocking considering how much I loved book 1. The magic system introduced in A Marvellous Light was so fresh and unique, with an emphasis on consent and the magic of liminal spaces. Whereas in A Restless Truth there was barely any discussion of magic, the little there was felt like reading a boring textbook (and i love boring textbooks!). I was excited to learn about the Forsythia Club which seemed like a super mysterious and interesting group of magical women, but it just ended up being a bunch of boring old women with flimsy motives. I really could not understand what the point of them was?? They were introduced to be such menacing women in book 1. My harsh rating is also due to the fact that this had such missed potential and turned out to be a bloody disappointment.
The evil villains were dumb as fuck and it made no sense how they were thwarted by an even stupider set of heroes. Like seriously every singlr character was so dumb and literally did not do anything interesting the entire book. The book was pitched as "Knives Out on a ship", but there was barely any suspense or intrigue because there was no sense of danger with the stakes being so low. One would have hoped that the writing of the first book would be this one's saving grace but nope, it was lame as hell. I found myself bored to bits, the only reason I finished this was because I still have hope for the last book.
And then there were the main characters and their romance. Oh boy, buckle in because I have some strong opinions! I am so sick and tired of mediocre sapphic romances being succeeded by blockbusting wonderful mlm romances. There is an inherent prejudice among the publishing the reading community against sapphic books, where readers on general prefer mlm books over wlw books. Toxic and infuriating as that is, what angers me, even more, is when that SAME author who wrote such an amazing book 1 involving an mlm couple managed to write the most boring and cringe-inducing sapphic romance. I swear to you both characters were the most tropiest tropes to ever walk this tropey earth. We have our typical slutty bisexual who is confident and flirty and femme as hell because that is all there is to bi women. Then we have our protagonist who is the naive femme lesbian who is 20 years old but has never heard the word "fuck", and she is introduced to the rainbow world of gayness by the pushy femme. That is the EPITOME of cliche sapphic romances and I am SO MAD because this could have been so much more! The chemistry is a dud, because the attraction is entirely physical (for fuck's sake they've known each other for only 3 days!!), which means that the sex scenes come off as bland and forced. I so missed the tender and emotional moments that Robin and Edwin had in book 1 which made their chemistry burst off the pages. Nuance of any kind or form was entirely absent in this book.
The only thing I liked about this book was that it ended. Which was shocking considering how much I loved book 1. The magic system introduced in A Marvellous Light was so fresh and unique, with an emphasis on consent and the magic of liminal spaces. Whereas in A Restless Truth there was barely any discussion of magic, the little there was felt like reading a boring textbook (and i love boring textbooks!). I was excited to learn about the Forsythia Club which seemed like a super mysterious and interesting group of magical women, but it just ended up being a bunch of boring old women with flimsy motives. I really could not understand what the point of them was?? They were introduced to be such menacing women in book 1. My harsh rating is also due to the fact that this had such missed potential and turned out to be a bloody disappointment.
The evil villains were dumb as fuck and it made no sense how they were thwarted by an even stupider set of heroes. Like seriously every singlr character was so dumb and literally did not do anything interesting the entire book. The book was pitched as "Knives Out on a ship", but there was barely any suspense or intrigue because there was no sense of danger with the stakes being so low. One would have hoped that the writing of the first book would be this one's saving grace but nope, it was lame as hell. I found myself bored to bits, the only reason I finished this was because I still have hope for the last book.
And then there were the main characters and their romance. Oh boy, buckle in because I have some strong opinions! I am so sick and tired of mediocre sapphic romances being succeeded by blockbusting wonderful mlm romances. There is an inherent prejudice among the publishing the reading community against sapphic books, where readers on general prefer mlm books over wlw books. Toxic and infuriating as that is, what angers me, even more, is when that SAME author who wrote such an amazing book 1 involving an mlm couple managed to write the most boring and cringe-inducing sapphic romance. I swear to you both characters were the most tropiest tropes to ever walk this tropey earth. We have our typical slutty bisexual who is confident and flirty and femme as hell because that is all there is to bi women. Then we have our protagonist who is the naive femme lesbian who is 20 years old but has never heard the word "fuck", and she is introduced to the rainbow world of gayness by the pushy femme. That is the EPITOME of cliche sapphic romances and I am SO MAD because this could have been so much more! The chemistry is a dud, because the attraction is entirely physical (for fuck's sake they've known each other for only 3 days!!), which means that the sex scenes come off as bland and forced. I so missed the tender and emotional moments that Robin and Edwin had in book 1 which made their chemistry burst off the pages. Nuance of any kind or form was entirely absent in this book.
November 8, 2022
Actual rating: 4-4,5
So, A marvellous light has been one of my top 10 books of last year. Instant 5 star read, already read it twice and absolutely loved it.
A mix of historical fiction / queer romance / magical murder mystery was the combination I didn’t know I needed, but 100% did.
Edwin is my son and needs to be protected at all costs. And my sweet himbo Robin, he’s like a labrador, you can’t not love him.
So I was extremely sad when I saw that this next book wouldn’t be following them. I loved these idiots so much!!!
(No, not because I hate lesbians Hannah. 🙄)
Switching MCs in the middle of an ongoing story is always a risky business.
But I need not have feared, because this book was amazing!
I was hoping a little that this book would be following Miss Morrissy, because she was a fierce queen in book 1 and I fell head over heels in love with her.
But Maud was a great protagonist too and it made a lot of sense to pick her for the next part of the story!
After finding (and loosing) the first part of the contract, our little group of misfits is set out to find the other parts to keep them away from the bad guys.
Maud wants to help too, since Robin did so much for her. So she heads to America to find one of the other woman involved. But she’s not the only one looking for her…
This whole books takes place on the ship back to England, including magical combat, a whole zoo, hot bisexual singers and not only one murder. Oh, there’s also our beloved dickhead Hawthorn, who I somehow came to like?!
I loved Maud, she was very stubborn and stood up for herself against anyone and anything! She was a great protagonist and always up for a surprise.
I also loved Violet, the amount of independent, strong willed woman in this series is everything we need from historical fiction.
I also loved the side characters, especially Ross. He made this book the most fun and I am crossing my fingers the next book will be about him!
The only thing I have to criticise about this book: a whole book taking place in one single setting simply isn’t too gripping for me. It takes place over only three days, but it somehow felt much longer to me. I would have wished to see a little of Maud in America!
A little addition: Both narrators of these books are incredible, they’re doing a brilliant job! I can absolutely recommend reading this series via audio!
So, A marvellous light has been one of my top 10 books of last year. Instant 5 star read, already read it twice and absolutely loved it.
A mix of historical fiction / queer romance / magical murder mystery was the combination I didn’t know I needed, but 100% did.
Edwin is my son and needs to be protected at all costs. And my sweet himbo Robin, he’s like a labrador, you can’t not love him.
So I was extremely sad when I saw that this next book wouldn’t be following them. I loved these idiots so much!!!
(No, not because I hate lesbians Hannah. 🙄)
Switching MCs in the middle of an ongoing story is always a risky business.
But I need not have feared, because this book was amazing!
I was hoping a little that this book would be following Miss Morrissy, because she was a fierce queen in book 1 and I fell head over heels in love with her.
But Maud was a great protagonist too and it made a lot of sense to pick her for the next part of the story!
After finding (and loosing) the first part of the contract, our little group of misfits is set out to find the other parts to keep them away from the bad guys.
Maud wants to help too, since Robin did so much for her. So she heads to America to find one of the other woman involved. But she’s not the only one looking for her…
This whole books takes place on the ship back to England, including magical combat, a whole zoo, hot bisexual singers and not only one murder. Oh, there’s also our beloved dickhead Hawthorn, who I somehow came to like?!
I loved Maud, she was very stubborn and stood up for herself against anyone and anything! She was a great protagonist and always up for a surprise.
I also loved Violet, the amount of independent, strong willed woman in this series is everything we need from historical fiction.
I also loved the side characters, especially Ross. He made this book the most fun and I am crossing my fingers the next book will be about him!
The only thing I have to criticise about this book: a whole book taking place in one single setting simply isn’t too gripping for me. It takes place over only three days, but it somehow felt much longer to me. I would have wished to see a little of Maud in America!
A little addition: Both narrators of these books are incredible, they’re doing a brilliant job! I can absolutely recommend reading this series via audio!
December 7, 2022
3.00 Stars. Have you ever wanted to like a book, even after reading, a lot more than you actually did? This is how I felt about this book. I was really excited about this. I enjoy historic-fantasy books, but I don’t get to read them enough. I thought if this might be like The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry or The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics, then I would be a happy reader. I had not read the first book in this series, so I knew it might be an issue, but I had heard that the main characters from book one was not even in this book, and that this was a mystery that took place on a ship, so it seemed like its own contained story. While I do feel like I missed out on a few things, like not learning enough about the magic system, not reading the first book was not the reason why I didn’t love this like I hoped. This real reason, the reason why I just can’t rate this over 3 stars when I normally have a great track record with Tor books, unfortunately is that the book was just too long, and I was honestly bored at times.
I’m late in doing this review. If you follow my reviews, I’ve mentioned this but everyone around me, including my household, got Covid but me. I had to take care of everyone without catching it, and I was exhausted and not getting a lot of sleep. At night I kept picking this book up and I would get through a few pages but not enough happened to keep my interest over sleep. We all know when a good book makes us chose it over precious sleep and that was not happening here. As Covid started to lift for everyone, I was lucky enough to get the flu. Again, I tried and tried to read this book and I just could not do it and I turned to some audiobooks and some other books that were keeping my attention. Now healthy, I finally powered through this book in the last two days, and it was tough. My Kindle edition says only 400 pages but I’m finding it hard to believe. I guess it is all about the pace. There was 40% of this book that was well done and fun, interesting with even good steamy scenes, but the other 60% was like pulling hair to be honest.
In the end I can’t recommend this one, but I won’t say stay away either and here is why. For one, I read a good chunk of this while sick or exhausted so I can’t be the best judge because of that. And number two, because I did not read the first book, I could be missing out on parts that make this book shine better as part of a pair. So, while I can only give this an okay grade, this may work better for someone who wanted to read this because they loved the first book.
A copy was given to me for an honest review.
I’m late in doing this review. If you follow my reviews, I’ve mentioned this but everyone around me, including my household, got Covid but me. I had to take care of everyone without catching it, and I was exhausted and not getting a lot of sleep. At night I kept picking this book up and I would get through a few pages but not enough happened to keep my interest over sleep. We all know when a good book makes us chose it over precious sleep and that was not happening here. As Covid started to lift for everyone, I was lucky enough to get the flu. Again, I tried and tried to read this book and I just could not do it and I turned to some audiobooks and some other books that were keeping my attention. Now healthy, I finally powered through this book in the last two days, and it was tough. My Kindle edition says only 400 pages but I’m finding it hard to believe. I guess it is all about the pace. There was 40% of this book that was well done and fun, interesting with even good steamy scenes, but the other 60% was like pulling hair to be honest.
