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A seamstress who stitches magic into clothing finds herself torn between loyalty to her brother and her secret love for a nobleman in this debut fantasy inspired by the French Revolution.
In a time of revolution, everyone must take a side.
Sophie, a dressmaker and charm caster, has lifted her family out of poverty with a hard-won reputation for beautiful ball gowns and discreetly embroidered spells. A commission from the royal family could secure her future -- and thrust her into a dangerous new world.
Revolution is brewing. As Sophie's brother, Kristos, rises to prominence in the growing anti-monarchist movement, it is only a matter of time before their fortunes collide.
When the unrest erupts into violence, she and Kristos are drawn into a deadly magical plot. Sophie is torn -- between her family and her future.
In a time of revolution, everyone must take a side.
Sophie, a dressmaker and charm caster, has lifted her family out of poverty with a hard-won reputation for beautiful ball gowns and discreetly embroidered spells. A commission from the royal family could secure her future -- and thrust her into a dangerous new world.
Revolution is brewing. As Sophie's brother, Kristos, rises to prominence in the growing anti-monarchist movement, it is only a matter of time before their fortunes collide.
When the unrest erupts into violence, she and Kristos are drawn into a deadly magical plot. Sophie is torn -- between her family and her future.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2018
242 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
November 21, 2020
It's only fair that most of the dick-heads got to be wearing magicked phallos-shaped hats.
Take a small, nifty, menial job and carve it to fit your unique streak of something. Something magical! So, it's creative seamstress time! Luvve the concept!
The feminist angle is presented really well. No rah-rah, gah-gah stuff but in a clear-headed way. Nicely done.
Q:
Owning a shop came with responsibility that Kristos couldn’t even fathom, and it was weighing on me tonight. (c)
Q:
Bright, quick with a pen, and conversationally competent in Fenian and Pellian as well as Galatine, he would have been a fine university scholar had he been born to the nobility... (c)
Q:
“That sounds promising,” I said, even though the promise wasn’t one I was fond of. (c)
Q:
Coverture laws risked my business, but a dalliance that resulted in rumors or, worse, pregnancy could be devastating, too. Romance was a dangerous game, its stakes too high. So I didn’t play. (c)
Q:
It didn’t matter that a laborer was a woman—until it did. The limits that marriage and children would place on me were plain, and were plain to any woman. (c)
Q:
My anti-monarchist brother meeting the duke who walked me home—that would go over like a tavern song in the cathedral. (с)
Q:
Take a small, nifty, menial job and carve it to fit your unique streak of something. Something magical! So, it's creative seamstress time! Luvve the concept!
The feminist angle is presented really well. No rah-rah, gah-gah stuff but in a clear-headed way. Nicely done.
Q:
Owning a shop came with responsibility that Kristos couldn’t even fathom, and it was weighing on me tonight. (c)
Q:
Bright, quick with a pen, and conversationally competent in Fenian and Pellian as well as Galatine, he would have been a fine university scholar had he been born to the nobility... (c)
Q:
“That sounds promising,” I said, even though the promise wasn’t one I was fond of. (c)
Q:
Coverture laws risked my business, but a dalliance that resulted in rumors or, worse, pregnancy could be devastating, too. Romance was a dangerous game, its stakes too high. So I didn’t play. (c)
Q:
It didn’t matter that a laborer was a woman—until it did. The limits that marriage and children would place on me were plain, and were plain to any woman. (c)
Q:
My anti-monarchist brother meeting the duke who walked me home—that would go over like a tavern song in the cathedral. (с)
Q:
March 20, 2018
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
Upon reading the synopsis, I thought this novel would float me boat. But I just could not finish it and had to abandon ship at 80%. Why ye ask? Well for a myriad of reasons:
- Sophie – She is the main character and at first I really liked her. She was hard-working, dedicated, driven, intelligent, and fun. But basically she is a character who waffles forever, makes the wrong choices every time, is extremely selfish, and doesn’t use her brain. People DIE because of her stupidity and yet even that doesn’t help her decide. By doing nothing (but lying) she creates a situation that could have been solved in the very beginning just by turning the bad man into the police. I kept waiting for her to fix her own mistakes and instead (at 80%) she FINALLY makes a decision and then runs to a man to whine and ask for help. That was the point where I had to stop reading. Ugh.
- The Magic – Sophie is a seamstress who sews magic into clothing with her stiches. This aspect of the novel was awesome. It just really didn’t get used to its potential. I wanted to see more of the magic in action, not just hear about some of the small things it could do as an aside.
- The Love Story – Sigh. Insta-lust turned into love in a couple of weeks. She is a commoner. He is a noble. Star-crossed lovers that ye be supposed to cheer for. But I didn’t really.
- The Love Interest – Okay so despite disliking the insta-lust, I did like a couple of things about Sophie’s man. He is a botanist and a violinist. He has an eye for artistry. He is strong and intelligent. But oh so naïve. The “commoners live like this?” and “well yes we are so rich but we have responsibilities that are given to us by birth and oh it’s so hard” kinda crap. Sophie of course opens his eyes to the common folk problems while he wines, dines, and seduces her with his charm and riches.
- The Brother – Sophie’s brother is frankly an ass. Everything she does is because her brother always gets his way and she loves him. Is civil war worth saving yer selfish idealistic stupid brother. Ummm apparently yes. And then the plot twist happens and Sophie sees the truth! Well it was apparent to this pirate Captain from the beginning.
- The Bad Guy – He seemingly wants to bring down society in flames because of revenge. But his sister was spurned! Her reputation was ruined! So isn’t it justice? No it’s because he doesn’t feel important enough and no one realizes his superiority and intelligent. Bah!
- The Hired Help – I actually loved the girls working in the shop with Sophie. But in her selfishness she really treats them like crap and they deserved better. I wanted to see more of the good aspects of the friendships that were hinted at the beginning of the novel.
- The Pacing – It took forever to get into the story and was rather repetitive. We had to hear about brother’s beautiful writing, the anger of the populace, how nobles are evil, and the taverns meetings a bit too much. Poor = grumpy. Nobles = evil. Sophie needs nobles and money to survive. Seriously for something that simplistic, the author pointed it out an awful lot. There was no real build up or action. Most of that happened off the page. Instead we get Sophie waffling and visiting the rich people artists’ salon.
I kept reading because I wanted to see how Sophie used her magic to solve the problem. When she ran to lover-boy for help I got grumpy. When he agreed to help her without any commentary about her mistakes or stupidity because he loved her so, I had to stop. With so many books on the horizon, I just gave up. I want me reading to make time seem to disappear, not to accentuate every second passing. I am sad, but I couldn’t fight the tide.
I wish this one would have focused on the magic and had Sophie be a strong woman and not an idiot. I loved the sewing magic!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Orbit!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
Upon reading the synopsis, I thought this novel would float me boat. But I just could not finish it and had to abandon ship at 80%. Why ye ask? Well for a myriad of reasons:
- Sophie – She is the main character and at first I really liked her. She was hard-working, dedicated, driven, intelligent, and fun. But basically she is a character who waffles forever, makes the wrong choices every time, is extremely selfish, and doesn’t use her brain. People DIE because of her stupidity and yet even that doesn’t help her decide. By doing nothing (but lying) she creates a situation that could have been solved in the very beginning just by turning the bad man into the police. I kept waiting for her to fix her own mistakes and instead (at 80%) she FINALLY makes a decision and then runs to a man to whine and ask for help. That was the point where I had to stop reading. Ugh.
- The Magic – Sophie is a seamstress who sews magic into clothing with her stiches. This aspect of the novel was awesome. It just really didn’t get used to its potential. I wanted to see more of the magic in action, not just hear about some of the small things it could do as an aside.
- The Love Story – Sigh. Insta-lust turned into love in a couple of weeks. She is a commoner. He is a noble. Star-crossed lovers that ye be supposed to cheer for. But I didn’t really.
- The Love Interest – Okay so despite disliking the insta-lust, I did like a couple of things about Sophie’s man. He is a botanist and a violinist. He has an eye for artistry. He is strong and intelligent. But oh so naïve. The “commoners live like this?” and “well yes we are so rich but we have responsibilities that are given to us by birth and oh it’s so hard” kinda crap. Sophie of course opens his eyes to the common folk problems while he wines, dines, and seduces her with his charm and riches.
- The Brother – Sophie’s brother is frankly an ass. Everything she does is because her brother always gets his way and she loves him. Is civil war worth saving yer selfish idealistic stupid brother. Ummm apparently yes. And then the plot twist happens and Sophie sees the truth! Well it was apparent to this pirate Captain from the beginning.
- The Bad Guy – He seemingly wants to bring down society in flames because of revenge. But his sister was spurned! Her reputation was ruined! So isn’t it justice? No it’s because he doesn’t feel important enough and no one realizes his superiority and intelligent. Bah!
- The Hired Help – I actually loved the girls working in the shop with Sophie. But in her selfishness she really treats them like crap and they deserved better. I wanted to see more of the good aspects of the friendships that were hinted at the beginning of the novel.
- The Pacing – It took forever to get into the story and was rather repetitive. We had to hear about brother’s beautiful writing, the anger of the populace, how nobles are evil, and the taverns meetings a bit too much. Poor = grumpy. Nobles = evil. Sophie needs nobles and money to survive. Seriously for something that simplistic, the author pointed it out an awful lot. There was no real build up or action. Most of that happened off the page. Instead we get Sophie waffling and visiting the rich people artists’ salon.
I kept reading because I wanted to see how Sophie used her magic to solve the problem. When she ran to lover-boy for help I got grumpy. When he agreed to help her without any commentary about her mistakes or stupidity because he loved her so, I had to stop. With so many books on the horizon, I just gave up. I want me reading to make time seem to disappear, not to accentuate every second passing. I am sad, but I couldn’t fight the tide.
I wish this one would have focused on the magic and had Sophie be a strong woman and not an idiot. I loved the sewing magic!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Orbit!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
May 28, 2018
I received a free copy of this through Orbit/Net Galley - thanks!!!
This book immediately caught my attention because I love to knit, cross stitch and sew - the magic system in this book works through sewing! Yes please, I've never seen this done before. I had high hopes, and although the Victorian setting with a romance is NOT usually my thing, I still really enjoyed myself, and not just because of the magic system.
------------
Plot:
Sophie's parents were immigrants from an island country, Pellia, which is known for its "backwater charms" and "superstitions", most Gallation people don't approve or believe in charms or magic. However, that doesn't stop them from seeking them out from time to time, especially when it's rumored there's a young seamstress that weaves charms into dresses, handkerchiefs, and other things for a fee.
Sophie has worked incredibly hard to keep her and her brother afloat after the deaths of both her parents, her father died when they were young, and her mother recently passed away from a fever that spread through the city.
In order to keep a business running, you have to get an annual renewal contract, to do that, you have to prove that you're a viable business that earns decent money and has a good reputation. If the Lord of Coin decides you're not worthy, you could lose your entire livelihood. Sophie has been scraping her way up the ladder of customers from the common to the highest of nobility.
Things really turn around when she gets one of the highest nobles in the city, Lady Snowmont, as a customer. But, she turns into much more than just a customer, Lady Snowmont is obsessed with progress and art, she surrounds herself with people from all classes and professions looking for the best and the brightest. She's picked Sophie as one of her favorites, and through this plotline you get to see how the nobles are reacting to the continued dissatisfied public.
On the other side of this coin, Sophie has to placate her brother and try to keep him grounded and out of harm's way - because he wants to start a rebellion and make demands of the nobility to make the common citizen's life better. The commoners are tired of the Lord of Coin deciding if they have a right to their own shop, they're tired of the social structure, they're basically tired of everything.
What I really loved about this rebellion/war plotline is that it's over more mundane and practical reasons. Usually when I read about an upcoming war or civil unrest it's due to very dramatic circumstances, an heir has been murdered, people are being enslaved, there's a dark evil overlord etc etc. Not with this book, this reads much closer to actual history than most things I've read, and I found it absolutely fascinating.
Final Score: 15/15
I was completely engaged, there were no plot holes or "huh?" moments, and everything felt much more natural and realistic than the vast majority of things I've read in a long time.
-------------------------
Characters:
Sophie is our main character, and everything is seen through her eyes - but you get to see SO much because she's involved in three layers of this world, the Pellians who are sort of at the poverty level of society, the merchant class, and the upper class. The way the story was woven together let you see so much through just one person. The way she had to handle herself in each of these scenarios was different, and she moved through it gracefully. I think what's most fascinating is how gender played a big part in this book, but it did not feel like it was beating you over the head with it. It was nuanced and realistic. Sophie is 26 and unmarried, but not because she never had anyone interested - it's because all of her possessions and wealth would belong to her husband the moment she got married. The reason why more men were involved in the Red Caps (rebels) wasn't that they were more content with their lives, or weren't unhappy with the situation, it's because logistically they can't. Many women are caregivers for both their parents and their children or other members of their family like Sophie's brother. Single men do manual day labor, the job changes week to week and they have the freedom of caring just for themselves. When you don't have to worry about your shop being closed down which would leave your family hungry, (like many bakers, seamstresses, or innkeepers), you can risk more. Sophie gets so upset with her brother constantly trying to drag her into a rebellion that could close her shop, or get her arrested. Meanwhile, her brother, Kristos, thinks that she's choosing the nobilities side in the war. It's a pretty fascinating character interaction.