In the end I can’t recommend this one, but I won’t say stay away either and here is why. For one, I read a good chunk of this while sick or exhausted so I can’t be the best judge because of that. And number two, because I did not read the first book, I could be missing out on parts that make this book shine better as part of a pair. So, while I can only give this an okay grade, this may work better for someone who wanted to read this because they loved the first book.
A copy was given to me for an honest review.
Want to read
January 19, 2022I would rip my arm off to be able to read this today
November 25, 2022
Unfortunately I feel like this is a pretty weak follow up to A Marvellous Light (a book I LOVED). I didn't really dislike it, but I didn't love it and felt like it could have been quite a bit shorter than it is.
Where A Marvellous Light had me in a chokehold from almost the very beginning I feel like I just didn’t connect as well with this one. I didn't connect to Maud and Violet quite like I did with Robin and Edwin, which was a huge surprise to me because I was excited to read "A Marvellous Light, But Make It Sapphic!." I wonder if part of that is just that this couple and this book had pretty big shoes to fill, but even so I just didn't love Maud as a leading character. There were aspects of their dynamic that I enjoyed, but not enough to keep me super invested I suppose.
I will say I really enjoyed the supporting cast! And the overall concept of the larger conspiracy we're seeing and the information we get to delve into in this one was interesting. I also enjoyed the dynamic with Maud discovering her sexuality for the first time and being exposed to the fact that women can love other women romantically and learning from and leaning on Violet through that discovery. But overall I ended up just not being very invested in the book.
The setting also didn't work for me. I knew going in that the entire book would be contained to the ship and I didn't see an issue with that, but the problem for me ended up being that they barely even explored the ship. Most of the book takes place in a single hallway, a couple suites, and a dining room. This is a massive multileveled ship that if feels like we see maybe 20% of.
The setting issue was one of a few reasons I think the book also ended up feeling really repetitive. Honestly I think it could have benefitted from being shorter to condense both the relationship and the murder mystery/conspiracy plot. I felt like I was reading a lot of the same information over and over.
The magic and the way it's explored from Edwin's perspective in the first book was so unique and interesting, but in this book it felt very bland and very background. So much of the charm and the heart of A Marvellous Light was lost with this one, which is such a bummer considering HOW excited I was for this! I had to pause reading this for a while to read another book I had to finish on a deadline and I wasn't even all that upset to be putting it down.
I'm holding out hope that this is just Second Book Syndrome and the last in the trilogy will bring it all back around
Where A Marvellous Light had me in a chokehold from almost the very beginning I feel like I just didn’t connect as well with this one. I didn't connect to Maud and Violet quite like I did with Robin and Edwin, which was a huge surprise to me because I was excited to read "A Marvellous Light, But Make It Sapphic!." I wonder if part of that is just that this couple and this book had pretty big shoes to fill, but even so I just didn't love Maud as a leading character. There were aspects of their dynamic that I enjoyed, but not enough to keep me super invested I suppose.
I will say I really enjoyed the supporting cast! And the overall concept of the larger conspiracy we're seeing and the information we get to delve into in this one was interesting. I also enjoyed the dynamic with Maud discovering her sexuality for the first time and being exposed to the fact that women can love other women romantically and learning from and leaning on Violet through that discovery. But overall I ended up just not being very invested in the book.
The setting also didn't work for me. I knew going in that the entire book would be contained to the ship and I didn't see an issue with that, but the problem for me ended up being that they barely even explored the ship. Most of the book takes place in a single hallway, a couple suites, and a dining room. This is a massive multileveled ship that if feels like we see maybe 20% of.
The setting issue was one of a few reasons I think the book also ended up feeling really repetitive. Honestly I think it could have benefitted from being shorter to condense both the relationship and the murder mystery/conspiracy plot. I felt like I was reading a lot of the same information over and over.
The magic and the way it's explored from Edwin's perspective in the first book was so unique and interesting, but in this book it felt very bland and very background. So much of the charm and the heart of A Marvellous Light was lost with this one, which is such a bummer considering HOW excited I was for this! I had to pause reading this for a while to read another book I had to finish on a deadline and I wasn't even all that upset to be putting it down.
I'm holding out hope that this is just Second Book Syndrome and the last in the trilogy will bring it all back around
January 2, 2023
A Restless Truth is the fun, entertaining historical fiction/fantasy and quite spicy second book in the The Last Binding Triology.
Maud is aboard a ship traveling back home to London from America. She was sent on a dangerous mission to help her brother Robin secure the second magical piece of The Contract. If The Contract falls into the wrong hands every magician’s power and way of life will be in danger. Maud’s relieved knowing she’s on her way back home and believes the danger has passed. Until she finds a dead body and Maud realizes she is in more danger than ever. Stuck on a boat for seven days with someone (or possibly someone’s) obviously hunting her down and for the other piece of The Contract.
Maud teams up with with an unlikely stranger, Ms. Violet Debanham. Violet who is no stranger to the world of magic is running from her own secrets. But she can’t help but to assist Maud in tracking down the magical item and trying to keep it out of the wrong hands.
Maud (who is quite innocent) and Violet (who is definitely NOT innocent) start a sort of flirtatious back and forth like tango all the while trying to dodge the bad guys. As the danger heats up so do their feelings. But will they be able to survive the remainder of the trip let alone figure out their feelings once the R.M.S. Lyric docks in England?
I was a bit disappointed to find the second book was not a continuation of Robin and Edward’s story but in fact about Maud, Robin’s younger sister, who was a side character in the first book. But once again the world of magical mayhem Freya Marske has created sucked me in and I actually enjoyed getting to know these new (some anyways) cast of characters.
Maud and Violet working together to uncover the bad guys and try and save the day was so much fun. And definitely HOT 🔥 at times! But the side characters were just as important and added the perfect touch to this fast paced magical mystery. I especially liked Lord Hawthorn and Ross and they ended up being the perfect antihero’s and almost upstaged the ladies as my favorite characters.
If you like your romance on the spicy side you will appreciate Maud and Violet’s very descriptive affair. I loved their ability to be uninhabited but I found myself blushing hard on more than one occasion.
Freya Marske has a way with words. Her writing is immersive and perfect for this period piece. She brought the world of the early 1900’s mixed with murder and magic alive in vivid detail in my mind’s eye.
I do have one complaint. I think the story was a little too long or maybe needed a location change instead of taking place all aboard a ship.
Otherwise A Restless Truth was a sensational second book in The Last Binding Trilogy. I am excited and a bit sad to see the last book. Excited because now I have no idea if more new characters will be introduced or if Edward and Robin will team up with Maud and Violet. Sad because this captivating adventure will soon be coming to an end.
Thank You Tor/Forge book for the gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Maud is aboard a ship traveling back home to London from America. She was sent on a dangerous mission to help her brother Robin secure the second magical piece of The Contract. If The Contract falls into the wrong hands every magician’s power and way of life will be in danger. Maud’s relieved knowing she’s on her way back home and believes the danger has passed. Until she finds a dead body and Maud realizes she is in more danger than ever. Stuck on a boat for seven days with someone (or possibly someone’s) obviously hunting her down and for the other piece of The Contract.
Maud teams up with with an unlikely stranger, Ms. Violet Debanham. Violet who is no stranger to the world of magic is running from her own secrets. But she can’t help but to assist Maud in tracking down the magical item and trying to keep it out of the wrong hands.
Maud (who is quite innocent) and Violet (who is definitely NOT innocent) start a sort of flirtatious back and forth like tango all the while trying to dodge the bad guys. As the danger heats up so do their feelings. But will they be able to survive the remainder of the trip let alone figure out their feelings once the R.M.S. Lyric docks in England?
I was a bit disappointed to find the second book was not a continuation of Robin and Edward’s story but in fact about Maud, Robin’s younger sister, who was a side character in the first book. But once again the world of magical mayhem Freya Marske has created sucked me in and I actually enjoyed getting to know these new (some anyways) cast of characters.
Maud and Violet working together to uncover the bad guys and try and save the day was so much fun. And definitely HOT 🔥 at times! But the side characters were just as important and added the perfect touch to this fast paced magical mystery. I especially liked Lord Hawthorn and Ross and they ended up being the perfect antihero’s and almost upstaged the ladies as my favorite characters.
If you like your romance on the spicy side you will appreciate Maud and Violet’s very descriptive affair. I loved their ability to be uninhabited but I found myself blushing hard on more than one occasion.
Freya Marske has a way with words. Her writing is immersive and perfect for this period piece. She brought the world of the early 1900’s mixed with murder and magic alive in vivid detail in my mind’s eye.
I do have one complaint. I think the story was a little too long or maybe needed a location change instead of taking place all aboard a ship.
Otherwise A Restless Truth was a sensational second book in The Last Binding Trilogy. I am excited and a bit sad to see the last book. Excited because now I have no idea if more new characters will be introduced or if Edward and Robin will team up with Maud and Violet. Sad because this captivating adventure will soon be coming to an end.
Thank You Tor/Forge book for the gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review.
November 1, 2022
I am going to keep this review as spoiler-free as humanly possible, because truly one of the best things about A Restless Truth was how it unfolded an absolutely edge-of-your-seat plot that had me alternately gasping and holding my breath through entire chapters.
But if you don't like *anything* at all spoiled, here's my short take: A Restless Truth maintains the gorgeous prose and deft character work of A Marvellous Light, while extending its overarching mystery and deepening the world-building of the magic system, all while creating something entirely new for Maud and Violet that felt like it was their own, and not just a shadow of the first book. It's a story that has something for nearly everyone (hijinks, mystery, romance, sex, feelings, banter, humor, atmosphere, prose for DAYS), yet manages to pull together a coherent whole. This will easily make my top books of 2022.
Ok. Full review. No major spoilers for plot, some information about tone, feelings, romantic arc, etc.
I do think it's worth saying a word about my expectations coming into this book, because expectations can be a funny thing. As is clear from my review and blog post, I loved A Marvellous Light a whole lot. But when I started hearing things about the second book - essentially that it was a low-angst hijinks-y "Knives Out On A Boat" romp - I will admit I had my hackles up. Because while I firmly believe that books within a series can and should switch up tone and heat level as appropriate for the story, and without wanting to ascribe value to certain tones/heat levels over others... I did have feelings about having to haul around another stone for our cultural edifice of angsty, sexy, tortured mlm vs. cute, emotionally-defanged, gals-being-pals wlw.
And honestly, this book smashed my expectations with a one-two punch. Because not only were the rompy, Knives Out elements of this book SO well-executed that I'd essentially made up my mind around 30% in that I would be fine with nothing but those, but then Freya Marske also brought the heat, a dash of emotional angst, and what I can only describe as some grown-ass feelings and internal conflict. And proceeded to balance them throughout the rest of the book in a manner I can only liken, rather tritely given the subject matter, to magic.