When I read that she didn't want to get married and gave really good reasons why, I thought I had hit a Victorian book without a romance. But, no ... there is a romance, and he's a noble who's good-hearted. At first, I was like "oh dear god no", I don't typically like the noble who doesn't want to be a noble and just wants to be a good Samaritan because it feels kind of forced. However, this botanist wanna be did eventually charm me... a bit. I didn't dislike him by the end of it, I would imagine that people who really like romance would love this. It's a slower burn, he's a decent person from the start, so it's not bad-guy-turned-nice-guy-cuz-love, I absolutely hate that.
Final Score: 13/15
Sophie's motivations were complex, but also clear - and she had a very distinct and strong voice. I found her incredibly easy to relate to and root for, reading about her was truly awesome.
-------------------------
World Building:
I've talked a lot about the world building just through the plot and character bits, so I'll keep this section briefer.
This sort of feels like France in the 1700s-ish, history isn't my strong suit so if this was based in a slightly different place or time period, my apologies. The way women couldn't own their own things, how the city was set up, and now the royalty functioned all gave me sort of a Victorian feel, but some of the names and terms sounded kind of French.
The politics and philosophy in this book were really a highlight, the dialogue between characters with opposing views was a GREAT way to explore the world building. It didn't come off as info-dumpy, it came across as natural debate dialogue. Fantastic.
The nobility in this book aren't painted as the bad guys either, you come to know and care about her love interest and Lady Snowmont. They seem to be listening, and want to try and make things work - but politics is tricky and getting everyone to agree on something almost never works.
The magic in this world is very subtle, and most people don't think it exists. The Pellian's are the most prominent as far as spell casters. When Sophie wants to weave a charm into cloth, she focuses on the emotions she wants to put into the spell, the thread starts to glow as if there's an inner light in the fabric, and the more stitches she puts into it, the stronger the charm. The magic isn't limited to thread, other people can cast onto clay tablets or use different herbs - but since Sophie is a seamstress that's the most common form of magic we see.
Final Score: 13/15
--------------------
Writing:
This was completely clean, as to be expected since this was traditionally published and received many different editing passes.
I actually loved the prose as well, it was descriptive but not overly so, and it focused a lot on clothing. This usually bothers me, but since she's a seamstress it flowed with the character and I really got into it.
The dialogue was the highlight for me though, the debates between characters and the hesitant romance were both really great.
Final Score: 13/15
----------------------
Pacing:
The flow was nice and even and built up towards the end, I would say the first third was the slower part because it was introducing you to the world and characters - but once the rebellion really started to kick into full swing it was fast paced from there
Final Score: 13/15
-----------------
Originality:
I can't say I've read any magic system like this before, the character was fresh and well developed and the interactions between her and the multilayered society was awesome. The writing style was immersive and different, and it helped the world building along through dialogue.
Final Score: 12/15
-------------------
Personal Enjoyment:
I truly enjoyed basically all of this, my only detraction is the romance - but that's totally a me thing. If I make it through a book and didn't completely loathe the romance that's a success in my book.
Final Score: 8.5/10
----------------
Final Score: 87.5/100
Damn good book, even that cover is stunning.
This book immediately caught my attention because I love to knit, cross stitch and sew - the magic system in this book works through sewing! Yes please, I've never seen this done before. I had high hopes, and although the Victorian setting with a romance is NOT usually my thing, I still really enjoyed myself, and not just because of the magic system.
------------
Plot:
Sophie's parents were immigrants from an island country, Pellia, which is known for its "backwater charms" and "superstitions", most Gallation people don't approve or believe in charms or magic. However, that doesn't stop them from seeking them out from time to time, especially when it's rumored there's a young seamstress that weaves charms into dresses, handkerchiefs, and other things for a fee.
Sophie has worked incredibly hard to keep her and her brother afloat after the deaths of both her parents, her father died when they were young, and her mother recently passed away from a fever that spread through the city.
In order to keep a business running, you have to get an annual renewal contract, to do that, you have to prove that you're a viable business that earns decent money and has a good reputation. If the Lord of Coin decides you're not worthy, you could lose your entire livelihood. Sophie has been scraping her way up the ladder of customers from the common to the highest of nobility.
Things really turn around when she gets one of the highest nobles in the city, Lady Snowmont, as a customer. But, she turns into much more than just a customer, Lady Snowmont is obsessed with progress and art, she surrounds herself with people from all classes and professions looking for the best and the brightest. She's picked Sophie as one of her favorites, and through this plotline you get to see how the nobles are reacting to the continued dissatisfied public.
On the other side of this coin, Sophie has to placate her brother and try to keep him grounded and out of harm's way - because he wants to start a rebellion and make demands of the nobility to make the common citizen's life better. The commoners are tired of the Lord of Coin deciding if they have a right to their own shop, they're tired of the social structure, they're basically tired of everything.
What I really loved about this rebellion/war plotline is that it's over more mundane and practical reasons. Usually when I read about an upcoming war or civil unrest it's due to very dramatic circumstances, an heir has been murdered, people are being enslaved, there's a dark evil overlord etc etc. Not with this book, this reads much closer to actual history than most things I've read, and I found it absolutely fascinating.
Final Score: 15/15
I was completely engaged, there were no plot holes or "huh?" moments, and everything felt much more natural and realistic than the vast majority of things I've read in a long time.
-------------------------
Characters:
Sophie is our main character, and everything is seen through her eyes - but you get to see SO much because she's involved in three layers of this world, the Pellians who are sort of at the poverty level of society, the merchant class, and the upper class. The way the story was woven together let you see so much through just one person. The way she had to handle herself in each of these scenarios was different, and she moved through it gracefully. I think what's most fascinating is how gender played a big part in this book, but it did not feel like it was beating you over the head with it. It was nuanced and realistic. Sophie is 26 and unmarried, but not because she never had anyone interested - it's because all of her possessions and wealth would belong to her husband the moment she got married. The reason why more men were involved in the Red Caps (rebels) wasn't that they were more content with their lives, or weren't unhappy with the situation, it's because logistically they can't. Many women are caregivers for both their parents and their children or other members of their family like Sophie's brother. Single men do manual day labor, the job changes week to week and they have the freedom of caring just for themselves. When you don't have to worry about your shop being closed down which would leave your family hungry, (like many bakers, seamstresses, or innkeepers), you can risk more. Sophie gets so upset with her brother constantly trying to drag her into a rebellion that could close her shop, or get her arrested. Meanwhile, her brother, Kristos, thinks that she's choosing the nobilities side in the war. It's a pretty fascinating character interaction.
When I read that she didn't want to get married and gave really good reasons why, I thought I had hit a Victorian book without a romance. But, no ... there is a romance, and he's a noble who's good-hearted. At first, I was like "oh dear god no", I don't typically like the noble who doesn't want to be a noble and just wants to be a good Samaritan because it feels kind of forced. However, this botanist wanna be did eventually charm me... a bit. I didn't dislike him by the end of it, I would imagine that people who really like romance would love this. It's a slower burn, he's a decent person from the start, so it's not bad-guy-turned-nice-guy-cuz-love, I absolutely hate that.
Final Score: 13/15
Sophie's motivations were complex, but also clear - and she had a very distinct and strong voice. I found her incredibly easy to relate to and root for, reading about her was truly awesome.
-------------------------
World Building:
I've talked a lot about the world building just through the plot and character bits, so I'll keep this section briefer.
This sort of feels like France in the 1700s-ish, history isn't my strong suit so if this was based in a slightly different place or time period, my apologies. The way women couldn't own their own things, how the city was set up, and now the royalty functioned all gave me sort of a Victorian feel, but some of the names and terms sounded kind of French.
The politics and philosophy in this book were really a highlight, the dialogue between characters with opposing views was a GREAT way to explore the world building. It didn't come off as info-dumpy, it came across as natural debate dialogue. Fantastic.
The nobility in this book aren't painted as the bad guys either, you come to know and care about her love interest and Lady Snowmont. They seem to be listening, and want to try and make things work - but politics is tricky and getting everyone to agree on something almost never works.
The magic in this world is very subtle, and most people don't think it exists. The Pellian's are the most prominent as far as spell casters. When Sophie wants to weave a charm into cloth, she focuses on the emotions she wants to put into the spell, the thread starts to glow as if there's an inner light in the fabric, and the more stitches she puts into it, the stronger the charm. The magic isn't limited to thread, other people can cast onto clay tablets or use different herbs - but since Sophie is a seamstress that's the most common form of magic we see.
Final Score: 13/15
--------------------
Writing:
This was completely clean, as to be expected since this was traditionally published and received many different editing passes.
I actually loved the prose as well, it was descriptive but not overly so, and it focused a lot on clothing. This usually bothers me, but since she's a seamstress it flowed with the character and I really got into it.
The dialogue was the highlight for me though, the debates between characters and the hesitant romance were both really great.
Final Score: 13/15
----------------------
Pacing:
The flow was nice and even and built up towards the end, I would say the first third was the slower part because it was introducing you to the world and characters - but once the rebellion really started to kick into full swing it was fast paced from there
Final Score: 13/15
-----------------
Originality:
I can't say I've read any magic system like this before, the character was fresh and well developed and the interactions between her and the multilayered society was awesome. The writing style was immersive and different, and it helped the world building along through dialogue.
Final Score: 12/15
-------------------
Personal Enjoyment:
I truly enjoyed basically all of this, my only detraction is the romance - but that's totally a me thing. If I make it through a book and didn't completely loathe the romance that's a success in my book.
Final Score: 8.5/10
----------------
Final Score: 87.5/100
Damn good book, even that cover is stunning.
September 20, 2022
Many thanks for the ARC go to Orbit, Miller, and Netgalley in exchange for my unbiased review.
April 18, 2020
3.75 stars
This was very enjoyable overall. The writing style alone made it a pleasure to read.
Sophie is a seamstress, eking out a living by trying to attract rich clients among the nobility. She has the ability to sew charms into her products, often considered a superstition by the general population. Her brother is a revolutionary idealist, much like Enjolras.
Sophie doesn’t want any trouble to threaten her livelihood and tries to stay neutral. The story is good at showing all sides in the brewing conflict; nobody is entirely good or bad.
The only thing that bothered me was this worn-out trope: So that ruined about a third of the book for me. Otherwise, the pacing and characters and world and magic are excellent. I loved watching how Sophie ran her business and all the cultures and customs of the different countries mingling.
Also pretty good editing except for a blatant misspelled word.
No strong language that I can remember – mild violence – a couple fade-to-black sex scenes
Book Blog
This was very enjoyable overall. The writing style alone made it a pleasure to read.
Sophie is a seamstress, eking out a living by trying to attract rich clients among the nobility. She has the ability to sew charms into her products, often considered a superstition by the general population. Her brother is a revolutionary idealist, much like Enjolras.
Sophie doesn’t want any trouble to threaten her livelihood and tries to stay neutral. The story is good at showing all sides in the brewing conflict; nobody is entirely good or bad.
The only thing that bothered me was this worn-out trope: So that ruined about a third of the book for me. Otherwise, the pacing and characters and world and magic are excellent. I loved watching how Sophie ran her business and all the cultures and customs of the different countries mingling.
Also pretty good editing except for a blatant misspelled word.
No strong language that I can remember – mild violence – a couple fade-to-black sex scenes
Book Blog
November 15, 2018
Picked up this book from a list that told me if I liked Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic (specifically Sandry with her stitch witch talents), I should read this book. A seamstress that can backstitch charms into her clothes, a politically torn city, nobles and strife, romance, and just our main character caught in the middle. What's not to like?
So for the first half of the book, I really enjoyed pretty much everything (the setting, the characters, the plot, the way Miller set up the stage for differences in class strife). I thought Sophie was great for the first half of the book.
And then towards the second half of the book where everything started getting more serious, we meet her noble romantic love interest, everything suddenly starts becoming not so great.
First. It is such a small world that there are not enough characters with different motives. A revolution or a coup has so many different factors that I simply cannot believe that everything would hinge on Sophie and her skills as a seamstress. Both creating an assassination plot as well as saving plots as well as saving entire armies.
Second. The politics. I am actually annoyed that Miller didn't spend more time on describing the politics because I strongly disagree with Sophie. While Sophie is purported to be "torn between classes", it is very clear that she actually only supports nobles. And Miller somehow justifies this by saying "oh nobles have a lot of work to oversee the land". Ummmm? I really have not heard a good argument for a ruling class that gets to rule by birthright lording it over the plebs. Sure, violence is wrong and it would be great to not have a bloody revolutions - but the way Miller handles this coup seems a little like she supports a noble class mentality. Sure, that might change later, but it leaves a bit of a question of ooookay is this girl honestly supporting the noble class?
And this is absolutely a digression, but she basically reminds me of the people who support oppression because she is not the lowest class - she reaps small benefits from being close to the oppressors and won't give them up to help people who are completely oppressed. It is not a quality I want to see in my main characters (if they are a hero character and not an anti-hero).
Third. The romance. I was actually very cool with the romance until suddenly Theodore develops certain skills. Yeahhhhh. No. Not all main characters need to be special. And then how he decides that he serious about her.