Our two heroines here are Violet and Maud. Maud is Robin's sister, whom we met in book one, where quite frankly she didn't do much for me. Things started out slowly for her here with me as well, but she grew into a fascinating character. Her primary external motivations are a quest for a [redacted object], and to prove her worth and helpfulness to her beloved older brother. Internally, she reacts to having been raised by horrible manipulative parents with a stubborn adherence to never telling a lie. Her arc is, on further consideration, a knightly one - a quest for a holy object, a devotion to brotherhood, a strict moral adherence to truth. Which is a theme I will confess I might have picked up on right away if she was a 40-year-old man on a horse, but "knight's honor" is something I wasn't ready to see immediately in an unsure 20-year-old girl. It was fascinating to read exactly how that characterization sat on her shoulders, to watch how she herself, and others around her (and I) read her morals as naiveté and her quest as frivolous meddling until we got to know her better. I love when a book has the guts to present a character as one thing, and lets them grow into something else, building on an understanding of human tendencies to make judgements and willingness to learn.
And opposite her, we have Violet Debenham, for whom I immediately was and remain ready to die. She's a young woman who escaped her English family to be an actress in New York City, who wields the art of illusion both as an acting job and a magical skill. Set up against Maud's stubborn devotion to the truth, Violet understands the power of artifice, especially for a woman in a patriarchal society. This is, in a lot of ways, my thematic catnip: explorations of people who fight back against societal perceptions of their "flaws" by turning those flaws into weapons. Violet is the more experienced of the two women - in terms of magic, life experience, and knowledge of sex. But she has a kind of softness underneath her shell that contrasts beautifully with the steely core inside Maud's apparent innocence, which bring the two women into very believable and often fiery contact and conflict.
The rest of what I have to say is going to remain a bit impressionistic, since I don't want to spoil the fun. There's a great cast of characters here, whose antics are kept grounded by the bone-dry sarcasm of a very put-upon Lord Hawthorn, who is going to absolutely kill it as the hero of the next book (I'm assuming. He almost has to be). There's a LOT going on plot-wise, but the author balances it all so well: within the first couple chapters, I had met a dozen new characters who I had no trouble keeping straight, and had an entire ocean liner mapped out so clearly I could follow all their comings and goings (these are two things I struggle MIGHTILY with. This book made me want to hire Freya Marske to help me remember names and follow spatial directions).
To those of you coming here from A Marvellous Light, A Restless Truth does an even better job of working the magic system into the moral universe of the story. Magic gets further enmeshed in questions of gender and power (and even though its only hinted at, imperialism) in ways that I want to scream about/write a dissertation on, but I CAN'T BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ALL SO SUSPENSEFUL AND EXCITING.
And I loved how glimpses of Edwin and Robin's life were woven in through the story, primarily in how Maud thinks about them both as family: it was such a gentle and loving way to check in on them without having to do that awkward "trot out the previous couples" gesture we sometimes see in romance series. I get a bit choked up just thinking about it? How their relationship is so well-worn now that it just sinks into the way others think about home and family.
The prose is, unsurprisingly, stunning. It is at once gorgeously etherial and intensely grounded and carnal. It's a bit ironic, because I at least attempt to make something of a brand for myself around explaining what I like about prose, and I simply CANNOT UNDERSTAND how the richness of this prose does not get tiring or overwhelming for me as a reader, but it never does. And seeing that prose in service of detailed, lingering, longing, dwelt-upon sex scenes between two women was an absolute pleasure. The words took the characters so deep into their own bodies, I don't really know any other way to put it.
I am going to put, under a spoiler, a slightly more in-depth discussion of one of the sex scenes, that involves... what I can best describe as a bit of magical gender-bending? I thought it was handled sensitively, but I'm putting it here for anyone who wants further info around moments where sex stuff and gender stuff intersect trickily:
Anyway, I really did love this book immensely. Right up through the ending, which offers not only a very satisfying "part 2 of 3" conclusion to the mystery, but also gives our heroines a gorgeous HFN that respects the reality of their age, their experiences, and the time they've known each other. It also contains one of the most generous instances of allowing guarded characters to keep some secrets as they grow into love that ... honestly it made me cry. Into my mask. On the Amtrak train. I will be thinking about it for ages, until this book comes out, and I can talk about it with everyone I know.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
But if you don't like *anything* at all spoiled, here's my short take: A Restless Truth maintains the gorgeous prose and deft character work of A Marvellous Light, while extending its overarching mystery and deepening the world-building of the magic system, all while creating something entirely new for Maud and Violet that felt like it was their own, and not just a shadow of the first book. It's a story that has something for nearly everyone (hijinks, mystery, romance, sex, feelings, banter, humor, atmosphere, prose for DAYS), yet manages to pull together a coherent whole. This will easily make my top books of 2022.
Ok. Full review. No major spoilers for plot, some information about tone, feelings, romantic arc, etc.
I do think it's worth saying a word about my expectations coming into this book, because expectations can be a funny thing. As is clear from my review and blog post, I loved A Marvellous Light a whole lot. But when I started hearing things about the second book - essentially that it was a low-angst hijinks-y "Knives Out On A Boat" romp - I will admit I had my hackles up. Because while I firmly believe that books within a series can and should switch up tone and heat level as appropriate for the story, and without wanting to ascribe value to certain tones/heat levels over others... I did have feelings about having to haul around another stone for our cultural edifice of angsty, sexy, tortured mlm vs. cute, emotionally-defanged, gals-being-pals wlw.
And honestly, this book smashed my expectations with a one-two punch. Because not only were the rompy, Knives Out elements of this book SO well-executed that I'd essentially made up my mind around 30% in that I would be fine with nothing but those, but then Freya Marske also brought the heat, a dash of emotional angst, and what I can only describe as some grown-ass feelings and internal conflict. And proceeded to balance them throughout the rest of the book in a manner I can only liken, rather tritely given the subject matter, to magic.
Our two heroines here are Violet and Maud. Maud is Robin's sister, whom we met in book one, where quite frankly she didn't do much for me. Things started out slowly for her here with me as well, but she grew into a fascinating character. Her primary external motivations are a quest for a [redacted object], and to prove her worth and helpfulness to her beloved older brother. Internally, she reacts to having been raised by horrible manipulative parents with a stubborn adherence to never telling a lie. Her arc is, on further consideration, a knightly one - a quest for a holy object, a devotion to brotherhood, a strict moral adherence to truth. Which is a theme I will confess I might have picked up on right away if she was a 40-year-old man on a horse, but "knight's honor" is something I wasn't ready to see immediately in an unsure 20-year-old girl. It was fascinating to read exactly how that characterization sat on her shoulders, to watch how she herself, and others around her (and I) read her morals as naiveté and her quest as frivolous meddling until we got to know her better. I love when a book has the guts to present a character as one thing, and lets them grow into something else, building on an understanding of human tendencies to make judgements and willingness to learn.
And opposite her, we have Violet Debenham, for whom I immediately was and remain ready to die. She's a young woman who escaped her English family to be an actress in New York City, who wields the art of illusion both as an acting job and a magical skill. Set up against Maud's stubborn devotion to the truth, Violet understands the power of artifice, especially for a woman in a patriarchal society. This is, in a lot of ways, my thematic catnip: explorations of people who fight back against societal perceptions of their "flaws" by turning those flaws into weapons. Violet is the more experienced of the two women - in terms of magic, life experience, and knowledge of sex. But she has a kind of softness underneath her shell that contrasts beautifully with the steely core inside Maud's apparent innocence, which bring the two women into very believable and often fiery contact and conflict.
The rest of what I have to say is going to remain a bit impressionistic, since I don't want to spoil the fun. There's a great cast of characters here, whose antics are kept grounded by the bone-dry sarcasm of a very put-upon Lord Hawthorn, who is going to absolutely kill it as the hero of the next book (I'm assuming. He almost has to be). There's a LOT going on plot-wise, but the author balances it all so well: within the first couple chapters, I had met a dozen new characters who I had no trouble keeping straight, and had an entire ocean liner mapped out so clearly I could follow all their comings and goings (these are two things I struggle MIGHTILY with. This book made me want to hire Freya Marske to help me remember names and follow spatial directions).
To those of you coming here from A Marvellous Light, A Restless Truth does an even better job of working the magic system into the moral universe of the story. Magic gets further enmeshed in questions of gender and power (and even though its only hinted at, imperialism) in ways that I want to scream about/write a dissertation on, but I CAN'T BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ALL SO SUSPENSEFUL AND EXCITING.
And I loved how glimpses of Edwin and Robin's life were woven in through the story, primarily in how Maud thinks about them both as family: it was such a gentle and loving way to check in on them without having to do that awkward "trot out the previous couples" gesture we sometimes see in romance series. I get a bit choked up just thinking about it? How their relationship is so well-worn now that it just sinks into the way others think about home and family.
The prose is, unsurprisingly, stunning. It is at once gorgeously etherial and intensely grounded and carnal. It's a bit ironic, because I at least attempt to make something of a brand for myself around explaining what I like about prose, and I simply CANNOT UNDERSTAND how the richness of this prose does not get tiring or overwhelming for me as a reader, but it never does. And seeing that prose in service of detailed, lingering, longing, dwelt-upon sex scenes between two women was an absolute pleasure. The words took the characters so deep into their own bodies, I don't really know any other way to put it.
I am going to put, under a spoiler, a slightly more in-depth discussion of one of the sex scenes, that involves... what I can best describe as a bit of magical gender-bending? I thought it was handled sensitively, but I'm putting it here for anyone who wants further info around moments where sex stuff and gender stuff intersect trickily:
Anyway, I really did love this book immensely. Right up through the ending, which offers not only a very satisfying "part 2 of 3" conclusion to the mystery, but also gives our heroines a gorgeous HFN that respects the reality of their age, their experiences, and the time they've known each other. It also contains one of the most generous instances of allowing guarded characters to keep some secrets as they grow into love that ... honestly it made me cry. Into my mask. On the Amtrak train. I will be thinking about it for ages, until this book comes out, and I can talk about it with everyone I know.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2022
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
I loved this story, and at the same time, it didn’t meet up to my expectations for a very stupid reason. A very me-thing, so don’t let me discourage you from reading this story! Let me take you back to last year.
A Marvellous Light was my first audiobook ever, and it was also my last. I might pick up one in the future again, but I found out that only listening to a book wasn’t my cup of tea. Therefore I decided to alternate between the audio and the ebook. I hated the speed (yes, I adjusted it several times) and that I couldn’t simply leaf back. What I loved, though, was this posh voice narrating the audiobook, and while I was reading the ebook, I heard this voice in the back of my head. It gave such a beautiful extra layer to the story. And while reading A Restless Truth, I missed the narrator's voice in the back of my head. I know, very stupid reason. I still liked the story and recommend it to anyone who loved the first book in this trilogy, and it’s perfectly readable as a stand-alone.
Again, Freya Marla’s writing is descriptive, vivid, and humorous, filled with magic and a mystery in between. I already liked Maud in A Marvellous Light, and I became her fan even more in this book. She and Violet (I adored Violet, she made me smile so much!) made up for missing Robin and Edwin because I had hoped to meet them a bit more. I read somewhere that they will be back in the last book of this series, and I’m really looking forward to that story!
I received an ARC from Pan Macmillan en NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this story, and at the same time, it didn’t meet up to my expectations for a very stupid reason. A very me-thing, so don’t let me discourage you from reading this story! Let me take you back to last year.
A Marvellous Light was my first audiobook ever, and it was also my last. I might pick up one in the future again, but I found out that only listening to a book wasn’t my cup of tea. Therefore I decided to alternate between the audio and the ebook. I hated the speed (yes, I adjusted it several times) and that I couldn’t simply leaf back. What I loved, though, was this posh voice narrating the audiobook, and while I was reading the ebook, I heard this voice in the back of my head. It gave such a beautiful extra layer to the story. And while reading A Restless Truth, I missed the narrator's voice in the back of my head. I know, very stupid reason. I still liked the story and recommend it to anyone who loved the first book in this trilogy, and it’s perfectly readable as a stand-alone.
Again, Freya Marla’s writing is descriptive, vivid, and humorous, filled with magic and a mystery in between. I already liked Maud in A Marvellous Light, and I became her fan even more in this book. She and Violet (I adored Violet, she made me smile so much!) made up for missing Robin and Edwin because I had hoped to meet them a bit more. I read somewhere that they will be back in the last book of this series, and I’m really looking forward to that story!
I received an ARC from Pan Macmillan en NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2022
Sapphic romance, magic, and shipboard murder!
A Restless Truth has it all. In this followup to A Marvellous Light, we follow the sister of one of the main characters on board a ship. But shortly into the voyage, the old woman Maude was accompanying dies under mysterious circumstances. Enter Violet- the notorious heiress who ruined herself on the American stage. Sparks will fly and danger abounds as they try to track down the killer and a magical artifact.
This was fun, and definitely steamy at times (much like book 1). Violet and Maude have a fun dynamic- Maude is inexperienced but doesn't lack a backbone. Violet has been hurt and has walls a mile high. And there is lots of magical danger! I didn't love this quite as much as book 1. I felt it dragged on a bit too long for the amount of plot, but also shipboard stories aren't my go to. If you enjoyed A Marvelous Light this is definitely worth the read and if we get more in the series I will certainly read those as well. They are a good time! The audio narrator is good, but I would have liked clearer distinction in voices between Maude and Violet's perspectives. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
A Restless Truth has it all. In this followup to A Marvellous Light, we follow the sister of one of the main characters on board a ship. But shortly into the voyage, the old woman Maude was accompanying dies under mysterious circumstances. Enter Violet- the notorious heiress who ruined herself on the American stage. Sparks will fly and danger abounds as they try to track down the killer and a magical artifact.
This was fun, and definitely steamy at times (much like book 1). Violet and Maude have a fun dynamic- Maude is inexperienced but doesn't lack a backbone. Violet has been hurt and has walls a mile high. And there is lots of magical danger! I didn't love this quite as much as book 1. I felt it dragged on a bit too long for the amount of plot, but also shipboard stories aren't my go to. If you enjoyed A Marvelous Light this is definitely worth the read and if we get more in the series I will certainly read those as well. They are a good time! The audio narrator is good, but I would have liked clearer distinction in voices between Maude and Violet's perspectives. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
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December 31, 2024freya marske can we talk? our horny asses would be such good friends i'm certain of it
aboard an ocean liner, maud serves as mrs navenby companion. but when she finds mrs navenby dead, maud is left with a parrot, a ship full of suspects, & violet debenham—magician, actress, scandal. together they continue what was started in a marvellous light: solve a murder & put together pieces of the last contract, or risk a plot that threatens every magician.
it's no secret that aml is one of my fave debuts & a fave book. when you love a book this much, moving on is hard. you keep looking over your shoulder, at what you’ve left ashore. perhaps that’s why i put off reading a restless truth: i expected to yearn for robin & edwin the whole time. & of course i did.
but as i packed for my own cruise, i knew it was time to take the plunge. i had to go with maud & violet. to give myself the chance to fall in love with them while i, too, dramatically pranced around a ship crossing a sea.
& fall in love, i did.
part of it was the immersion. the fun of reading about hijinks & mischief in staterooms, decks, & dining halls. feeling like if i closed my eyes, that world could’ve fit over mine like a magic trick.
the larger part: this is freya marske’s world. home to my favorite magic system, one of cradles & leylines &...magical rope bondage? (freya can we talk?)
somewhere along the way, after rereads & subconsciously mulling over the threads behind each spell & cradle, this world has become a comfort. it happened so naturally, blink & you miss it that i barely realized. how good it felt to come back, to learn more its possibilities, limitations, & manipulation of intent.
& intent there was within these pages, woven into every word & act, so carefully thoughtful & lush. with women who wield their femininity like the power it is, defiant & bold, a sharp tongue & sharper wit.
but turns out all the awards actually go to hawthorn who needs a break from the worst babysitting job ever.
y’know who would love this book? fuckin' benoit blanc.
& if i wailed whenever robin & edwin were mentioned that’s between me & god.
i'm forever in a love spiral over that forearm hussy.
“maud blyth. you are a terror and should not be allowed to run loose in the world.”
aboard an ocean liner, maud serves as mrs navenby companion. but when she finds mrs navenby dead, maud is left with a parrot, a ship full of suspects, & violet debenham—magician, actress, scandal. together they continue what was started in a marvellous light: solve a murder & put together pieces of the last contract, or risk a plot that threatens every magician.
it's no secret that aml is one of my fave debuts & a fave book. when you love a book this much, moving on is hard. you keep looking over your shoulder, at what you’ve left ashore. perhaps that’s why i put off reading a restless truth: i expected to yearn for robin & edwin the whole time. & of course i did.
but as i packed for my own cruise, i knew it was time to take the plunge. i had to go with maud & violet. to give myself the chance to fall in love with them while i, too, dramatically pranced around a ship crossing a sea.
& fall in love, i did.
part of it was the immersion. the fun of reading about hijinks & mischief in staterooms, decks, & dining halls. feeling like if i closed my eyes, that world could’ve fit over mine like a magic trick.
the larger part: this is freya marske’s world. home to my favorite magic system, one of cradles & leylines &...magical rope bondage? (freya can we talk?)
somewhere along the way, after rereads & subconsciously mulling over the threads behind each spell & cradle, this world has become a comfort. it happened so naturally, blink & you miss it that i barely realized. how good it felt to come back, to learn more its possibilities, limitations, & manipulation of intent.
& intent there was within these pages, woven into every word & act, so carefully thoughtful & lush. with women who wield their femininity like the power it is, defiant & bold, a sharp tongue & sharper wit.
but turns out all the awards actually go to hawthorn who needs a break from the worst babysitting job ever.
y’know who would love this book? fuckin' benoit blanc.
& if i wailed whenever robin & edwin were mentioned that’s between me & god.
i'm forever in a love spiral over that forearm hussy.
November 17, 2022
4.5 stars!
A ship traveling from America to England. A deadly game of find-that-magical-item. A fantastic sapphic romance. Oh and also? More of a truly engaging magical world. I love this series!
Characters: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★
Plot: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Maud Blyth is on a mission. She's helping her brother, Robin, with his quest to save the magical community of Great Britain from some truly deadly stakes that we discovered in A Marvellous Light, the first book in the series. She's on her way back to Britain via steamship.
It's not Maud's fault that her charge, an elderly woman holding a secret magical artifact, dies on the first day of their voyage. And it's not Maud's fault that said elderly lady never actually told her what item in her possession was the all-important magical artifact.
Oof. Things aren't going to be so easy, after all.
Good thing Maud Blyth is the best person to have in your corner when you're trapped and in need of assistance.
Enter Violet Debenham from stage right, the beautiful and enigmatic heiress-to-be with a reputation she keeps in purposeful tatters and way too much personality and charm for any one room. She's a gravitational pull, and Maud finds herself helpless to resist—and discovering that even she could, she may not want to escape Violet's embrace.
And from stage left, the broody and constantly irritated Lord Hawthorne enters the scene as well with his anger, lack of magical ability, and tortured past. He's a reluctant player in Maud's play of Christie-like whodunit, but he's present and more helpful than nothing so Maud takes him into her stride too.
With magicians, murder, and mayhem... We're in for a bumpy voyage. All aboard!!
I am so pleased to report that A Restless Truth proved to be just as delightful as its first book, A Marvellous Light.
I was initially bummed to find out that this book abandoned the characters from the first book (Robin and Edwin), but quickly found myself getting over it in the absolutely perfect character in Maud. Maud was everything. I loved her. (Don't get me wrong, I found Violet to be a ton of fun too in different ways, but MAUD!)
There's just something about this quaint historical fantasy series that pushes all of my buttons. It's intriguing, yet not pulse-pounding. It's quaint and quiet, yet grips me. It has a dense and interesting magic structure and yet at no point do I feel lost or overburdened by complexity. It's "just right," and continues to be.
My only quibble with this installment was its limited setting... I am not a fan of boat-centered content. Or any other limited-setting story that traps our characters into a very small geographic range. Outside of certain mystery books with extreme action, this type of limited setting leads to me as the reader feeling trapped and pent-up in the mental reading space. It's hard for the plot to feel like it's moving along when our characters can only go from A to B... and back... and repeat. I wish this story had taken place somewhere else and given Maud, Violet, and the crew more room to breathe and explore. But, that in mind, I still greatly enjoyed this read.
Eagerly awaiting book three!!
Many thanks to Tordotcom for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
A ship traveling from America to England. A deadly game of find-that-magical-item. A fantastic sapphic romance. Oh and also? More of a truly engaging magical world. I love this series!
Characters: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★
Plot: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Maud Blyth is on a mission. She's helping her brother, Robin, with his quest to save the magical community of Great Britain from some truly deadly stakes that we discovered in A Marvellous Light, the first book in the series. She's on her way back to Britain via steamship.
It's not Maud's fault that her charge, an elderly woman holding a secret magical artifact, dies on the first day of their voyage. And it's not Maud's fault that said elderly lady never actually told her what item in her possession was the all-important magical artifact.
Oof. Things aren't going to be so easy, after all.
Good thing Maud Blyth is the best person to have in your corner when you're trapped and in need of assistance.
Enter Violet Debenham from stage right, the beautiful and enigmatic heiress-to-be with a reputation she keeps in purposeful tatters and way too much personality and charm for any one room. She's a gravitational pull, and Maud finds herself helpless to resist—and discovering that even she could, she may not want to escape Violet's embrace.
And from stage left, the broody and constantly irritated Lord Hawthorne enters the scene as well with his anger, lack of magical ability, and tortured past. He's a reluctant player in Maud's play of Christie-like whodunit, but he's present and more helpful than nothing so Maud takes him into her stride too.
With magicians, murder, and mayhem... We're in for a bumpy voyage. All aboard!!
I am so pleased to report that A Restless Truth proved to be just as delightful as its first book, A Marvellous Light.