Regardless. My main problem is actually the first one I mentioned. I don't believe the coup is realistic with regards to how important Sophie is.
Great start. Poor finish. Not sure if I would read the second book. 2.5 stars rounded down. But I do think that some people will not be bothered as much as I am. So still a decent book.
So for the first half of the book, I really enjoyed pretty much everything (the setting, the characters, the plot, the way Miller set up the stage for differences in class strife). I thought Sophie was great for the first half of the book.
And then towards the second half of the book where everything started getting more serious, we meet her noble romantic love interest, everything suddenly starts becoming not so great.
First. It is such a small world that there are not enough characters with different motives. A revolution or a coup has so many different factors that I simply cannot believe that everything would hinge on Sophie and her skills as a seamstress. Both creating an assassination plot as well as saving plots as well as saving entire armies.
Second. The politics. I am actually annoyed that Miller didn't spend more time on describing the politics because I strongly disagree with Sophie. While Sophie is purported to be "torn between classes", it is very clear that she actually only supports nobles. And Miller somehow justifies this by saying "oh nobles have a lot of work to oversee the land". Ummmm? I really have not heard a good argument for a ruling class that gets to rule by birthright lording it over the plebs. Sure, violence is wrong and it would be great to not have a bloody revolutions - but the way Miller handles this coup seems a little like she supports a noble class mentality. Sure, that might change later, but it leaves a bit of a question of ooookay is this girl honestly supporting the noble class?
And this is absolutely a digression, but she basically reminds me of the people who support oppression because she is not the lowest class - she reaps small benefits from being close to the oppressors and won't give them up to help people who are completely oppressed. It is not a quality I want to see in my main characters (if they are a hero character and not an anti-hero).
Third. The romance. I was actually very cool with the romance until suddenly Theodore develops certain skills. Yeahhhhh. No. Not all main characters need to be special. And then how he decides that he serious about her.
Regardless. My main problem is actually the first one I mentioned. I don't believe the coup is realistic with regards to how important Sophie is.
Great start. Poor finish. Not sure if I would read the second book. 2.5 stars rounded down. But I do think that some people will not be bothered as much as I am. So still a decent book.
April 17, 2018
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/0...
Torn by Rowenna Miller was just a joy to read. I loved the concept of integrating magic with sewing and quickly found myself swept away into the world and character of Sophie. She is innovative, independent and loyal, though her loyalties wind up rather divided, putting her in a hard position.
This is set very much in a have/have-nots world with the elite upper class, and the lower working class. The rich have an extreme amount of control. To even attempt to start a business, one must apply for a permit and most applications are quickly denied. And if there is an existing business that you would be competition for? Don’t even think about it. It adds enormous barriers for residents to raise themselves to a better quality of life. Sophie is a minority in addition to being from the lower class part of town, but has worked hard and risen to a respectible position that serves the upper class. She even runs her own shop and even has a couple of employees, which can seem like an unattainable dream for someone with her background and position. Charms were not historically desirable in the culture she is now a part of, however, most have been crude and written in clay. They were not fashionable or interesting, and people generally doubt their power to actually work. They come across as a cheap novelty item one might buy in the street, like a worthless little trinket. But Shophie took the charmcasting that is known for people of her heritage and offered it in a unique way that made it much more marketable and desirable. She has created a novel product by sewing charms directly into items that people would actually use and want without the charm. And then, her clients started telling stories about how the charms do actually work, and well, business took off.
This is very much a character driven story and since I felt a connection to Sophie immediately, it worked incredibly well for me. But there are also intriguing things going on in the world. I always love a good political uprising, and this book delivered that as well. There is an uprising brewing as a group is trying to organize political reform that will remove power from the upper class and allow the general masses to have a say in government, to have the right to attempt start businesses on their own terms. Sophie finds herself in a hard position as the clients that have allowed her business to grow and thrive are all targets of this reform. And if they leave or lose their wealth, Sophie’s business won’t survive. On the other hand, she wants others to have the same chances she had. She recognizes that her permit for her business could have been denied, and each year when its time to renew, she knows it can always be revoked at the whim of whoever is in charge.
My only word of (very slight) caution, is that there is some serious insta-love in this, but I found I really didnt mind it this time. The story was very well written, I loved Sophie’s character, and I quickly wanted her to have whatever her heart desired. Even if that meant wanting her to have her insta-love. I know this is a negative trigger for many readers, myself often included, so I did want to at least put in a soft forwarning about it. Know what you are in for and maybe you won’t be as bothered by it.
Overall, I can say I highly recommend this one. It has fun, excitement, and magic all sewn into one amazing story.
Torn by Rowenna Miller was just a joy to read. I loved the concept of integrating magic with sewing and quickly found myself swept away into the world and character of Sophie. She is innovative, independent and loyal, though her loyalties wind up rather divided, putting her in a hard position.
This is set very much in a have/have-nots world with the elite upper class, and the lower working class. The rich have an extreme amount of control. To even attempt to start a business, one must apply for a permit and most applications are quickly denied. And if there is an existing business that you would be competition for? Don’t even think about it. It adds enormous barriers for residents to raise themselves to a better quality of life. Sophie is a minority in addition to being from the lower class part of town, but has worked hard and risen to a respectible position that serves the upper class. She even runs her own shop and even has a couple of employees, which can seem like an unattainable dream for someone with her background and position. Charms were not historically desirable in the culture she is now a part of, however, most have been crude and written in clay. They were not fashionable or interesting, and people generally doubt their power to actually work. They come across as a cheap novelty item one might buy in the street, like a worthless little trinket. But Shophie took the charmcasting that is known for people of her heritage and offered it in a unique way that made it much more marketable and desirable. She has created a novel product by sewing charms directly into items that people would actually use and want without the charm. And then, her clients started telling stories about how the charms do actually work, and well, business took off.
This is very much a character driven story and since I felt a connection to Sophie immediately, it worked incredibly well for me. But there are also intriguing things going on in the world. I always love a good political uprising, and this book delivered that as well. There is an uprising brewing as a group is trying to organize political reform that will remove power from the upper class and allow the general masses to have a say in government, to have the right to attempt start businesses on their own terms. Sophie finds herself in a hard position as the clients that have allowed her business to grow and thrive are all targets of this reform. And if they leave or lose their wealth, Sophie’s business won’t survive. On the other hand, she wants others to have the same chances she had. She recognizes that her permit for her business could have been denied, and each year when its time to renew, she knows it can always be revoked at the whim of whoever is in charge.
My only word of (very slight) caution, is that there is some serious insta-love in this, but I found I really didnt mind it this time. The story was very well written, I loved Sophie’s character, and I quickly wanted her to have whatever her heart desired. Even if that meant wanting her to have her insta-love. I know this is a negative trigger for many readers, myself often included, so I did want to at least put in a soft forwarning about it. Know what you are in for and maybe you won’t be as bothered by it.
Overall, I can say I highly recommend this one. It has fun, excitement, and magic all sewn into one amazing story.
March 10, 2018
Torn by Rowenna Miller
4/5
I was given this title on behalf of NetGalley and the Publisher, Orbit Books - Orbit, in return for my Honest review.
Thank you. This was a really enjoyable read. I wasn't sure at first, and it did start slow, with a lot of detail. However it picked up quickly, and it did not disappoint! The editing was great, it was an arc, and had very problems. It was fluid and made sense the entire time. The plot was really interesting and I actually really liked the way it was worked.
Sophie is a seamstress, but not your ordinary one. No, she is the best at what she does. Sophie learned the Pellian magic young by her mothers side. However she crafted it so she could cast them into the stitching and charming the clothing!! Gowns, kerchiefs anything. Although some of the royals were her best customers, her brother made it hard for Sophie. Kristos was a part of The League, and they were rebels fighting the work ethics laid forth by the Royals. Last summer it ended in rampages and deaths. He often scared her, but more so with this new professor who is obsessed with Sophies' charm casting. He was beginning to talk treason and things were heightening. Then it happens, Kristos is gone, dead or missing. Which puts Sophie right in the middle of everything she didn't want to happen.
You will have to read on for more when the book releases March 20, 2018!! Surprising, and magical!! Sophies' female protagonist characteristics are amazing and awesome!!!
4/5
I was given this title on behalf of NetGalley and the Publisher, Orbit Books - Orbit, in return for my Honest review.
Thank you. This was a really enjoyable read. I wasn't sure at first, and it did start slow, with a lot of detail. However it picked up quickly, and it did not disappoint! The editing was great, it was an arc, and had very problems. It was fluid and made sense the entire time. The plot was really interesting and I actually really liked the way it was worked.
Sophie is a seamstress, but not your ordinary one. No, she is the best at what she does. Sophie learned the Pellian magic young by her mothers side. However she crafted it so she could cast them into the stitching and charming the clothing!! Gowns, kerchiefs anything. Although some of the royals were her best customers, her brother made it hard for Sophie. Kristos was a part of The League, and they were rebels fighting the work ethics laid forth by the Royals. Last summer it ended in rampages and deaths. He often scared her, but more so with this new professor who is obsessed with Sophies' charm casting. He was beginning to talk treason and things were heightening. Then it happens, Kristos is gone, dead or missing. Which puts Sophie right in the middle of everything she didn't want to happen.
You will have to read on for more when the book releases March 20, 2018!! Surprising, and magical!! Sophies' female protagonist characteristics are amazing and awesome!!!
April 7, 2018
6.5/10 - Reviews at Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
This was a bit of a disappointment. While I liked the first 1/4, the rest of the book didn't quite match up with the expectations I had going in.
Torn tells the story of a dressmaker named Sophie who has the ability to add charms (things like luck, protection, love) to the clothing she makes. She lives with her brother Kristos in Galitha City during a time of rising discontent within the working class. But Sophie isn't a would-be-revolutionary, handing out pamphlets and giving speeches; that would be her brother. She's just trying to run her business and keep them out of starvation. Except one day Kristos gets himself kidnapped. And Sophie must comply with the wishes of the kidnapper if he is to survive: make a piece of clothing that would help murder the royal family.
What this book isn't: a high-stakes political intrigue starring a perky young businesswoman who happens to get mixed up in a revolution.
What this book is: a languid, historical-fictionesque story with lots of political and economical talk, starring a perky young businesswoman whose brother happens to get mixed up in a revolution and she ends up trailing along by accident.
The worldbuilding is more sparse than I would have liked. It feels very much like a historical fiction with a dash of fantasy added, rather than the other way around, which again, was not what I had in mind. Galitha is very similar to 18th-century England, or pre-revolution France, with rising tensions between the elite and the working class.
The entire story takes place in Galitha City. For me, a good cityscape in a book feels like a living, breathing entity. There would be lush descriptions of all the mingling smells and sights and all the different districts that compose the organs of the city. In Torn, we don't really get that. We were sequestered to Sophie's shop, a lady's parlour, a couple of cafes and taverns, and a few other miscellaneous locations that felt isolated from the rest of the city. These places had little texture and there was no good sense of what the city as a whole looked like. What's more, the transitions between the locations felt choppy.
At first, all the political talks, cafe visits, and walks around the city were charming. There was a comforting laziness to it that made it different from any other fantasy stories I'd read recently. But after a while it got to the point where I was craving something more. More action, more tension, more involvement in the revolution plotline. Because even at the halfway mark, it was still a lot of just sitting around talking about the pending revolution and its players. It felt like there were two plotlines from two different novels: Sophie's and Kristo's. The former involved working at the dress shop, debating about politics at the parlour, and being courted by Duke Theodor. And the latter involved all the life-and-death, shaking-the-country's-foundation stuff. I can't tell you how many times I thought Kristos was probably having a more fun time than Sophie (and he's the one who got kidnapped!)
I liked Sophie as a protagonist for the most part. If you're tired of books that equate "strong" female protagonists with women who hate skirts and housework, then you'll love Sophie. It's not often we get a businesswoman--a dressmaker, at that--as a fantasy protagonist and I immediately took to her practical, no-nonsense attitude. I also empathized with her sentiments that, although she's Pellian (and her parents are Pellian immigrants), she's grown up in Galitha and thus feels a closer kinship with the country and its people. I'm not a stranger to people of my nationality--and people not of my nationality--saying that I should exhibit more patriotism, more interest towards my home country, so her internal struggles rang a chord with me.
My problem with her? She's passive. Not so much in terms of character, because she's obviously a self-sufficient woman who's unafraid of speaking her mind, but in terms of plot. She waits for things, like the rebellion, to happen to her before doing anything about it. She spends half the book repeating to herself that she doesn't know which side--the nobility or the common folk--she stands with, without making an effort to find an answer. It was utterly frustrating.
I also wasn't a fan of the romance between Sophie and Theodor, partly because I felt the author gave it precedence over the revolution plotline, and partly because I found Theodor somewhat bland. He is a pleasant enough character, however, and I did like his laid-back sense of humour:
He and Sophie have some interesting debates (because this book is full of debates on every possible subject).
My favourite part about the book, and the thing that really makes it stand out, is all the diverse, intrepid women surrounding Sophie.