I was initially bummed to find out that this book abandoned the characters from the first book (Robin and Edwin), but quickly found myself getting over it in the absolutely perfect character in Maud. Maud was everything. I loved her. (Don't get me wrong, I found Violet to be a ton of fun too in different ways, but MAUD!)
There's just something about this quaint historical fantasy series that pushes all of my buttons. It's intriguing, yet not pulse-pounding. It's quaint and quiet, yet grips me. It has a dense and interesting magic structure and yet at no point do I feel lost or overburdened by complexity. It's "just right," and continues to be.
My only quibble with this installment was its limited setting... I am not a fan of boat-centered content. Or any other limited-setting story that traps our characters into a very small geographic range. Outside of certain mystery books with extreme action, this type of limited setting leads to me as the reader feeling trapped and pent-up in the mental reading space. It's hard for the plot to feel like it's moving along when our characters can only go from A to B... and back... and repeat. I wish this story had taken place somewhere else and given Maud, Violet, and the crew more room to breathe and explore. But, that in mind, I still greatly enjoyed this read.
Eagerly awaiting book three!!
Many thanks to Tordotcom for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
June 26, 2022
Freya Marske has done it again! It's almost unbelievable how much I loved this book, how deeply I connected to it! Clever, sexy, and utterly enchanting, I want to get lost at sea with this book! Marske has completely captured my sapphic heart with this book!
There was so so so much to love about this book. The romance within it gave me butterflies and left me teary eyed. The mystery and mayhem was delightful and intriguing. (I don't tend to be much of a mystery person, but Freya writes so spectacularly that I was enthralled the entire time, eager to know what would happen next!! ) The magic was cool as hell. The sex scenes were !!!!!!!! EVERYTHING! I really found myself identifying with our leading lady Maud Blyth, and almost like she was an extension of myself. I also love love loved Violet as a sapphic rake. More sapphics should get to be full of shit and fuck around!!!! It was delightful!!!
The thing that surprised me the most in it was that it made me ADORE Lord Hawthorne, who I was not the biggest fan of in Book 1. I feel like I got to watch his layers be peeled back, and I saw a side of him that left a soft spot for him in my heart, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where his story goes in the future.
This book will work for you if you like magical mysteries, hilarious hauntings, and sapphic spicy scenes. Did you ever have a hyperfixation on the Titanic? Great, you're gonna like this book. Did you love Knives Out? Great, you're gonna like this book. Cannot recommend it enough, it's gonna be a hit!
There was so so so much to love about this book. The romance within it gave me butterflies and left me teary eyed. The mystery and mayhem was delightful and intriguing. (I don't tend to be much of a mystery person, but Freya writes so spectacularly that I was enthralled the entire time, eager to know what would happen next!! ) The magic was cool as hell. The sex scenes were !!!!!!!! EVERYTHING! I really found myself identifying with our leading lady Maud Blyth, and almost like she was an extension of myself. I also love love loved Violet as a sapphic rake. More sapphics should get to be full of shit and fuck around!!!! It was delightful!!!
The thing that surprised me the most in it was that it made me ADORE Lord Hawthorne, who I was not the biggest fan of in Book 1. I feel like I got to watch his layers be peeled back, and I saw a side of him that left a soft spot for him in my heart, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where his story goes in the future.
This book will work for you if you like magical mysteries, hilarious hauntings, and sapphic spicy scenes. Did you ever have a hyperfixation on the Titanic? Great, you're gonna like this book. Did you love Knives Out? Great, you're gonna like this book. Cannot recommend it enough, it's gonna be a hit!
March 3, 2025
Book two in The Last Binding trilogy, and in this one, we are searching for the second object that forms part of the Last Contract.
I wish I'd learn from my mistakes and would read series without gaps. I read book one over a year ago, and it took me a fair few chapters to get back into this world.
I did, however, get back into it, and while I didn't love this adventure as much, it was a decent read, and it was nice to get to know Maud better.
I've made a promise to myself to read the final book in this trilogy very soon!
Three stars.
I wish I'd learn from my mistakes and would read series without gaps. I read book one over a year ago, and it took me a fair few chapters to get back into this world.
I did, however, get back into it, and while I didn't love this adventure as much, it was a decent read, and it was nice to get to know Maud better.
I've made a promise to myself to read the final book in this trilogy very soon!
Three stars.
September 30, 2024
4.5 stars for this suprising banger of a book!
i say surprising, bcs the first 70 or so pages didn't agree with me at all - too much exposition and too little delicacy of character work - but those niggles might have been due to the sequel syndrome (wherein the poor author has to find ways to remind the readers of what they read a year ago, hopefully with minimal amounts of unbearable infodumping). there's also Marske's fondness for simile and metaphor, which was at times a bit much. HOWEVER, i ended up having the best of times!
so many books (esp. romance books, in my experience) start off really strong, but then by the end you are struggling to remember *why* you were so drawn to these characters in the first place. well, the opposite is true here - i might gave gotten off to a bit of a wobbly foot with Maud and Violet, but they both ended up utterly charming me. i think their personalities were drawn really strongly, and i enjoyed that it was an instalust/instafriendship story, but that the ending was firmly in the "i wanna keep seeing you" and not "i pleadge my life to you" zone, because, as the author is so kind as to reminds us, these bitches have known each other for *6 days*.
i read the first book back when it came out in 2021, so it's difficult for me to directly compare them, but i will say that i think A Restless Truth advanced the worldbuilding wonderfully (we learn so much cool stuff about magical syntax in this one!!). i'm not really wild about the overarching structure of the trilogy being an extended MacGuffin chase (the whole thing does kinda give off strong "plot point in a 300k drarry fic" vibes), but on the level of the individual book this setup is perfect for sleuthing, maskerading, and all sort of magical hijinks. just...fun times!! good vibes!! mystery-solving aboard a luxury ocean liner!! gal-pals!! what's not to like??
finally, i would like to extend my gratitude to Freya Marske for giving us so much Lord Hawthorn content in this book. my review for book 1 can be summed up with "yeah yeah this was cool BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS NOBLEMAN WITH A SARDONIC BROW AND A CRUEL MOUTH WE MEET FOR 7.5 PAGES??????" and i was elated to find that my girl Freya GETS IT. the thirst was quenched, Lord Hawthorne scowled, glowered and menaced magnificently, we got introduced to his love interest for the next book (!!!!) and the sparks we fucking FLYING, my dudes. what a time to be alive. i love gay magic books.
i say surprising, bcs the first 70 or so pages didn't agree with me at all - too much exposition and too little delicacy of character work - but those niggles might have been due to the sequel syndrome (wherein the poor author has to find ways to remind the readers of what they read a year ago, hopefully with minimal amounts of unbearable infodumping). there's also Marske's fondness for simile and metaphor, which was at times a bit much. HOWEVER, i ended up having the best of times!
so many books (esp. romance books, in my experience) start off really strong, but then by the end you are struggling to remember *why* you were so drawn to these characters in the first place. well, the opposite is true here - i might gave gotten off to a bit of a wobbly foot with Maud and Violet, but they both ended up utterly charming me. i think their personalities were drawn really strongly, and i enjoyed that it was an instalust/instafriendship story, but that the ending was firmly in the "i wanna keep seeing you" and not "i pleadge my life to you" zone, because, as the author is so kind as to reminds us, these bitches have known each other for *6 days*.
i read the first book back when it came out in 2021, so it's difficult for me to directly compare them, but i will say that i think A Restless Truth advanced the worldbuilding wonderfully (we learn so much cool stuff about magical syntax in this one!!). i'm not really wild about the overarching structure of the trilogy being an extended MacGuffin chase (the whole thing does kinda give off strong "plot point in a 300k drarry fic" vibes), but on the level of the individual book this setup is perfect for sleuthing, maskerading, and all sort of magical hijinks. just...fun times!! good vibes!! mystery-solving aboard a luxury ocean liner!! gal-pals!! what's not to like??
finally, i would like to extend my gratitude to Freya Marske for giving us so much Lord Hawthorn content in this book. my review for book 1 can be summed up with "yeah yeah this was cool BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS NOBLEMAN WITH A SARDONIC BROW AND A CRUEL MOUTH WE MEET FOR 7.5 PAGES??????" and i was elated to find that my girl Freya GETS IT. the thirst was quenched, Lord Hawthorne scowled, glowered and menaced magnificently, we got introduced to his love interest for the next book (!!!!) and the sparks we fucking FLYING, my dudes. what a time to be alive. i love gay magic books.
January 17, 2023
i appreciate lesbians on a ship as much as the next person but no one rolled up their sleeves so. 4 stars
February 9, 2023
I didn't feel the sparks I felt in the first book...
December 7, 2022
This series is so good! I already can't wait for the next one.
As someone who completely adored A Marvellous Light, I was so, so thrilled to hear there would be a sequel. I will admit to being a little disappointed when I heard this one wouldn't be about Robin and Edwin. However, I was still super excited cause I loved Maud's character in the first book, and I just knew she'd be a fun protagonist to follow. And I was correct!
A Restless Truth, while continuing the story of A Marvellous Light (just with different main characters), had a completely different tone and feel to it, which I loved. Each book contained a certain mystery aspect, but their settings and protagonists are very distinct to one another. This book felt like a victorian mystery novel with a dash of magic and romance. Because it took place on a ship, it also gave it that locked in feel, which is one of my favorite tropes!
The world of the Last Binding series is so fascinating to me. How they utilize magic is done in a way I haven't really seen before, and since I've read a lot of fantasy books, that's pretty cool. Even though this book did focus on magic, I feel like the mystery aspect took center stage, which I had no qualms against. For Maud and Violet's journey, this just made sense. Even so, there was still a lot of suspense built up around the magicians trapped with them on the ship, and the uncertainty of who they could trust. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Having a romance take place over seven days was an interesting choice, but one that Freya Marske expertly executed. The way Maud and Violet's feelings for each other developed was so natural and authentic, while never feeling rushed. Their journey certainly wasn't smooth sailing (hah, puns), but I was rooting for them the whole time.
Violet's character was a lot of fun because of how closed off she is to the world. She hides her true self behind a mask and very rarely allows anyone to get behind it. Maud, of course, begins to peek behind the facade, and that terrifies Violet. Both women are fierce and brave, but approach the world so differently. Maud is trusting, kind, and empathetic, whereas Violet is more cynical, harder to get to know, and more wary of others. This creates a wonderful dynamic between the two. They each push the other out of their comfort zones, but always for the better.
I adored their relationship! A lot of people still seem to think there aren't that many great sapphic books out there, but that is so not true. This is just one example of a fantastic sapphic book. The chemistry between Maud and Violet was electric, but they were also sweet and caring towards the other. While Violet was already secure in who she was and who she's attracted to, Maud had never considered the idea of being with another woman, so it's a bit of a learning experience for her, and one Violet is there to help her through the entire time.
In addition to Maud and Violet's dynamic, I also loved the found family vibes we got from Maud, Violet, Hawthorne, and Ross. I find Hawthorne's character so interesting. There's still a lot we don't know about him, but in this book we got a deeper look behind the gruff and uncaring man he presents himself as. His friendship with Maud and Violet might have been begrudging, but I loved their interactions. Adding Ross created the perfect group. All four are so distinct and varied in personalities and thoughts, so while their opinions may clash from time to time, they all work together really well. It also makes for some really funny moments that I won't spoil, but had me cackling with laughter.
Between the suspenseful plot, electric relationship, and intriguing friend group, A Restless Truth was a wild ride worth every second of my time. I can't wait to see where this story goes in the next book (and I have an inkling for who I think it'll be about!).
The Last Binding is without a doubt one of my favorite series. Historical fiction? Romance? Fantasy? Mystery? What more can a person ask for? Not to mention, Freya Marske's writing style is elegant and clean, making for an engaging and quick read.
If you haven't read A Marvellous Light or a Restless Truth yet, I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for providing me with a physical copy of the book, and to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
As someone who completely adored A Marvellous Light, I was so, so thrilled to hear there would be a sequel. I will admit to being a little disappointed when I heard this one wouldn't be about Robin and Edwin. However, I was still super excited cause I loved Maud's character in the first book, and I just knew she'd be a fun protagonist to follow. And I was correct!
A Restless Truth, while continuing the story of A Marvellous Light (just with different main characters), had a completely different tone and feel to it, which I loved. Each book contained a certain mystery aspect, but their settings and protagonists are very distinct to one another. This book felt like a victorian mystery novel with a dash of magic and romance. Because it took place on a ship, it also gave it that locked in feel, which is one of my favorite tropes!
The world of the Last Binding series is so fascinating to me. How they utilize magic is done in a way I haven't really seen before, and since I've read a lot of fantasy books, that's pretty cool. Even though this book did focus on magic, I feel like the mystery aspect took center stage, which I had no qualms against. For Maud and Violet's journey, this just made sense. Even so, there was still a lot of suspense built up around the magicians trapped with them on the ship, and the uncertainty of who they could trust. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Having a romance take place over seven days was an interesting choice, but one that Freya Marske expertly executed. The way Maud and Violet's feelings for each other developed was so natural and authentic, while never feeling rushed. Their journey certainly wasn't smooth sailing (hah, puns), but I was rooting for them the whole time.
Violet's character was a lot of fun because of how closed off she is to the world. She hides her true self behind a mask and very rarely allows anyone to get behind it. Maud, of course, begins to peek behind the facade, and that terrifies Violet. Both women are fierce and brave, but approach the world so differently. Maud is trusting, kind, and empathetic, whereas Violet is more cynical, harder to get to know, and more wary of others. This creates a wonderful dynamic between the two. They each push the other out of their comfort zones, but always for the better.
I adored their relationship! A lot of people still seem to think there aren't that many great sapphic books out there, but that is so not true. This is just one example of a fantastic sapphic book. The chemistry between Maud and Violet was electric, but they were also sweet and caring towards the other. While Violet was already secure in who she was and who she's attracted to, Maud had never considered the idea of being with another woman, so it's a bit of a learning experience for her, and one Violet is there to help her through the entire time.
In addition to Maud and Violet's dynamic, I also loved the found family vibes we got from Maud, Violet, Hawthorne, and Ross. I find Hawthorne's character so interesting. There's still a lot we don't know about him, but in this book we got a deeper look behind the gruff and uncaring man he presents himself as. His friendship with Maud and Violet might have been begrudging, but I loved their interactions. Adding Ross created the perfect group. All four are so distinct and varied in personalities and thoughts, so while their opinions may clash from time to time, they all work together really well. It also makes for some really funny moments that I won't spoil, but had me cackling with laughter.
Between the suspenseful plot, electric relationship, and intriguing friend group, A Restless Truth was a wild ride worth every second of my time. I can't wait to see where this story goes in the next book (and I have an inkling for who I think it'll be about!).
The Last Binding is without a doubt one of my favorite series. Historical fiction? Romance? Fantasy? Mystery? What more can a person ask for? Not to mention, Freya Marske's writing style is elegant and clean, making for an engaging and quick read.
If you haven't read A Marvellous Light or a Restless Truth yet, I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for providing me with a physical copy of the book, and to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
Read
January 14, 2023I don't have to log time left of the audiobook but decided to let this one go for now. It's not a bad story I just can't get myself invested in it at the moment. Might reread/relisted to it at some point
Read
April 11, 2023Yeah, that was a good one.
July 19, 2023
original review 2022
i would just like to say i'm a lord hawthorn stan first! human second!
"She would step off the ship in triumph, and Robin would be proud of her, and it would be the first important and worthwhile thing that Maud Blythe, baronet's daughter, and baronet's sister, would have done in her entire short useless life."
The most interesting things in Maud Blyth's life have happened to her brother Robin, but she's ready to join any cause, especially if it involves magical secrets. Bound for New York on the R.M.S. Lyric, she's ready for an adventure. What she actually finds is a dead body, a disrespectful parrot, and a beautiful stranger in Violet Debenham, who is everything—a magician, an actress, a scandal—Maud has been trained to fear and has learned to desire. Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of loathsome suspects, they must solve a murder and untangle a conspiracy that began generations before them.
A Marvellous Light was one of the last few books I read last year, and I loved it so much (but it will be featured in this year's favorites bc my list was done by the time I first read it).
So I was eagerly looking forward to this sequel ever since last December, but, at the same time, I was a little hesitant about it. I loved Robin & Edwin so much that I doubted another couple would surpass them. Also, Maud wasn't the best character from the first book. She was just there, so I didn't know how to feel about an entire book about her.
But!! I shouldn't have doubted because I really enjoyed A Restless Truth. I didn't LOVE it as much as AML, but it was still an incredible addition to this series.
If A Marvellous Light is a soft mystery with romance all about the mortifying ordeal of being known amidst magic gardens, magic houses, and wallpaper, A Restless Truth is the complete opposite. Instead, it's a fun book all about a murder mystery while traveling on a ship.
This book was simply so much fun. I just love stories where the characters are stuck in a place with a killer in their midst, with them having to figure out the mystery. While also keeping the investigation a secret.
And all of the characters were so great. Even the side characters!! I'm now obsessed with Lord Hawthorne. I'm a Hawthorne stan first, human second. Mean characters with tragic pasts that deal with their trauma with humor, vulgarity, and by pushing everyone away?? And then will probably eventually find someone that understands and loves them for who they are?? I love that every time.
Even though I wasn't sure how I felt about Maud before, I loved her in this one. She's stubborn and is constantly trying to prove herself, but always stands up for herself against anyone; who just wants to do right by those she loves.
My only issue with this book is that I didn’t /really/ love the romance. I liked it? I think? So much of this story is about Maud and Violet trying to be honest with each other, and they only get the actual truth by the end. So finishing this, I felt that their romance wasn't over? It felt like a beginning, more than an end.
That makes me wonder how the next book is going to go!! I'm hoping it will be about Ross and Hawthorne (if it isn't, I WILL riot), but will we also get perspectives from the other characters? Idk but I'm excited about it!!
i would just like to say i'm a lord hawthorn stan first! human second!
"She would step off the ship in triumph, and Robin would be proud of her, and it would be the first important and worthwhile thing that Maud Blythe, baronet's daughter, and baronet's sister, would have done in her entire short useless life."
The most interesting things in Maud Blyth's life have happened to her brother Robin, but she's ready to join any cause, especially if it involves magical secrets. Bound for New York on the R.M.S. Lyric, she's ready for an adventure. What she actually finds is a dead body, a disrespectful parrot, and a beautiful stranger in Violet Debenham, who is everything—a magician, an actress, a scandal—Maud has been trained to fear and has learned to desire. Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of loathsome suspects, they must solve a murder and untangle a conspiracy that began generations before them.
A Marvellous Light was one of the last few books I read last year, and I loved it so much (but it will be featured in this year's favorites bc my list was done by the time I first read it).
So I was eagerly looking forward to this sequel ever since last December, but, at the same time, I was a little hesitant about it. I loved Robin & Edwin so much that I doubted another couple would surpass them. Also, Maud wasn't the best character from the first book. She was just there, so I didn't know how to feel about an entire book about her.
But!! I shouldn't have doubted because I really enjoyed A Restless Truth. I didn't LOVE it as much as AML, but it was still an incredible addition to this series.
If A Marvellous Light is a soft mystery with romance all about the mortifying ordeal of being known amidst magic gardens, magic houses, and wallpaper, A Restless Truth is the complete opposite. Instead, it's a fun book all about a murder mystery while traveling on a ship.
This book was simply so much fun. I just love stories where the characters are stuck in a place with a killer in their midst, with them having to figure out the mystery. While also keeping the investigation a secret.
And all of the characters were so great. Even the side characters!! I'm now obsessed with Lord Hawthorne. I'm a Hawthorne stan first, human second. Mean characters with tragic pasts that deal with their trauma with humor, vulgarity, and by pushing everyone away?? And then will probably eventually find someone that understands and loves them for who they are?? I love that every time.
Even though I wasn't sure how I felt about Maud before, I loved her in this one. She's stubborn and is constantly trying to prove herself, but always stands up for herself against anyone; who just wants to do right by those she loves.
My only issue with this book is that I didn’t /really/ love the romance. I liked it? I think? So much of this story is about Maud and Violet trying to be honest with each other, and they only get the actual truth by the end. So finishing this, I felt that their romance wasn't over? It felt like a beginning, more than an end.
That makes me wonder how the next book is going to go!! I'm hoping it will be about Ross and Hawthorne (if it isn't, I WILL riot), but will we also get perspectives from the other characters? Idk but I'm excited about it!!
November 4, 2023
Freya Marske, Author of A Restless Truth—and A Marvellous Light, which preceded this new novel—is one of the best world-builders writing today. The world in these two novels is based on a very familiar Edwardian England, but with a complex upper crust of magicians, unrecognized by ordinary humans, and whose struggles for power over one another and the world at large create crises of enormous scale.
Yes, there are plenty of books out there that layer magic onto the world as we know it—or knew it, or may know it in the future. But Marske's novels have a richness of character and depth of structure that are nearly impossible to match.
In A Marvellous Light, we followed the struggle of non-magic foreseer Robin Blythe (because an ability to sometimes glimpse the future is not the same as owning magic) and weakly magical Edwin Courcey, who face a conspiracy that could lead to a magitotalitarian (so pleased to be able to coin that term) England. Like the Edwardian England of our history books, Marske's Edwardian England is splintered by brutal hierarchies of wealth and gender. And magicians with greater powers take pleasure in tormenting both non-magic people and magicians of weaker powers.
As Robin and Edwin struggle through this uneven battle they also fall in love, which makes economic and gender divisions dangerous in ways beyond the usual—and sets them up for abuse by those whose magic is particularly powerful.