These include painters, seamstresses, socialites, and history buffs of various nationality and class. The book gives you a little wink and a smile and tells you that there are no specific parameters of being a woman. You can love pretty clothes and makeup and tea parties and also be politically savvy, an artist, an entrepreneur, whatever. The whole story is distinctly feminist, with scenes of women propping up other women, and I loved that.
So if you're looking for something slow that features interesting female characters and lots and lots of political talk, then give Torn a shot. Alas, it just wasn't for me, and I don't know if I'll be continuing on with the series.
~
This is an honest review of an ARC provided by Orbit Books and Netgalley.
This was a bit of a disappointment. While I liked the first 1/4, the rest of the book didn't quite match up with the expectations I had going in.
Torn tells the story of a dressmaker named Sophie who has the ability to add charms (things like luck, protection, love) to the clothing she makes. She lives with her brother Kristos in Galitha City during a time of rising discontent within the working class. But Sophie isn't a would-be-revolutionary, handing out pamphlets and giving speeches; that would be her brother. She's just trying to run her business and keep them out of starvation. Except one day Kristos gets himself kidnapped. And Sophie must comply with the wishes of the kidnapper if he is to survive: make a piece of clothing that would help murder the royal family.
What this book isn't: a high-stakes political intrigue starring a perky young businesswoman who happens to get mixed up in a revolution.
What this book is: a languid, historical-fictionesque story with lots of political and economical talk, starring a perky young businesswoman whose brother happens to get mixed up in a revolution and she ends up trailing along by accident.
The worldbuilding is more sparse than I would have liked. It feels very much like a historical fiction with a dash of fantasy added, rather than the other way around, which again, was not what I had in mind. Galitha is very similar to 18th-century England, or pre-revolution France, with rising tensions between the elite and the working class.
The entire story takes place in Galitha City. For me, a good cityscape in a book feels like a living, breathing entity. There would be lush descriptions of all the mingling smells and sights and all the different districts that compose the organs of the city. In Torn, we don't really get that. We were sequestered to Sophie's shop, a lady's parlour, a couple of cafes and taverns, and a few other miscellaneous locations that felt isolated from the rest of the city. These places had little texture and there was no good sense of what the city as a whole looked like. What's more, the transitions between the locations felt choppy.
At first, all the political talks, cafe visits, and walks around the city were charming. There was a comforting laziness to it that made it different from any other fantasy stories I'd read recently. But after a while it got to the point where I was craving something more. More action, more tension, more involvement in the revolution plotline. Because even at the halfway mark, it was still a lot of just sitting around talking about the pending revolution and its players. It felt like there were two plotlines from two different novels: Sophie's and Kristo's. The former involved working at the dress shop, debating about politics at the parlour, and being courted by Duke Theodor. And the latter involved all the life-and-death, shaking-the-country's-foundation stuff. I can't tell you how many times I thought Kristos was probably having a more fun time than Sophie (and he's the one who got kidnapped!)
I liked Sophie as a protagonist for the most part. If you're tired of books that equate "strong" female protagonists with women who hate skirts and housework, then you'll love Sophie. It's not often we get a businesswoman--a dressmaker, at that--as a fantasy protagonist and I immediately took to her practical, no-nonsense attitude. I also empathized with her sentiments that, although she's Pellian (and her parents are Pellian immigrants), she's grown up in Galitha and thus feels a closer kinship with the country and its people. I'm not a stranger to people of my nationality--and people not of my nationality--saying that I should exhibit more patriotism, more interest towards my home country, so her internal struggles rang a chord with me.
My problem with her? She's passive. Not so much in terms of character, because she's obviously a self-sufficient woman who's unafraid of speaking her mind, but in terms of plot. She waits for things, like the rebellion, to happen to her before doing anything about it. She spends half the book repeating to herself that she doesn't know which side--the nobility or the common folk--she stands with, without making an effort to find an answer. It was utterly frustrating.
I also wasn't a fan of the romance between Sophie and Theodor, partly because I felt the author gave it precedence over the revolution plotline, and partly because I found Theodor somewhat bland. He is a pleasant enough character, however, and I did like his laid-back sense of humour:
"How long is dinner?" I chewed my lip. The longer the better.
"Probably four to six courses--not terribly long."
"That sounds like an eternity," I replied.
"Not compared to state dinners and wedding feasts. Twelve, fourteen courses--land sakes, you get sick of food." Theodor stopped himself. "Sometimes I can see why revolutionaries want us dead," he said ruefully.
He and Sophie have some interesting debates (because this book is full of debates on every possible subject).
My favourite part about the book, and the thing that really makes it stand out, is all the diverse, intrepid women surrounding Sophie.
Three ladies in elegant dishabille convened around a book bound in pink leather. I trained my ear toward them, expecting to hear a rehashing of a romantic novel. Instead, I caught snippets of a lively debate about labor economics.
These include painters, seamstresses, socialites, and history buffs of various nationality and class. The book gives you a little wink and a smile and tells you that there are no specific parameters of being a woman. You can love pretty clothes and makeup and tea parties and also be politically savvy, an artist, an entrepreneur, whatever. The whole story is distinctly feminist, with scenes of women propping up other women, and I loved that.
So if you're looking for something slow that features interesting female characters and lots and lots of political talk, then give Torn a shot. Alas, it just wasn't for me, and I don't know if I'll be continuing on with the series.
~
This is an honest review of an ARC provided by Orbit Books and Netgalley.
March 19, 2018
This review may also be found at Books, Vertigo and Tea.
TORN had already landed on my radar when I received word that a copy would be arriving. And it was not long into the book that it solidified its spot among many other anticipated releases and immediately took precedence over my current reads.
This is the story Sophie, and young seamstress who has the ability to cast charms into stitches and has succeeded in opening and establishing a successful business during a time when doing so is impossible for many. She has built an impressive list of clientele. Unfortunately, the nobles she depends on to maintain her business are also the very individuals her beloved brother Kristos is leading an anti-monarchist movement against, that threatens to turn violent revolution. Through her work, Sophie attracts the eye of a Duke that she soon develops feelings for. However, when Kristos is kidnapped and the ransom requires her to produce a cursed garment for the Queen, she soon finds herself TORN between her brother and community and her current life and beliefs.
TORN unravels at a leisurely pace that allows the reader to reflect and savor each moment. Full of political intrigue and moral dilemmas, it boasts a significant amount of character development in the unlikely form of a dressmaker. Sophie is charming and simplistic in the most elegant ways. While it is easy to understand Kristos’ desire to bring about change and crush the currently oppressive system, we are given a strong insight into Sophie’s own trials that allows us to understand why she struggles with his actions. I cheered Kristos for fighting the people’s fight but found myself unable to fault her for her inability to do the same. We are immersed in a world where we are given multiple sides of the coin. Soon learning of her fears for her brother’s safety, work ethics and desires for a more peaceful approach, Sophie easily won my respect and admiration in terms of protagonists. She presents a fascinating process of evolution as she is exposed to the system and attempts to come to term with greater knowledge and understanding.
I have to pause for a minute and reflect on the romance elements within TORN, as I am not normally a fan. Here, however, it unfolded in such a natural and almost charismatic way, that I admittedly found myself drawn back to her relationship with Duke Theodore. The additional element of an impossible affair thrust into the throngs of forthcoming revolution made this work on every level and upped the ante for our young heroine.
The magic system is not only original but sophisticated. The descriptive process of Sophie’s abilities to stitch charms and also see them being cast, accompanied by the explanations of the emotional impacts this had on her felt complete and beautifully balanced.
World build was slightly limited but not necessarily flawed. The settings coincide perfectly with the unfolding plot and I expect we will see much more in the second book.
Miller writes with a certain level of complexity that speaks of appreciation for her readers. Refusing to spoonfeed us all of the answers, she has built an intelligent system of politics and societal conflicts that not only allows but encourages us to form our own opinions. And there will be times that is not easy.
This is a delightfully surprising debut slow burn that fans of fantasy and political intrigue will find impossible to put down. I will be impatiently awaiting the sequel.
*I want to thank the publisher Orbit for this copy. The above review is my own, honest and unbiased opinion.
Devoured over a nice cup of Jasmine Oolong!
TORN had already landed on my radar when I received word that a copy would be arriving. And it was not long into the book that it solidified its spot among many other anticipated releases and immediately took precedence over my current reads.
This is the story Sophie, and young seamstress who has the ability to cast charms into stitches and has succeeded in opening and establishing a successful business during a time when doing so is impossible for many. She has built an impressive list of clientele. Unfortunately, the nobles she depends on to maintain her business are also the very individuals her beloved brother Kristos is leading an anti-monarchist movement against, that threatens to turn violent revolution. Through her work, Sophie attracts the eye of a Duke that she soon develops feelings for. However, when Kristos is kidnapped and the ransom requires her to produce a cursed garment for the Queen, she soon finds herself TORN between her brother and community and her current life and beliefs.
TORN unravels at a leisurely pace that allows the reader to reflect and savor each moment. Full of political intrigue and moral dilemmas, it boasts a significant amount of character development in the unlikely form of a dressmaker. Sophie is charming and simplistic in the most elegant ways. While it is easy to understand Kristos’ desire to bring about change and crush the currently oppressive system, we are given a strong insight into Sophie’s own trials that allows us to understand why she struggles with his actions. I cheered Kristos for fighting the people’s fight but found myself unable to fault her for her inability to do the same. We are immersed in a world where we are given multiple sides of the coin. Soon learning of her fears for her brother’s safety, work ethics and desires for a more peaceful approach, Sophie easily won my respect and admiration in terms of protagonists. She presents a fascinating process of evolution as she is exposed to the system and attempts to come to term with greater knowledge and understanding.
I have to pause for a minute and reflect on the romance elements within TORN, as I am not normally a fan. Here, however, it unfolded in such a natural and almost charismatic way, that I admittedly found myself drawn back to her relationship with Duke Theodore. The additional element of an impossible affair thrust into the throngs of forthcoming revolution made this work on every level and upped the ante for our young heroine.
The magic system is not only original but sophisticated. The descriptive process of Sophie’s abilities to stitch charms and also see them being cast, accompanied by the explanations of the emotional impacts this had on her felt complete and beautifully balanced.
World build was slightly limited but not necessarily flawed. The settings coincide perfectly with the unfolding plot and I expect we will see much more in the second book.
Miller writes with a certain level of complexity that speaks of appreciation for her readers. Refusing to spoonfeed us all of the answers, she has built an intelligent system of politics and societal conflicts that not only allows but encourages us to form our own opinions. And there will be times that is not easy.
This is a delightfully surprising debut slow burn that fans of fantasy and political intrigue will find impossible to put down. I will be impatiently awaiting the sequel.
*I want to thank the publisher Orbit for this copy. The above review is my own, honest and unbiased opinion.
Devoured over a nice cup of Jasmine Oolong!
May 28, 2018
I was immediately drawn to this book by its synopsis- seamstress who stitches magic into clothing?? That's a new one!
The book was a lot more political that I expected - I guess I was just anticipating a lighthearted fantasy romance. Not to say that this is a negative point- just not what I was personally looking for. The story seemed to drag, and the love between Sophie and Theodor was unconvincing to me. I feel as if a lot more could have been done with such a unique premise, and it fell short somehow.
Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
The book was a lot more political that I expected - I guess I was just anticipating a lighthearted fantasy romance. Not to say that this is a negative point- just not what I was personally looking for. The story seemed to drag, and the love between Sophie and Theodor was unconvincing to me. I feel as if a lot more could have been done with such a unique premise, and it fell short somehow.
Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 11, 2025
This book held my attention much better than many books have lately, but the more I think about it the more I think I dislike it?
Initially this book seemed like it was trying to critically engage with rebellion through the lens of a fairly centrist, "model minority" citizen. Throughout the book she'd be challenged with the corrupt system and her place in it, grappling with how she can take a more active role and affect change in her community for the better.
...and then it didn't.
I can't tell how much of this is a debut issue, a first book in the series with more growth saved for sequels issue, or genuinely just the author's worldview.
To sum this book up: White Lady politics.
See, it's very clear which side the author is on by which POV she chooses to write from, how she paints the other characters, and who has to apologize and grovel at the end of the book when it turns out they were wrong. (It seemed like she was trying to do a twist reveal but it was super, super telegraphed and made the opposition opinion seem much more villainous throughout the book without allowing for nuance or the reader to build positive feelings).
In the book, the main character has grown up as the child of immigrants from a country that is treated with prejudice. She's done well for herself thanks to her magical talents and a lot of luck, and even brushes elbows with the nobility. And it sucks because obviously the wealthy are going to be very poised and mannered, and the oppressed are going to be more emotional and violent. But the main character NEVER interrogates anything close to that and mostly clutches her pearls at the thought of regicide.
There's endless time to devoted to the right kind of nobility who simply can't imagine any nobles ever taking their duty lightly or abusing their position. And the main character is so smitten with him and his politics. He's given moments of growth where he can learn from her and become even more informed and better himself, while still always defending divine right.
Meanwhile the rebels are portrayed constantly as rabble rousers who are throwing rocks at beehives, completely unaware of the trouble they're stirring, and with very little on-page screentime to likewise interact with and grow alongside the main character.
Like the author knows the system is unfair, but somehow thinks the way to change things is to never bristle at injustice, be born super hot, have magic powers, be really single, and then a Prince falls in love with you and that's how you re-shape the world? ehhhhhhhh no.
Aside from the destination of this book being such a letdown.... nothing happens. The characters are neither rich nor interesting, the setting is mundane (her charms are both integral to the plot but also feel tacked on?), and it's mostly a lot of folks just talking at each other.
(She also always blames herself when bad actors do a murder instead of blaming the murderers who are trying to extort her???? Just a really childish way of interacting with the world and believing whatever propaganda and spin another character tells her.)
I'm now convinced that it was just the Moira Quirk effect making this book investing. And the actual book itself without a narrator? No, thank you.
The good news is this appears to be a debut. The bad news is the author didn't really inspire confidence that, as her writing improves, I'm gonna be interested in reading her worldview some more.
Initially this book seemed like it was trying to critically engage with rebellion through the lens of a fairly centrist, "model minority" citizen. Throughout the book she'd be challenged with the corrupt system and her place in it, grappling with how she can take a more active role and affect change in her community for the better.
...and then it didn't.
I can't tell how much of this is a debut issue, a first book in the series with more growth saved for sequels issue, or genuinely just the author's worldview.
To sum this book up: White Lady politics.
See, it's very clear which side the author is on by which POV she chooses to write from, how she paints the other characters, and who has to apologize and grovel at the end of the book when it turns out they were wrong. (It seemed like she was trying to do a twist reveal but it was super, super telegraphed and made the opposition opinion seem much more villainous throughout the book without allowing for nuance or the reader to build positive feelings).
In the book, the main character has grown up as the child of immigrants from a country that is treated with prejudice. She's done well for herself thanks to her magical talents and a lot of luck, and even brushes elbows with the nobility. And it sucks because obviously the wealthy are going to be very poised and mannered, and the oppressed are going to be more emotional and violent. But the main character NEVER interrogates anything close to that and mostly clutches her pearls at the thought of regicide.
There's endless time to devoted to the right kind of nobility who simply can't imagine any nobles ever taking their duty lightly or abusing their position. And the main character is so smitten with him and his politics. He's given moments of growth where he can learn from her and become even more informed and better himself, while still always defending divine right.
Meanwhile the rebels are portrayed constantly as rabble rousers who are throwing rocks at beehives, completely unaware of the trouble they're stirring, and with very little on-page screentime to likewise interact with and grow alongside the main character.
Like the author knows the system is unfair, but somehow thinks the way to change things is to never bristle at injustice, be born super hot, have magic powers, be really single, and then a Prince falls in love with you and that's how you re-shape the world? ehhhhhhhh no.
Aside from the destination of this book being such a letdown.... nothing happens. The characters are neither rich nor interesting, the setting is mundane (her charms are both integral to the plot but also feel tacked on?), and it's mostly a lot of folks just talking at each other.
(She also always blames herself when bad actors do a murder instead of blaming the murderers who are trying to extort her???? Just a really childish way of interacting with the world and believing whatever propaganda and spin another character tells her.)
I'm now convinced that it was just the Moira Quirk effect making this book investing. And the actual book itself without a narrator? No, thank you.
The good news is this appears to be a debut. The bad news is the author didn't really inspire confidence that, as her writing improves, I'm gonna be interested in reading her worldview some more.
February 10, 2019
3.5/5
Huh...so the first half was like 2-stars but the second half was like 4-stars. I DETEST how much of a pushover the main character is. Her brother's a piece of garbage and she just lets him abuse her! She finally grew a bit of a backbone but the author didn't ever redeem him well enough. He's just trash. I liked the politics and the romance and the magic though!
Huh...so the first half was like 2-stars but the second half was like 4-stars. I DETEST how much of a pushover the main character is. Her brother's a piece of garbage and she just lets him abuse her! She finally grew a bit of a backbone but the author didn't ever redeem him well enough. He's just trash. I liked the politics and the romance and the magic though!
July 1, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Politics and scandals and revolutions and dress making and magic and forbidden love. Omg so many good things. Especially loved that this was a fantasy novel with a 25 year d heroine who works her ass off for her business.
August 7, 2018
Full review is here, on my blog!~
This one gained my attention back when it first came out because it involves a magic system that involves sewing. I got the audiobook with the entire idea that I would do some cross stitching while listening to it, but it didn’t end up working out like that. Oh well! :D
This is the story of Sophie, who is a seamstress in the city of Galitha. Her and her brother Kristos are common folk in the city ruled by the noble class. Their parents both died some years earlier, and were originally from the country of Pellia, where charms and curses and other such superstitions and magical abilities are still fairly commonplace. Sophie learned from her mother how to cast charms, and now makes a decent living running her shop and discreetly selling charmed clothing to the nobles.
Kristos on the other hand, is part of a radical group of common folk who have become more vocal as tensions between the noble class and working classes have increased. The common class wants more equality and a say in lawmaking and whatnot, and the nobility is… well, the nobility. Kristos is quite involved with these rebels, right up until they take him hostage in order to force Sophie to use her ever increasing friendships with some of the nobles in the city to make a cursed bit of clothing for someone in the royal family.
So, Sophie finds herself in between doing as she must to see her brother safe again, and an increasingly serious relationship with one of the most noble of dukes in the city.
I thought this book was fantastically written, with lovely prose, and brought so much well described tension to the table at times that I had to take breaks because the tension and the emotion that this book threw at me was getting me all riled up. That’s a sign of good writing! I will admit that when I went in, I was not expecting this book to have a real good fist fight with my feels, but it certainly did. I liked Sophie as a character, and I really wanted her to succeed against the antagonists. The revolt that plays out over the course of the story was very well plotted out and unfolded in a way that I felt was believable and totally could have happened in real life. The magic system was really neat, and while the magic wasn’t really the driving force of the story, it definitely added a level of mystique to the whole thing. I enjoyed the romance that played out in this one as well.
It had absolutely wonderful narration as well from Moira Quirk, who made all the characters sound suitably different and gave even male characters, like Kristos and Theodor really great voices. I sometimes have a hard time with female narrators, but her voice is very pleasant to listen to, and this book, when I had time and inclination to listen, seemed to just fly right on by.
All told, it was a great use of 14 or so hours of your time, if you like books with an interesting and old-world feeling magic system, with sewing, and a well written and believable proletariat revolt, and a bit of romance all in one package.
This one gained my attention back when it first came out because it involves a magic system that involves sewing. I got the audiobook with the entire idea that I would do some cross stitching while listening to it, but it didn’t end up working out like that. Oh well! :D
This is the story of Sophie, who is a seamstress in the city of Galitha. Her and her brother Kristos are common folk in the city ruled by the noble class. Their parents both died some years earlier, and were originally from the country of Pellia, where charms and curses and other such superstitions and magical abilities are still fairly commonplace. Sophie learned from her mother how to cast charms, and now makes a decent living running her shop and discreetly selling charmed clothing to the nobles.
Kristos on the other hand, is part of a radical group of common folk who have become more vocal as tensions between the noble class and working classes have increased. The common class wants more equality and a say in lawmaking and whatnot, and the nobility is… well, the nobility. Kristos is quite involved with these rebels, right up until they take him hostage in order to force Sophie to use her ever increasing friendships with some of the nobles in the city to make a cursed bit of clothing for someone in the royal family.
So, Sophie finds herself in between doing as she must to see her brother safe again, and an increasingly serious relationship with one of the most noble of dukes in the city.
I thought this book was fantastically written, with lovely prose, and brought so much well described tension to the table at times that I had to take breaks because the tension and the emotion that this book threw at me was getting me all riled up. That’s a sign of good writing! I will admit that when I went in, I was not expecting this book to have a real good fist fight with my feels, but it certainly did. I liked Sophie as a character, and I really wanted her to succeed against the antagonists. The revolt that plays out over the course of the story was very well plotted out and unfolded in a way that I felt was believable and totally could have happened in real life. The magic system was really neat, and while the magic wasn’t really the driving force of the story, it definitely added a level of mystique to the whole thing. I enjoyed the romance that played out in this one as well.
It had absolutely wonderful narration as well from Moira Quirk, who made all the characters sound suitably different and gave even male characters, like Kristos and Theodor really great voices. I sometimes have a hard time with female narrators, but her voice is very pleasant to listen to, and this book, when I had time and inclination to listen, seemed to just fly right on by.
All told, it was a great use of 14 or so hours of your time, if you like books with an interesting and old-world feeling magic system, with sewing, and a well written and believable proletariat revolt, and a bit of romance all in one package.
April 3, 2018
This is a book I was very excited about, as it features two things I'm very into: textile arts (in this case, sewing) and PLANS TO OVERTHROW THE MONARCHY #TIME4THEPITCHFORKS.
It's set in Galitha City, the capital of an 18th century-like country, and follows Sophie, a dressmaker with a magical talent for sewing good luck charms into clothing. She and her brother, Kristos, had struggled to scrape by when they were young, but now her little dressmaking shop is picking up and she's even attracting clients from the nobility. In contrast, Kristos is dissatisfied with the inequality around them and has become involved in an anti-monarchist, pro-workers' rights movement. Sophie is thus caught between two sides: her business that she's put so much effort into as well as her noble connections (who are slowly becoming friends — and more), and her community's struggle for equality as well as the only family she has left. When a radical faction threatens Kristos in order to pressure her into sewing a curse into a garment for the queen, Sophie has to finally decide where her loyalties lie.
What I most appreciated about this book is the amount of attention paid to the complex mixture of various factions and factors involved. The tensions aren't just between common folk and nobility. Sophie and Kristos are second-generation immigrants whose parents are from the "backwater" country of Pellia. Pellians generally live in their own quarter and are not well-regarded by the average Galithan; although Sophie knows basically nothing about her parents' homeland, her looks still mark her as "other". Moreover, her brother and his — mainly male — revolutionary friends struggle to understand Sophie's specific problems as a female business owner: e.g. if she marries, by law her property will be passed to her husband. On the political front, there's also a bit of inter-country meddling (a country in revolt is a delightfully weak country); on the personal front, there's a few grudges that cloud the idea of "just for the good of the people".
This is thus a very political book, in the sense that it's concerned with exploring political ideas around in a ~18th century setting. A lot of it is spent in debate and discussion: the idea of noblesse oblige, peaceful campaigning vs bloody revolt... One tidbit that made me grin was Kristos scoffing at the public schools the nobility had opened, reminding Sophie that the real reason behind this apparent generosity was spreading a standard language so that peasants conscripted into the national army could understand their officers. That's just not a point I see very often outside of my linguistics classes! The situation is so complex and intricate that two-thirds of the way through the book I suddenly realised I actually had no idea who I wanted to "win" in the end.
A book that focuses so much on character interaction is only as good as those characters. I thought they tread the line between sympathetic and frustrating in an interesting way. Sophie is by nature cautious, pragmatic, and prefers the status quo; she's truly just a "little person" swept up by the problems of the times. I thus found her reactions very understandable and realistic... but also couldn't help wanting to shake her and yell, "How can you be so sympathetic to these nobles, they were dining on 12-course meals while you were digging for scraps in the trash!" I look forward to seeing how she develops in the sequel.
Of the other major characters, Kristos is a mixture of superb rhetorician and a bit of a man-child in his personal life; the nobility Sophie meets, including a duke she falls for, are kind and fun but embarrassingly privileged and out-of-touch; her two assistants are hard-working and sweet but one is immature and the other a tad xenophobic. To be honest, I did feel that to make the situation less black-and-white all the noble characters were made a lot more personally likable than everyone else. Nevertheless, I liked how realistic the characters' flaws and the interactions between them were. The one unfortunate exception is the romance between Sophie and the duke, which for me progressed too quickly from a little side flirtation to full-blown romance.
One last aspect of Torn I loved is the magic system itself. Magic is created via art: usually by inscribing little clay tablets with symbols, but Sophie uses embroidery to "stitch" the charm into a garment and even an ephemeral art like singing can be used. I also enjoyed how fluid the charming and cursing was; it's more about good/bad luck, e.g. luck in love, or a fisherman having a good haul that day, than a concrete magical effect. It reminded me of traditional beliefs in concepts like the "evil eye" in a fun way. The attitude towards magic is interesting too: in Galitha it's only practiced by the Pellians and is consequently mainly seen as a quaint little cottage industry. Because it's not well-respected, instead of a magic academy, the practitioners themselves (mainly women) exchange tips and tricks in get-togethers similar to knitting circles, which I also loved.
In short, I thought that although Torn had a couple issues, it was altogether a strong debut. The story also wraps up in a way that's satisfying for now but leaves plenty of room for a sequel — one which I'm very excited about! I especially recommend it for:
- Fans of political fantasy
- Fans who've read a bit too much traditional fantasy and now wanna read about the opposite of the return of a king
- People looking for a main character who's a "normal person"
- People interested in a soft magic system drawing on our world's traditional magical beliefs
- Fans of Paula Volsky's Illusion
- Anybody who sews/crochets/felts/etc - especially once the audiobook comes out!