In A Restless Truth, we don't see Robin and Edwin, but they are key background figures because Robin's sister Maud, who like Robin has no magic, has agreed to try to protect and bring to England Elizabeth, an elderly, female, ex-pat magician who holds one of three crucial magical objects. Almost as soon as Robin and Elizabeth board the White Star Line's R.M.S. Lyric to return to England, Elizabeth is killed and Maud is left to puzzle out who killed her and whether any of the objects the killer stole was a transmogrified form of the magical object Elizabeth held. Maud needs to locate and build alliances with magical individuals who have been half-glimpsed by brother Robin's foreseeing.
The novel takes place aboard ship over the six-day journey to England. Add into the mix non-magical individuals who have strange powers of their own, a fraudulent medium, and any number of magical villains wanting the power which the lost object could provide. At the same time, romantic tensions build between Maud and Violet Debenham, a "ruined" upper-crust magician who fled the restrictive structures of her family to build a very different life working in a Bowery theater.
Phew! It's complicated. There are many, many characters. And one really should read A Marvellous Light before taking on A Restless Truth. Nonetheless, A Restless Truth repays readers generously for the demands it will make on their time and mental energy. Like many readers, I enjoyed A Marvellous Light more than A Restless Truth—but that's like saying I prefer a four-star meal to a three-star one. Both are well above the usual.
My advice: find and read A Marvellous Light. Fall in love with Robin and Edwin as they fall in love with one another. Learn how the English system of cradled (as in cat's cradle) magic works. Then read A Restless Truth. Fall in Love with Maude and Violet as they fall in love (maybe?) with each other and fight against the restrictions they both face as women. Learn about the American system of ring magic. Then sit back and wait anxiously for the next volume in this fabulous series.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Yes, there are plenty of books out there that layer magic onto the world as we know it—or knew it, or may know it in the future. But Marske's novels have a richness of character and depth of structure that are nearly impossible to match.
In A Marvellous Light, we followed the struggle of non-magic foreseer Robin Blythe (because an ability to sometimes glimpse the future is not the same as owning magic) and weakly magical Edwin Courcey, who face a conspiracy that could lead to a magitotalitarian (so pleased to be able to coin that term) England. Like the Edwardian England of our history books, Marske's Edwardian England is splintered by brutal hierarchies of wealth and gender. And magicians with greater powers take pleasure in tormenting both non-magic people and magicians of weaker powers.
As Robin and Edwin struggle through this uneven battle they also fall in love, which makes economic and gender divisions dangerous in ways beyond the usual—and sets them up for abuse by those whose magic is particularly powerful.
In A Restless Truth, we don't see Robin and Edwin, but they are key background figures because Robin's sister Maud, who like Robin has no magic, has agreed to try to protect and bring to England Elizabeth, an elderly, female, ex-pat magician who holds one of three crucial magical objects. Almost as soon as Robin and Elizabeth board the White Star Line's R.M.S. Lyric to return to England, Elizabeth is killed and Maud is left to puzzle out who killed her and whether any of the objects the killer stole was a transmogrified form of the magical object Elizabeth held. Maud needs to locate and build alliances with magical individuals who have been half-glimpsed by brother Robin's foreseeing.
The novel takes place aboard ship over the six-day journey to England. Add into the mix non-magical individuals who have strange powers of their own, a fraudulent medium, and any number of magical villains wanting the power which the lost object could provide. At the same time, romantic tensions build between Maud and Violet Debenham, a "ruined" upper-crust magician who fled the restrictive structures of her family to build a very different life working in a Bowery theater.
Phew! It's complicated. There are many, many characters. And one really should read A Marvellous Light before taking on A Restless Truth. Nonetheless, A Restless Truth repays readers generously for the demands it will make on their time and mental energy. Like many readers, I enjoyed A Marvellous Light more than A Restless Truth—but that's like saying I prefer a four-star meal to a three-star one. Both are well above the usual.
My advice: find and read A Marvellous Light. Fall in love with Robin and Edwin as they fall in love with one another. Learn how the English system of cradled (as in cat's cradle) magic works. Then read A Restless Truth. Fall in Love with Maude and Violet as they fall in love (maybe?) with each other and fight against the restrictions they both face as women. Learn about the American system of ring magic. Then sit back and wait anxiously for the next volume in this fabulous series.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
dnf
October 15, 2022dnf 35%
since i was fond of this book's predecessor i had really high hopes for a restless truth. in fact, given that it centres on a sapphic romance, i actually thought i would like this even more (your honor, i am biased). and...ugh. the premise has so much potential (i have a weakness for books set in enclosed spaces like ships/cruises/trains...) but as soon as were introduced to the two main characters i felt kind of underwhelmed. maybe it would been refreshing to have a love interest who wasn't (yet again) a white beautiful aristocrat...but oh well. violet's antics were frustrating. she goest to great lengths to be sort of scandalous and while i'm sure that will make her intriguing figure for many, i just found her puerile. maud like her brother suffers a bit from main character syndrome, in that they have these rather generic personalities. the dynamic between maud & violet was too been-there-done-that for me (one is sunny and naive, the other one is more sardonic and charismatic).
and don't get me started on lord hawthorn...i absolutely detest this type of character. while some may find his vulgarity charming or amusing, i thought him annoying and affected. he likes to swear, wow, how edgy...lastly, we have another addition to this ragtag group, one whose name made my brain itch (his full name is alanzo cesare rossi....???? is he spanish? italian? both?). maybe the latter half of the novel will provide an answer for this but a quick search only resulted in a scene were hawthorn calls rossi a 'bloodsucking mediterranean gutter-rat'.
annoying/bland characters aside, the odd pacing never drew me in.
i'm sure ppl will love this, i can see this type of writing, romance, and character dynamics appeal to fans of casey mcquiston. chances are if you loved the 1st book in this series you will also love this one. what can i say, i am just a contrarian outlier.
since i was fond of this book's predecessor i had really high hopes for a restless truth. in fact, given that it centres on a sapphic romance, i actually thought i would like this even more (your honor, i am biased). and...ugh. the premise has so much potential (i have a weakness for books set in enclosed spaces like ships/cruises/trains...) but as soon as were introduced to the two main characters i felt kind of underwhelmed. maybe it would been refreshing to have a love interest who wasn't (yet again) a white beautiful aristocrat...but oh well. violet's antics were frustrating. she goest to great lengths to be sort of scandalous and while i'm sure that will make her intriguing figure for many, i just found her puerile. maud like her brother suffers a bit from main character syndrome, in that they have these rather generic personalities. the dynamic between maud & violet was too been-there-done-that for me (one is sunny and naive, the other one is more sardonic and charismatic).
and don't get me started on lord hawthorn...i absolutely detest this type of character. while some may find his vulgarity charming or amusing, i thought him annoying and affected. he likes to swear, wow, how edgy...lastly, we have another addition to this ragtag group, one whose name made my brain itch (his full name is alanzo cesare rossi....???? is he spanish? italian? both?). maybe the latter half of the novel will provide an answer for this but a quick search only resulted in a scene were hawthorn calls rossi a 'bloodsucking mediterranean gutter-rat'.
annoying/bland characters aside, the odd pacing never drew me in.
i'm sure ppl will love this, i can see this type of writing, romance, and character dynamics appeal to fans of casey mcquiston. chances are if you loved the 1st book in this series you will also love this one. what can i say, i am just a contrarian outlier.
December 8, 2022
Honestly... this book was a big disappointment. I really enjoyed A Marvelous Light, but (forgive me for this) this book failed to capture the same magic that one had. I was already unsure going into it because I had grown to really like Robin and Edwin and I wanted more of them, and while I absolutely support more wlw books, to me Maud and Violet did not feel as fleshed out as them and their relationship didn't have the same chemistry I think. And the whole wide-eyed ingenue and the sarcastic cynic who hides behind a playful attitude dynamic thing felt very... been done to me, and nothing new is really done with those character archetypes.
And I mean the book takes place over just 6 days and while they do eventually acknowledge it, it's hard to really compare that to the development Robin and Edwin got. I think maybe this story could have worked as a novella or short story or even a nice 2 hour movie, but as a 400 page novel, the plot felt stretched thin and the characters weren't strong enough to make up for it. I also feel like it would have benefited from a character chart at the start or the end because I had trouble keeping track of all the connections going on.
Most of the time, nothing even really happens in the story. Maud will come up with a plan, it won't work, and then spends the rest of the time just hanging out with others so they can try again tomorrow! I was just bored most of the time unfortunately. And the writing wasn't even bad exactly, it's just seemed like there really wasn't enough plot or intrigue to go around despite the author's best efforts. That said, sometimes the writing didn't exactly work for me. This book had a bad habit of just kind of telling us things instead of showing them naturally through the story. Violet mentions to Maud at one point that she doesn't like blood, and it's not long before we the reader are treated to her traumatic backstory as to why she doesn't like blood, and I'm like, really there's no other way we could have found this out? And later, when we get more info about the Forysthia Club It shows up in another way with Ross, where the narrative mentions many times that magic affects him differently, to a point where it felt like way too blatant sequel bait.
And another issue I had with the book was that the sex scenes were just... pretty dang awkward. I mean as a gay man I don't have a whole lot of experience of women having sex together, but there's stuff like "She smelled of skin and sugar and some humid summer mixture of turned earth and wet city pavements.” and "Watching the phallus disappear inside Violet made her own cunt clench in wistful sympathy. Her breath jolted out like a carriage over cobbles.” and lusting over feet veins and I was just there wondering is this all meant to be appealing to someone? It was all just so awkward, and I remember thinking the sex scenes in the first one were a bit awkward too, so maybe they're just not the author's thing...
ALL that said, I still find myself invested in the world and would like to see how this story ends, there were some fun parts of the book (especially with the villain at the end), and I actually enjoyed Hawthorn and Ross together and am hoping that if the next book isn't about Robin and Edwin again, that it'll at least be about Hawthorn and Ross. My feelings towards A Marvelous Light make me want to give this a higher score, but unfortunately I still found myself bored most of the time and overall didn't really enjoy this book
And I mean the book takes place over just 6 days and while they do eventually acknowledge it, it's hard to really compare that to the development Robin and Edwin got. I think maybe this story could have worked as a novella or short story or even a nice 2 hour movie, but as a 400 page novel, the plot felt stretched thin and the characters weren't strong enough to make up for it. I also feel like it would have benefited from a character chart at the start or the end because I had trouble keeping track of all the connections going on.
Most of the time, nothing even really happens in the story. Maud will come up with a plan, it won't work, and then spends the rest of the time just hanging out with others so they can try again tomorrow! I was just bored most of the time unfortunately. And the writing wasn't even bad exactly, it's just seemed like there really wasn't enough plot or intrigue to go around despite the author's best efforts. That said, sometimes the writing didn't exactly work for me. This book had a bad habit of just kind of telling us things instead of showing them naturally through the story. Violet mentions to Maud at one point that she doesn't like blood, and it's not long before we the reader are treated to her traumatic backstory as to why she doesn't like blood, and I'm like, really there's no other way we could have found this out? And later, when we get more info about the Forysthia Club It shows up in another way with Ross, where the narrative mentions many times that magic affects him differently, to a point where it felt like way too blatant sequel bait.