-People who are too lazy to read The Communist Manifesto and just want the highlights
It's set in Galitha City, the capital of an 18th century-like country, and follows Sophie, a dressmaker with a magical talent for sewing good luck charms into clothing. She and her brother, Kristos, had struggled to scrape by when they were young, but now her little dressmaking shop is picking up and she's even attracting clients from the nobility. In contrast, Kristos is dissatisfied with the inequality around them and has become involved in an anti-monarchist, pro-workers' rights movement. Sophie is thus caught between two sides: her business that she's put so much effort into as well as her noble connections (who are slowly becoming friends — and more), and her community's struggle for equality as well as the only family she has left. When a radical faction threatens Kristos in order to pressure her into sewing a curse into a garment for the queen, Sophie has to finally decide where her loyalties lie.
What I most appreciated about this book is the amount of attention paid to the complex mixture of various factions and factors involved. The tensions aren't just between common folk and nobility. Sophie and Kristos are second-generation immigrants whose parents are from the "backwater" country of Pellia. Pellians generally live in their own quarter and are not well-regarded by the average Galithan; although Sophie knows basically nothing about her parents' homeland, her looks still mark her as "other". Moreover, her brother and his — mainly male — revolutionary friends struggle to understand Sophie's specific problems as a female business owner: e.g. if she marries, by law her property will be passed to her husband. On the political front, there's also a bit of inter-country meddling (a country in revolt is a delightfully weak country); on the personal front, there's a few grudges that cloud the idea of "just for the good of the people".
This is thus a very political book, in the sense that it's concerned with exploring political ideas around in a ~18th century setting. A lot of it is spent in debate and discussion: the idea of noblesse oblige, peaceful campaigning vs bloody revolt... One tidbit that made me grin was Kristos scoffing at the public schools the nobility had opened, reminding Sophie that the real reason behind this apparent generosity was spreading a standard language so that peasants conscripted into the national army could understand their officers. That's just not a point I see very often outside of my linguistics classes! The situation is so complex and intricate that two-thirds of the way through the book I suddenly realised I actually had no idea who I wanted to "win" in the end.
A book that focuses so much on character interaction is only as good as those characters. I thought they tread the line between sympathetic and frustrating in an interesting way. Sophie is by nature cautious, pragmatic, and prefers the status quo; she's truly just a "little person" swept up by the problems of the times. I thus found her reactions very understandable and realistic... but also couldn't help wanting to shake her and yell, "How can you be so sympathetic to these nobles, they were dining on 12-course meals while you were digging for scraps in the trash!" I look forward to seeing how she develops in the sequel.
Of the other major characters, Kristos is a mixture of superb rhetorician and a bit of a man-child in his personal life; the nobility Sophie meets, including a duke she falls for, are kind and fun but embarrassingly privileged and out-of-touch; her two assistants are hard-working and sweet but one is immature and the other a tad xenophobic. To be honest, I did feel that to make the situation less black-and-white all the noble characters were made a lot more personally likable than everyone else. Nevertheless, I liked how realistic the characters' flaws and the interactions between them were. The one unfortunate exception is the romance between Sophie and the duke, which for me progressed too quickly from a little side flirtation to full-blown romance.
One last aspect of Torn I loved is the magic system itself. Magic is created via art: usually by inscribing little clay tablets with symbols, but Sophie uses embroidery to "stitch" the charm into a garment and even an ephemeral art like singing can be used. I also enjoyed how fluid the charming and cursing was; it's more about good/bad luck, e.g. luck in love, or a fisherman having a good haul that day, than a concrete magical effect. It reminded me of traditional beliefs in concepts like the "evil eye" in a fun way. The attitude towards magic is interesting too: in Galitha it's only practiced by the Pellians and is consequently mainly seen as a quaint little cottage industry. Because it's not well-respected, instead of a magic academy, the practitioners themselves (mainly women) exchange tips and tricks in get-togethers similar to knitting circles, which I also loved.
In short, I thought that although Torn had a couple issues, it was altogether a strong debut. The story also wraps up in a way that's satisfying for now but leaves plenty of room for a sequel — one which I'm very excited about! I especially recommend it for:
- Fans of political fantasy
- Fans who've read a bit too much traditional fantasy and now wanna read about the opposite of the return of a king
- People looking for a main character who's a "normal person"
- People interested in a soft magic system drawing on our world's traditional magical beliefs
- Fans of Paula Volsky's Illusion
- Anybody who sews/crochets/felts/etc - especially once the audiobook comes out!
-
March 19, 2018
3.5 stars
I'm very glad I didn't see the "for fans of The Queen of the Tearling" line in the blurb, because if I had, I'd never have read Torn. I am pleased to say, however, that even if you hated Tearling (like I did), you can still really enjoy Rowenna Miller's debut (also like I did)!
Torn has a very historical fantasy feel to it, which I happened to love. The worldbuilding was strong for me, and I definitely got a strong feel of the politics, culture, art, religion, etc. of this world, even though we only ever spend time in Galitha. The French Revolution vibes are definitely strong with this one, with the rumblings of revolution, but I felt like you could also draw possible connections to the Bolsheviks, as well. All in all, I thought the world was great!
I also really enjoyed the characters, especially Sophie. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed the first-person narration, which usually isn't my cup of tea. But Rowenna Miller gives us an MC who's very unlike most fantasy heroes, in that at heart, she's a traditionalist, someone who doesn't want to rock the boat. She's surrounded by the stirrings of revolution, but she's frightened by what that could mean for her business and the life she's built for her and her brother. As she's slowly dragged deeper into the thick of revolution and resistance, she manages to keep a level head and see the strengths and weaknesses of both sides.
Which brings me to another element I liked: the theme of Torn was very balanced. At the end of the day, it feels like neither the revolution nor the nobility are truly in the right. While Sophie can see the problems in the political system, she doesn't approve of the radical tactics the revolutionaries are starting to employ. Overall, I found Torn very refreshing in this area, as most fantasy novels are about one extreme or the other: (1) sparking revolution or (2) maintaining the status quo. In contrast, Torn manages to walk the tightrope between the two in a way that feels both more realistic and relatable.
All this positive, so why not a higher rating?
Ultimately, while I enjoyed the characters and especially the theme, I just couldn't get excited about the plot. Torn is a very character-driven novel, and if I were being a little more critical, could be classified as slow-moving. Not a lot actually happens. There are hints that things WILL happen and threats of what people WANT to happen, but actual events? Few and far between. Mostly, the book consists of Sophie sewing, long conversations about politics, and Sophie learning .
Normally, I like my books to move quick. I like action. So the fact that Torn managed to hold my interest despite the lack of action definitely speaks well of the other elements. But in the end, I needed a little bit more excitement and intrigue, rather than waxing poetic about economics, to bump this up to a higher rating.
Still, I'd definitely recommend this book! It's very different than a lot of other fantasy novels, which really made it stand out for me. It features a diverse cast of strong women who are normally forgotten in SFF: those who might not be revolutionaries or princesses, but who still play an important role in history.
*E-galley provided by publisher via NetGalley
I'm very glad I didn't see the "for fans of The Queen of the Tearling" line in the blurb, because if I had, I'd never have read Torn. I am pleased to say, however, that even if you hated Tearling (like I did), you can still really enjoy Rowenna Miller's debut (also like I did)!
Torn has a very historical fantasy feel to it, which I happened to love. The worldbuilding was strong for me, and I definitely got a strong feel of the politics, culture, art, religion, etc. of this world, even though we only ever spend time in Galitha. The French Revolution vibes are definitely strong with this one, with the rumblings of revolution, but I felt like you could also draw possible connections to the Bolsheviks, as well. All in all, I thought the world was great!
I also really enjoyed the characters, especially Sophie. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed the first-person narration, which usually isn't my cup of tea. But Rowenna Miller gives us an MC who's very unlike most fantasy heroes, in that at heart, she's a traditionalist, someone who doesn't want to rock the boat. She's surrounded by the stirrings of revolution, but she's frightened by what that could mean for her business and the life she's built for her and her brother. As she's slowly dragged deeper into the thick of revolution and resistance, she manages to keep a level head and see the strengths and weaknesses of both sides.
Which brings me to another element I liked: the theme of Torn was very balanced. At the end of the day, it feels like neither the revolution nor the nobility are truly in the right. While Sophie can see the problems in the political system, she doesn't approve of the radical tactics the revolutionaries are starting to employ. Overall, I found Torn very refreshing in this area, as most fantasy novels are about one extreme or the other: (1) sparking revolution or (2) maintaining the status quo. In contrast, Torn manages to walk the tightrope between the two in a way that feels both more realistic and relatable.
All this positive, so why not a higher rating?
Ultimately, while I enjoyed the characters and especially the theme, I just couldn't get excited about the plot. Torn is a very character-driven novel, and if I were being a little more critical, could be classified as slow-moving. Not a lot actually happens. There are hints that things WILL happen and threats of what people WANT to happen, but actual events? Few and far between. Mostly, the book consists of Sophie sewing, long conversations about politics, and Sophie learning .
Normally, I like my books to move quick. I like action. So the fact that Torn managed to hold my interest despite the lack of action definitely speaks well of the other elements. But in the end, I needed a little bit more excitement and intrigue, rather than waxing poetic about economics, to bump this up to a higher rating.
Still, I'd definitely recommend this book! It's very different than a lot of other fantasy novels, which really made it stand out for me. It features a diverse cast of strong women who are normally forgotten in SFF: those who might not be revolutionaries or princesses, but who still play an important role in history.
*E-galley provided by publisher via NetGalley
March 25, 2018
Mini Review is up on my blog!
-----
ughhhh, I haven't read a series in so long and maybe this is why.
I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK! And then in the end: TO BE CONTINUED IN APRIL 2019. NOOOoooo, whyy. The romance arc, tell me mooore.
Ok Ok. So. Sophie is a seamstress who can sew charms into clothing, and because she is SO adept at this, she runs her own shop. She has lovely assistants, and loves what she does. She sews charmed clothes for common people and nobility alike.
She is a common person, in a city that's kind of like old england, where the Monarchy and nobles rule, and the common people are.. common.
Which is where her brother comes in, Kristos. He is part of the League, which is a group of laborers and day workers who feel like common people should have more of a say. Kristos calls for revolution. He's a born leader, and has many followers, and right hand men.
The revolution is starting to pick up, with inflammatory pamphlets being published under Kristos's name, and riots in the streets.
Then Kristos doesn't come home.
He has been taken, by one of his own men in the league, and he WILL be hurt, unless Sophie puts a curse on the King and Queen.
So she has to choose; The life of a seamstress, sewing gorgeous gowns for nobility, and even befriending and falling in love with one (DUKE THEODORE, SWOON), or commit treason, and perhaps get killed to save her brother?
SO! This book is one of those slow burns that I thoroughly enjoyed. When it comes to books like this, I can get bored pretty easily, but the writing style, the characters, the eventual twists and turns, kept me reading.
It really picks up towards the end, where multiple times I had to put my kindle down and stare off into space, or I gasped and grabbed my chest melodramatically. (Because you know how I do.)
It is very politically motivated because it's about a REVOLUTION. So because of that, I'm not sure if everybody would love it, but even though I'm kind of a dunce with that stuff, I was still so captivated.
Also, it is fantasy, but that's kind of on the back burner, it seemed to me. Yeah, Sophie (and some other people) can cast charms and curses, and that's a big part of the story. But that's not really what this book is about. It's about a city caught up in the beginning of a civil war, the clash between common people and the nobles, and Sophie, caught up in protecting her revolutionary brother. Also romance! <3
Seriously. This book is great. I don't even know, I'm still all jacked up after finishing it.
I'm definitely going to be reading the second one when it comes out!!! Next year.. too far away..
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-----
ughhhh, I haven't read a series in so long and maybe this is why.
I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK! And then in the end: TO BE CONTINUED IN APRIL 2019. NOOOoooo, whyy. The romance arc, tell me mooore.
Ok Ok. So. Sophie is a seamstress who can sew charms into clothing, and because she is SO adept at this, she runs her own shop. She has lovely assistants, and loves what she does. She sews charmed clothes for common people and nobility alike.
She is a common person, in a city that's kind of like old england, where the Monarchy and nobles rule, and the common people are.. common.
Which is where her brother comes in, Kristos. He is part of the League, which is a group of laborers and day workers who feel like common people should have more of a say. Kristos calls for revolution. He's a born leader, and has many followers, and right hand men.
The revolution is starting to pick up, with inflammatory pamphlets being published under Kristos's name, and riots in the streets.
Then Kristos doesn't come home.
He has been taken, by one of his own men in the league, and he WILL be hurt, unless Sophie puts a curse on the King and Queen.
So she has to choose; The life of a seamstress, sewing gorgeous gowns for nobility, and even befriending and falling in love with one (DUKE THEODORE, SWOON), or commit treason, and perhaps get killed to save her brother?
SO! This book is one of those slow burns that I thoroughly enjoyed. When it comes to books like this, I can get bored pretty easily, but the writing style, the characters, the eventual twists and turns, kept me reading.
It really picks up towards the end, where multiple times I had to put my kindle down and stare off into space, or I gasped and grabbed my chest melodramatically. (Because you know how I do.)
It is very politically motivated because it's about a REVOLUTION. So because of that, I'm not sure if everybody would love it, but even though I'm kind of a dunce with that stuff, I was still so captivated.
Also, it is fantasy, but that's kind of on the back burner, it seemed to me. Yeah, Sophie (and some other people) can cast charms and curses, and that's a big part of the story. But that's not really what this book is about. It's about a city caught up in the beginning of a civil war, the clash between common people and the nobles, and Sophie, caught up in protecting her revolutionary brother. Also romance! <3
Seriously. This book is great. I don't even know, I'm still all jacked up after finishing it.
I'm definitely going to be reading the second one when it comes out!!! Next year.. too far away..
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2019
I had fun with this one.
The main character Sophie is a magic seamstress, practical and hardworking. Her brother is a very stupid Enjolras trying to bring down the government. There's an evil professor, and a Deeply Convenient™ duke/prince guy without whom the story would have ended far more tragically.
The title comes in when Sophie is forced to get involved in the civil unrest her brother is fomenting, and she is torn between her desire to live a peaceful and successful life with her new friends among the rich nobility vs. the reality of the unjust system they live under. Honestly, Sophie kind of comes off as a little selfish half the time. Her brother, on the other hand, comes off as a COMPLETE fool, and I'm still angry at him. I can't believe she forgave him as easily as she did.
The first half of the book is more slow-paced as tensions mount, and the later half is intense almost to the point where it gets annoying. JUST TELL SOMEONE WHAT'S GOING ON! The extent to which Sophie just sits there fake-smiling while rich people discuss mysteries that she knows the exact answer to became a little grating. I still think she could have stopped the whole thing in its tracks just by yelling at her brother a little more when he finally turned up. "He had a LITTLE BOY murdered! He KILLED Nia! He BROKE ALICE'S FINGERS!" Her brother was so obviously ignorant of Pyord's real plans, she could have ended it right then.
When she finally does go get help it's a huge relief, and almost too late.
The politics of this book are a somewhat mixed message. It tries to say that the revolutionaries have legitimate grievances, but all the evil people we meet are revolutionaries. The nobility perpetrates injustice every single second, but the only aristocrats we meet are high-minded egalitarians. The revolution fails and ends up looking like the bad guy. The nobility definitely comes off in a more flattering light. I'm still a little confused by this, but it doesn't really matter.
What DOES matter is the fun, which is the seamstress part. I love Sophie's little shop, and her day-to-day business working with her assistants was probably my favorite part of the book. Doing dress fittings and hanging out in Viola's salon was cool too. The magic and the cultural aspects that went along with it were intriguing as well. It was very lowkey magic, and clearly could have been used much more dramatically if it weren't inexplicably a cottage industry everyone ignores. The practical dressmaking was fun and almost gave me an Enola Holmes vibe, and the way Sophie has honed her own skills while not thinking much of any greater picture is very in-character.
The main character Sophie is a magic seamstress, practical and hardworking. Her brother is a very stupid Enjolras trying to bring down the government. There's an evil professor, and a Deeply Convenient™ duke/prince guy without whom the story would have ended far more tragically.
The title comes in when Sophie is forced to get involved in the civil unrest her brother is fomenting, and she is torn between her desire to live a peaceful and successful life with her new friends among the rich nobility vs. the reality of the unjust system they live under. Honestly, Sophie kind of comes off as a little selfish half the time. Her brother, on the other hand, comes off as a COMPLETE fool, and I'm still angry at him. I can't believe she forgave him as easily as she did.
The first half of the book is more slow-paced as tensions mount, and the later half is intense almost to the point where it gets annoying. JUST TELL SOMEONE WHAT'S GOING ON! The extent to which Sophie just sits there fake-smiling while rich people discuss mysteries that she knows the exact answer to became a little grating. I still think she could have stopped the whole thing in its tracks just by yelling at her brother a little more when he finally turned up. "He had a LITTLE BOY murdered! He KILLED Nia! He BROKE ALICE'S FINGERS!" Her brother was so obviously ignorant of Pyord's real plans, she could have ended it right then.
When she finally does go get help it's a huge relief, and almost too late.
The politics of this book are a somewhat mixed message. It tries to say that the revolutionaries have legitimate grievances, but all the evil people we meet are revolutionaries. The nobility perpetrates injustice every single second, but the only aristocrats we meet are high-minded egalitarians. The revolution fails and ends up looking like the bad guy. The nobility definitely comes off in a more flattering light. I'm still a little confused by this, but it doesn't really matter.
What DOES matter is the fun, which is the seamstress part. I love Sophie's little shop, and her day-to-day business working with her assistants was probably my favorite part of the book. Doing dress fittings and hanging out in Viola's salon was cool too. The magic and the cultural aspects that went along with it were intriguing as well. It was very lowkey magic, and clearly could have been used much more dramatically if it weren't inexplicably a cottage industry everyone ignores. The practical dressmaking was fun and almost gave me an Enola Holmes vibe, and the way Sophie has honed her own skills while not thinking much of any greater picture is very in-character.
May 27, 2019
Unexpectedly enchanting until the end - tale of revolution, magic, family ties with a great heroine
March 27, 2018
What a delightful book!
There was just so much in here that brought me joy. I devoured this book in a single day. So how to tell you about TORN? Well... imagine if, in revolutionary France, Danton had a seamstress sister who could work magic. TORN is a fantasy novel that centers socioeconomic conflict as its motivating force. Sophie is a charming and understandable character, a woman who has used talent and cleverness to claw her way out of poverty -- and though her bourgeois lifestyle, her mercantile efforts, and the money she earns from aristocratic clients help to support her brother and give him the privilege of being able to write and play at politics, he disdains her work and wishes she would more firmly take the side of his increasingly revolutionary sentiments.
I love this book for who and what it chooses to place at the forefront: neither the princess nor the rebel, but a businesswoman caught in turbulent times. I love, love, love that her power comes from the traditionally feminine and thus traditionally scoffed-at field of fashion. TORN takes place in a secondworld, not anyplace on our Earth, but it clearly takes after a blend of 1780s/90s France/England. What makes this a genius choice is that it was at precisely this time that fashion was becoming a more feminine endeavor. Men had led fashion for centuries, but by the end of the 18th century, that was changing: bright colors and sumptuous fabrics were becoming markers of women and of dandies, not of "real men", who would, by the 1820s or so, be favoring the predominantly black suits that govern men's fashion to this day. So the questions in TORN about the value of Sophie's work are so perfectly placed, even in an invented world.
Can you tell I really love the history of fashion? Sorry. But that's so much of what I loved about this book! It engages with a whole aspect of the world that so often gets left out of fiction in general, let alone fantasy novels. For two centuries, needlecraft has been seen as women's work, and thus dismissed. I love that TORN instead turns it into a source of power. Sophie's magic is not just a trait she holds and not just her livelihood; it is a bargaining chip; it is her entrance to rarefied social circles; it is what lets her help the people she cares about, in little ways and in big ones. It's a double-edged sword, at times, but I'm hoping that in the rest of the series, she'll be learning how to keep that edge from being turned against her.
Other expressions of magic in the book -- through cooking and music, for example -- are similarly oft-degraded, oft-demasculinized, demilitarized occupations. It just delighted me to see that in a fantasy novel where conflict was also forefront. TORN doesn't shy from the bloodier aspects of the revolutionary fervor it invokes, but Sophie's sympathies make the reader see the gore of that, not the glory, and the conversation in the book asks the reader to consider when that bloodshed is or is not worth it. TORN wrestles with socioeconomic considerations that most fantasy novels shy away from, and it does so with nuance and balance.
I ate this book right up, and I hope you will, too.
There was just so much in here that brought me joy. I devoured this book in a single day. So how to tell you about TORN? Well... imagine if, in revolutionary France, Danton had a seamstress sister who could work magic. TORN is a fantasy novel that centers socioeconomic conflict as its motivating force. Sophie is a charming and understandable character, a woman who has used talent and cleverness to claw her way out of poverty -- and though her bourgeois lifestyle, her mercantile efforts, and the money she earns from aristocratic clients help to support her brother and give him the privilege of being able to write and play at politics, he disdains her work and wishes she would more firmly take the side of his increasingly revolutionary sentiments.
I love this book for who and what it chooses to place at the forefront: neither the princess nor the rebel, but a businesswoman caught in turbulent times. I love, love, love that her power comes from the traditionally feminine and thus traditionally scoffed-at field of fashion. TORN takes place in a secondworld, not anyplace on our Earth, but it clearly takes after a blend of 1780s/90s France/England. What makes this a genius choice is that it was at precisely this time that fashion was becoming a more feminine endeavor. Men had led fashion for centuries, but by the end of the 18th century, that was changing: bright colors and sumptuous fabrics were becoming markers of women and of dandies, not of "real men", who would, by the 1820s or so, be favoring the predominantly black suits that govern men's fashion to this day. So the questions in TORN about the value of Sophie's work are so perfectly placed, even in an invented world.
Can you tell I really love the history of fashion? Sorry. But that's so much of what I loved about this book! It engages with a whole aspect of the world that so often gets left out of fiction in general, let alone fantasy novels. For two centuries, needlecraft has been seen as women's work, and thus dismissed. I love that TORN instead turns it into a source of power. Sophie's magic is not just a trait she holds and not just her livelihood; it is a bargaining chip; it is her entrance to rarefied social circles; it is what lets her help the people she cares about, in little ways and in big ones. It's a double-edged sword, at times, but I'm hoping that in the rest of the series, she'll be learning how to keep that edge from being turned against her.
Other expressions of magic in the book -- through cooking and music, for example -- are similarly oft-degraded, oft-demasculinized, demilitarized occupations. It just delighted me to see that in a fantasy novel where conflict was also forefront. TORN doesn't shy from the bloodier aspects of the revolutionary fervor it invokes, but Sophie's sympathies make the reader see the gore of that, not the glory, and the conversation in the book asks the reader to consider when that bloodshed is or is not worth it. TORN wrestles with socioeconomic considerations that most fantasy novels shy away from, and it does so with nuance and balance.
I ate this book right up, and I hope you will, too.
May 14, 2019
3.75 stars. I surprisingly really enjoyed this one!
December 22, 2020
Review originally posted at Thoughts Stained With Ink:
So, I gotta start this review off with a confession, that I’m quite embarrassed to admit.
When I first heard about this novel, I wasn’t really interested in it.
I didn’t know too much about it, honestly. I knew it was about a seamstress who somehow gets involved in a revolution, but I didn’t know much more than that (which, I should have just read the blurb, because that would have squashed any qualms right there). So, even though I heard a lot of positive reviews, I just didn’t make an effort to read it, instead trying to tame my unrelenting TBR list (with no success).
But then I saw that Melissa Caruso loved it (and we all know how I just literally adore both her and her novels) and I followed Miller on Twitter, and she was just so nice and positive and shared some really neat stuff. I wanted to support her.
So, I checked the book out from the library.
And have literally regretted not doing so sooner every day since.
Torn was just…magical. I honestly don’t know what Miller did, but she drew me into her world from page one and I was immediately swept into this tale. I think I read the first one hundred pages in one sitting? I definitely read the last 150 in one sitting, staying up until 2am while eating two bowls of cereal and fighting off my cats from the leftover milk with my spoon (because who has time to put the bowl up when you’re busy reading about a revolution? Not this girl).
I just fell so hard for Sophie and I admired her without a shadow of a doubt. The way she built up her own business and what she was trying to do for herself, her brother and her workers was so admirable, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. As the book continues, it just gets more and more difficult for her as she is challenged and forced to make choices I wouldn’t wish on anyone to try and decide upon, and my heart just broke for her. She deserves all the happiness in the world and I just hated when anyone tried to deny her that.
I loved the characters in this book (except for one, but I don’t want to mention who specifically, because I don’t want to give any spoilers, but you know who you are, Character Who Shall Remain Nameless. And I’ll say this: you don’t deserve her and I sure as hell don’t forgive you). I thought that was one of the strongest aspects. Whether we were at the shop, amidst the rebellion or at the salon, I really enjoyed the cast of characters we followed.
The setting was really incredible, too. It made me want to go back and take AP European History again, because it was definitely giving off some of those vibes. I also thought the magic was so cool. As a person who only knew how to cross-stitch once upon a time (and no longer) and has never learned how to sew in her life, I thought having a character who’s main “power” was using magic through sewing was so unique and refreshing, yet I never felt like an idiot for not knowing how to do so myself.
So…yeah. Basically, your girl wasn’t the smartest there for almost an entire year, knowing about this book and choosing not to read it because she foolishly thought she wouldn’t love it. Well, I fell head over heels in love with it and now all I want to do is read Fray when to comes out, because I NEED to know what happens next.
Don’t make the mistake I made, friends. You need to read this refreshing tale of magical fantasy (but also, selfishly, could you please so I have someone to rant to about Character Who Shall Remain Nameless?).
Read on!
So, I gotta start this review off with a confession, that I’m quite embarrassed to admit.
When I first heard about this novel, I wasn’t really interested in it.
I didn’t know too much about it, honestly. I knew it was about a seamstress who somehow gets involved in a revolution, but I didn’t know much more than that (which, I should have just read the blurb, because that would have squashed any qualms right there). So, even though I heard a lot of positive reviews, I just didn’t make an effort to read it, instead trying to tame my unrelenting TBR list (with no success).