And another issue I had with the book was that the sex scenes were just... pretty dang awkward. I mean as a gay man I don't have a whole lot of experience of women having sex together, but there's stuff like "She smelled of skin and sugar and some humid summer mixture of turned earth and wet city pavements.” and "Watching the phallus disappear inside Violet made her own cunt clench in wistful sympathy. Her breath jolted out like a carriage over cobbles.” and lusting over feet veins and I was just there wondering is this all meant to be appealing to someone? It was all just so awkward, and I remember thinking the sex scenes in the first one were a bit awkward too, so maybe they're just not the author's thing...
ALL that said, I still find myself invested in the world and would like to see how this story ends, there were some fun parts of the book (especially with the villain at the end), and I actually enjoyed Hawthorn and Ross together and am hoping that if the next book isn't about Robin and Edwin again, that it'll at least be about Hawthorn and Ross. My feelings towards A Marvelous Light make me want to give this a higher score, but unfortunately I still found myself bored most of the time and overall didn't really enjoy this book
November 5, 2022
On my blog.
Actual rating 3.5
Rep: lesbian mc, bi mc, bi side character
Galley provided by publisher
A Restless Truth is, I think, a book which benefited from my having a clearer idea of what this series is aiming to be. That is, I would primarily call this a romance series, with a little plot which links the books together. I didn’t understand that while reading A Marvellous Light, but now I do. As such, I think I enjoyed this one a lot more.
The story picks up not long after the ending of A Marvellous Light, only this time we’re following Maud, who is journeying back from America in the company of one of the people Robin and Edwin have been searching for. Only, things come a little unstuck when the lady winds up murdered.
As I said at the start, knowing more about how the book would go actually helped my enjoyment of it. My main issue in the first book was the lack of balance between the mystery and romance aspects of the plot, along with some handwaving over the worldbuilding. The latter is still there, obviously, but the former has improved twofold: firstly, due to what I expected from the book, and secondly, I genuinely think this one has a better balance between those aspects.
It also helped that, while I did like the cast of the first book, I so much more liked the cast of the second. They really hit every sweet spot, and make me so so excited for book 3 (that is, if I think who the leads are going to be is correct, and I’m reasonably certain of it). I can’t wait to see what happens when these four collide with Robin, Edwin and Adelaide. I predict chaos in the best way possible.
The plot too, I think, was better paced than the previous book—I just remember a large chunk of that where anything mystery-related and therefore, presumably, quite time sensitive, took a backseat and I got bored. There was none of that here, really. Yes, there were scenes which, despite the fact I liked them, I was a little confused how they added to the plot, but overall it was much better in that respect.
Really, if I had to make any complaint about this book, it’s that it’s made me obsessively stuck on thinking about the potential book 3 characters for weeks now. I don’t have time for this! I need my brain back! And they weren’t even the main characters. (Which, by the way, is a hint for you to get reading this series.)
Actual rating 3.5
Rep: lesbian mc, bi mc, bi side character
Galley provided by publisher
A Restless Truth is, I think, a book which benefited from my having a clearer idea of what this series is aiming to be. That is, I would primarily call this a romance series, with a little plot which links the books together. I didn’t understand that while reading A Marvellous Light, but now I do. As such, I think I enjoyed this one a lot more.
The story picks up not long after the ending of A Marvellous Light, only this time we’re following Maud, who is journeying back from America in the company of one of the people Robin and Edwin have been searching for. Only, things come a little unstuck when the lady winds up murdered.
As I said at the start, knowing more about how the book would go actually helped my enjoyment of it. My main issue in the first book was the lack of balance between the mystery and romance aspects of the plot, along with some handwaving over the worldbuilding. The latter is still there, obviously, but the former has improved twofold: firstly, due to what I expected from the book, and secondly, I genuinely think this one has a better balance between those aspects.
It also helped that, while I did like the cast of the first book, I so much more liked the cast of the second. They really hit every sweet spot, and make me so so excited for book 3 (that is, if I think who the leads are going to be is correct, and I’m reasonably certain of it). I can’t wait to see what happens when these four collide with Robin, Edwin and Adelaide. I predict chaos in the best way possible.
The plot too, I think, was better paced than the previous book—I just remember a large chunk of that where anything mystery-related and therefore, presumably, quite time sensitive, took a backseat and I got bored. There was none of that here, really. Yes, there were scenes which, despite the fact I liked them, I was a little confused how they added to the plot, but overall it was much better in that respect.
Really, if I had to make any complaint about this book, it’s that it’s made me obsessively stuck on thinking about the potential book 3 characters for weeks now. I don’t have time for this! I need my brain back! And they weren’t even the main characters. (Which, by the way, is a hint for you to get reading this series.)
October 24, 2024
ˋ°•*⁀➷
2nd read
: [4.5 ✰] this was as splendid as ever !! the writing did improve upon reading, and the plethora of character-specific, florid metaphors did make the sex scenes js jump of the page. i will say this is something you have to be in the mood for when you're (re)reading, because i, unfortunately, lost interest halfway through, and thus the flowery, simile-drenched writing became a double-edged sword and was a slog to get through. my mind kept wandering and i had to reread lines over and over again to get them to sink in. i did finally put my foot down, and decided i would finish this, along with pride and prejudice (review to come!) to clear reading space for the five carefully curated books i plan to start reading soon, and thus the ending was thus a relief which i gratefully welcomed. i decided to revisit this book because of the singular way freya marske explores her characters' traumas, and it did not disappoint !! i still maintain that violet lies somewhere between mitski's a pearl and first love / late spring. also, rereading this after finally seeing titanic i noticed the less-than-subtle references sprinkled heavily through the book. freya really couldn't help herself lol
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 1st read : [4 ✰] I enjoyed this more than the previous book in the series. this is partly because I find historical fiction (and perhaps all literature?) more interesting and compelling when it's told from a feminine perspective, and partly because it was more interesting and compelling. it was certainly more action-filled. the only thing that bothered me was the same as in the previous book; the slippery and slightly confusing way the author went about describing the character's emotions. purple prose is all good and lovely for almost everything else, but I feel as an author your readers must be able to have a clear understanding of the characters' emotions, or else what's the point? either that or I just didn't get it lol
I do hope something improves in the next book.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 1st read : [4 ✰] I enjoyed this more than the previous book in the series. this is partly because I find historical fiction (and perhaps all literature?) more interesting and compelling when it's told from a feminine perspective, and partly because it was more interesting and compelling. it was certainly more action-filled. the only thing that bothered me was the same as in the previous book; the slippery and slightly confusing way the author went about describing the character's emotions. purple prose is all good and lovely for almost everything else, but I feel as an author your readers must be able to have a clear understanding of the characters' emotions, or else what's the point? either that or I just didn't get it lol
I do hope something improves in the next book.
November 7, 2023
YES HELLO I LOVED THIS BOOK. The romance, the plot, everything just worked for me in this one. The whole book takes place on a ship travelling from New York to England, the ambiance and feel that the author created was fantastic. The fact that everyone was trapped on this boat heightened the suspense for me.
I absolutely loved both Maud and Violet, but I have to say that I really adored Maud. A born leader, I would follow her into any battle. The romance was both hot and swoony, the way Violet struggled to open up and reveal herself GAH.
All. The. Side. Characters. Seriously, I loved all the side characters. I am so glad I waited to read this right before the release of book 3 because I am chomping at the bit to read Hawthorn and Ross’ story.
There were some laugh out loud moments in this book, I cackled.
Highly recommend.
I absolutely loved both Maud and Violet, but I have to say that I really adored Maud. A born leader, I would follow her into any battle. The romance was both hot and swoony, the way Violet struggled to open up and reveal herself GAH.
All. The. Side. Characters. Seriously, I loved all the side characters. I am so glad I waited to read this right before the release of book 3 because I am chomping at the bit to read Hawthorn and Ross’ story.
There were some laugh out loud moments in this book, I cackled.
Highly recommend.
January 9, 2024
It’s Clue! on a boat with a parrot, a child-like lesbian, a mean bi woman, magical old ladies, and lots of food. There’s a grumpy lord. Lots of narrowed eyes and ankle-kicks. It was fine. It’s fine. I miss Robin, though.
December 20, 2024
Potent girls-eye view.
More kinds of magic (and sex)
than they ever knew.
More kinds of magic (and sex)
than they ever knew.
January 9, 2022
y’all DO NOT EVEN KNOW the JOY that awaits you i can’t fucking wait to hold this marvel in my hands and read it againnnb
March 7, 2023
This was so much fun! It's essentially a country-house murder mystery (closed set, limited number of possible culprits -- though the limited number is quite high, given that the "country house" is a passenger liner), with a twisty plot, engaging characters, and scorching sex. And some of the comic set pieces are screamingly funny. (Wait till you get to the discovery of illicit porn.)
Also, lord can Marske turn a phrase: "Violet is inside me, Maud thought, her whole body making a bewildered fist of itself around the sentence"; "I should have looked into this debauchery business long ago"; "The embroidered gauze layer of her gown floated and swayed, a bar behind the melody of her body"; "lace-making around the gaps in the information" ... You get the idea.
Pedantic rant upcoming:
I long for the days when copyeditors and proofreaders knew how to use "who" and "whom." "Whomever killed Mrs. Navenby," for example (not a spoiler! it happens almost immediately), s/b "Whoever killed ...," and this is why: The phrase "Whoever killed Mrs. Navenby" is a noun phrase in the nominative case -- that is, all those words together make up the subject of the sentence they're a part of. "WhoeverkilledMrs.Navenby was a monster," or whatever.
I always kind of feel bad for people who don't know how this works, because they invariably get scared and use the "whom" form when they don't need to. It's bad enough in contemporary books, but the main characters in A Restless Light would 100% have gotten it right, ditto the narrative voice, and it's so, so jarring when they don't.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Also, lord can Marske turn a phrase: "Violet is inside me, Maud thought, her whole body making a bewildered fist of itself around the sentence"; "I should have looked into this debauchery business long ago"; "The embroidered gauze layer of her gown floated and swayed, a bar behind the melody of her body"; "lace-making around the gaps in the information" ... You get the idea.
Pedantic rant upcoming:
I long for the days when copyeditors and proofreaders knew how to use "who" and "whom." "Whomever killed Mrs. Navenby," for example (not a spoiler! it happens almost immediately), s/b "Whoever killed ...," and this is why: The phrase "Whoever killed Mrs. Navenby" is a noun phrase in the nominative case -- that is, all those words together make up the subject of the sentence they're a part of. "WhoeverkilledMrs.Navenby was a monster," or whatever.
I always kind of feel bad for people who don't know how this works, because they invariably get scared and use the "whom" form when they don't need to. It's bad enough in contemporary books, but the main characters in A Restless Light would 100% have gotten it right, ditto the narrative voice, and it's so, so jarring when they don't.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
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