But then I saw that Melissa Caruso loved it (and we all know how I just literally adore both her and her novels) and I followed Miller on Twitter, and she was just so nice and positive and shared some really neat stuff. I wanted to support her.
So, I checked the book out from the library.
And have literally regretted not doing so sooner every day since.
Torn was just…magical. I honestly don’t know what Miller did, but she drew me into her world from page one and I was immediately swept into this tale. I think I read the first one hundred pages in one sitting? I definitely read the last 150 in one sitting, staying up until 2am while eating two bowls of cereal and fighting off my cats from the leftover milk with my spoon (because who has time to put the bowl up when you’re busy reading about a revolution? Not this girl).
I just fell so hard for Sophie and I admired her without a shadow of a doubt. The way she built up her own business and what she was trying to do for herself, her brother and her workers was so admirable, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. As the book continues, it just gets more and more difficult for her as she is challenged and forced to make choices I wouldn’t wish on anyone to try and decide upon, and my heart just broke for her. She deserves all the happiness in the world and I just hated when anyone tried to deny her that.
I loved the characters in this book (except for one, but I don’t want to mention who specifically, because I don’t want to give any spoilers, but you know who you are, Character Who Shall Remain Nameless. And I’ll say this: you don’t deserve her and I sure as hell don’t forgive you). I thought that was one of the strongest aspects. Whether we were at the shop, amidst the rebellion or at the salon, I really enjoyed the cast of characters we followed.
The setting was really incredible, too. It made me want to go back and take AP European History again, because it was definitely giving off some of those vibes. I also thought the magic was so cool. As a person who only knew how to cross-stitch once upon a time (and no longer) and has never learned how to sew in her life, I thought having a character who’s main “power” was using magic through sewing was so unique and refreshing, yet I never felt like an idiot for not knowing how to do so myself.
So…yeah. Basically, your girl wasn’t the smartest there for almost an entire year, knowing about this book and choosing not to read it because she foolishly thought she wouldn’t love it. Well, I fell head over heels in love with it and now all I want to do is read Fray when to comes out, because I NEED to know what happens next.
Don’t make the mistake I made, friends. You need to read this refreshing tale of magical fantasy (but also, selfishly, could you please so I have someone to rant to about Character Who Shall Remain Nameless?).
Read on!
June 2, 2018
A tough one. I liked it, but I didn't at the same time.
First, Sophie's brother, Kristos. What a douche-canoe. I didn't understand why she continually stuck by his side. He doesn't seem to care for her one way or the other; unless it has a potential advantage to his Cause, Kristos couldn't care less about Sophie's business, never mind that her work makes up the bulk of their income. And, let's not forget that he completely and utterly . Also, also, he's been sleeping around and toying with her employees. Gross. Tell me again why she cares for him so much? I needed another dimension to their relationship in order to be really invested in Sophie's internal struggle. Unfortunately, I never got it. Kristos is by no means worth .
Overall, I thought the male characters were generally bland and flat, including Sophie's love interest, Theodor (a relationship which, by the way, reeked of insta-love and felt somewhat out-of-place and superficial). The male characters just didn't have anything really going for them other than some general bouts of asshat-ery. Not sure if this was intentional or not. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the female characters, especially Alice and Viola. At the end, the author explains how she tried to veer away from the typical sword-wielding, butt-kicking heroine in an effort to showcase various forms of feminine strength, and I think she succeeded, for the most part. That being said, I'm not going to lie: the former is my preferred heroine archetype, and I missed the sword-wielding and butt-kicking. I think the book could have used the extra action. As it is, the plot's slow for my taste. This is more of what I would consider a political intrigue fantasy, which aren't really my thing.
Again, there were parts I enjoyed and parts I didn't. It wasn't exactly what I expected, and -- I confess -- I was somewhat distracted throughout because Sophie being a seamstress reminded me of Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle (even though, technically, I think she was a milliner in HMC). That being said, I might read the second book. I'm interested to witness the next set of challenges for Sophie's character, and the magic system is relatively unique and provocative. I'd like to see how Sophie's power develops, and I'm hoping her character really blossoms in the next book and becomes more assertive. Another confession: I thought her a little lacking in agency for this book. For the most part. the plot (and other characters) seem to drive Sophie more than her own choices and actions. Until probably the very end, Sophie had a tendency to react more than she acted. Then again, I wasn't much of a fan regarding the way in which Sophie . Here's hoping for more character (and agency) development! *fingers crossed*
First, Sophie's brother, Kristos. What a douche-canoe. I didn't understand why she continually stuck by his side. He doesn't seem to care for her one way or the other; unless it has a potential advantage to his Cause, Kristos couldn't care less about Sophie's business, never mind that her work makes up the bulk of their income. And, let's not forget that he completely and utterly . Also, also, he's been sleeping around and toying with her employees. Gross. Tell me again why she cares for him so much? I needed another dimension to their relationship in order to be really invested in Sophie's internal struggle. Unfortunately, I never got it. Kristos is by no means worth .
Overall, I thought the male characters were generally bland and flat, including Sophie's love interest, Theodor (a relationship which, by the way, reeked of insta-love and felt somewhat out-of-place and superficial). The male characters just didn't have anything really going for them other than some general bouts of asshat-ery. Not sure if this was intentional or not. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the female characters, especially Alice and Viola. At the end, the author explains how she tried to veer away from the typical sword-wielding, butt-kicking heroine in an effort to showcase various forms of feminine strength, and I think she succeeded, for the most part. That being said, I'm not going to lie: the former is my preferred heroine archetype, and I missed the sword-wielding and butt-kicking. I think the book could have used the extra action. As it is, the plot's slow for my taste. This is more of what I would consider a political intrigue fantasy, which aren't really my thing.
Again, there were parts I enjoyed and parts I didn't. It wasn't exactly what I expected, and -- I confess -- I was somewhat distracted throughout because Sophie being a seamstress reminded me of Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle (even though, technically, I think she was a milliner in HMC). That being said, I might read the second book. I'm interested to witness the next set of challenges for Sophie's character, and the magic system is relatively unique and provocative. I'd like to see how Sophie's power develops, and I'm hoping her character really blossoms in the next book and becomes more assertive. Another confession: I thought her a little lacking in agency for this book. For the most part. the plot (and other characters) seem to drive Sophie more than her own choices and actions. Until probably the very end, Sophie had a tendency to react more than she acted. Then again, I wasn't much of a fan regarding the way in which Sophie . Here's hoping for more character (and agency) development! *fingers crossed*
March 23, 2018
I wanted to love this book more than I did. The worldbuilding is great, the political concepts hold promise, and the prose is smooth. Torn is an engaging, quick read, sure to delight most fans of romance-tinged historical fantasy. Unfortunately, the weak characters prevented me from loving this novel.
Let's start out with the main character. Sophie is a twenty-something year old dressmaker, a rare female in charge of her own business, who can infuse magical charms into the products of her atelier. She relies on the custom of noblewomen and rich merchant wives, and her goals in life are only to sew, survive, and make profit. Unfortunately for her, her country of Galitha is about to go into violent social upheaval. Think pre-revolutionary France or Russia. Commoners like Sophie's brother are discontented with their lack of political and economic power, but Sophie staunchly refuses to have anything to do with the proto-revolutionaries simply because she hates upheaval and worries that she'll lose her wealthy clients.
Her conservatism and caution are well-portrayed and entirely convincing, but they make for a...well, boring character. I understand that the author wanted to write about a character who's not an ideologue, only a normal woman caught up in events beyond her control. But when a main character's recourse is only to react to events, not initiate them, her passivity becomes annoying to read about. There was one part in the book where an important person in Sophie's life goes missing, and instead of going to find her, Sophie attends parties and flirts with a handsome, rich duke (of course the love interest is a handsome nobleman).
That brings me to another complaint: the side characters are not uniformly compelling. The love interest is more of a female-wish-fulfillment than a three-dimensional human being. Sophie's brother, a firebrand political thinker and revolutionary, is slightly more interesting, but his character becomes incredibly off-putting later in the book. The villain might as well have a thin mustache and an evil cackle of a laugh, for all that he's caricatured in his villainy. Of the side characters, Sophie's assistants Alice and Penny, as well as a foreign diplomat's daughter Nia, are the most interesting, but they get far too little screen time.
In summary, Torne is an original fantasy that stumbles on weak characters. I probably won't be reading the sequel, but that's my personal taste and not a critique on the writing level of the novel.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the ARC.
Let's start out with the main character. Sophie is a twenty-something year old dressmaker, a rare female in charge of her own business, who can infuse magical charms into the products of her atelier. She relies on the custom of noblewomen and rich merchant wives, and her goals in life are only to sew, survive, and make profit. Unfortunately for her, her country of Galitha is about to go into violent social upheaval. Think pre-revolutionary France or Russia. Commoners like Sophie's brother are discontented with their lack of political and economic power, but Sophie staunchly refuses to have anything to do with the proto-revolutionaries simply because she hates upheaval and worries that she'll lose her wealthy clients.
Her conservatism and caution are well-portrayed and entirely convincing, but they make for a...well, boring character. I understand that the author wanted to write about a character who's not an ideologue, only a normal woman caught up in events beyond her control. But when a main character's recourse is only to react to events, not initiate them, her passivity becomes annoying to read about. There was one part in the book where an important person in Sophie's life goes missing, and instead of going to find her, Sophie attends parties and flirts with a handsome, rich duke (of course the love interest is a handsome nobleman).
That brings me to another complaint: the side characters are not uniformly compelling. The love interest is more of a female-wish-fulfillment than a three-dimensional human being. Sophie's brother, a firebrand political thinker and revolutionary, is slightly more interesting, but his character becomes incredibly off-putting later in the book. The villain might as well have a thin mustache and an evil cackle of a laugh, for all that he's caricatured in his villainy. Of the side characters, Sophie's assistants Alice and Penny, as well as a foreign diplomat's daughter Nia, are the most interesting, but they get far too little screen time.
In summary, Torne is an original fantasy that stumbles on weak characters. I probably won't be reading the sequel, but that's my personal taste and not a critique on the writing level of the novel.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the ARC.
September 29, 2025
This novel's approach to politics left me increasingly incredulous and dismayed. I am not certain where to begin... First of all, I am not sure *anyone* who picks this book up is hoping for something that sympathizes with the nobles almost exclusively. Generally, I don't believe most people dive into any novel about revolution hoping that it will actively condemn any attempts to change the power dynamics.
Now for the characters. The revolutionaries were written to be laughably evil. The nobles were kind, giving, and intellectual. The worst thing the nobles did was forget to account for the wealth disparity between themselves and Sophie or the commoners, but regardless when that occurred they were only treated as a little silly. They were consistently humanized and sympathized with, whereas the oppressed individuals were made out to be unreasonable and conniving, or just plain stupid. This book felt so binary in its representation, and it was rooting for the WRONG SIDE! The main character was also extremely juvenile in the way she viewed situations and reacted to them. It was very much giving "why can't we all just get along?" The only problem she really seemed to care about was the way women were treated in society - she managed to work her way out of being poor (because she is the equivalent of "white passing"), but she could not wiggle her way out of being a woman. So the only problems that she ever really acknowledged were those directly impacting her own life. Though she purported to care so much about her brother, it fell flat because she is written to openly disregard his plight time and time again.
Now, there were a few things about the book that I did enjoy. The concept of the magic is interesting (though not fleshed out). I initially picked up the book because I loved the cover, and the idea of sewing charms into clothes. I was hoping it would be more Howl's Moving Castle and less failed Les Mis. Speaking of clothing, the sections discussing Sophie's craft (the atelier portion, not the charm portion) were actually well described - Miller clearly has done her research on antique fashions, even if the research on political and revolutionary pursuits was sorely lacking.
All in all, I found the politics in this book to be empty and misaligned. A swing and a miss, unfortunately.
Now for the characters. The revolutionaries were written to be laughably evil. The nobles were kind, giving, and intellectual. The worst thing the nobles did was forget to account for the wealth disparity between themselves and Sophie or the commoners, but regardless when that occurred they were only treated as a little silly. They were consistently humanized and sympathized with, whereas the oppressed individuals were made out to be unreasonable and conniving, or just plain stupid. This book felt so binary in its representation, and it was rooting for the WRONG SIDE! The main character was also extremely juvenile in the way she viewed situations and reacted to them. It was very much giving "why can't we all just get along?" The only problem she really seemed to care about was the way women were treated in society - she managed to work her way out of being poor (because she is the equivalent of "white passing"), but she could not wiggle her way out of being a woman. So the only problems that she ever really acknowledged were those directly impacting her own life. Though she purported to care so much about her brother, it fell flat because she is written to openly disregard his plight time and time again.
Now, there were a few things about the book that I did enjoy. The concept of the magic is interesting (though not fleshed out). I initially picked up the book because I loved the cover, and the idea of sewing charms into clothes. I was hoping it would be more Howl's Moving Castle and less failed Les Mis. Speaking of clothing, the sections discussing Sophie's craft (the atelier portion, not the charm portion) were actually well described - Miller clearly has done her research on antique fashions, even if the research on political and revolutionary pursuits was sorely lacking.
All in all, I found the politics in this book to be empty and misaligned. A swing and a miss, unfortunately.
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April 25, 2018
Sophie has risen from nothing into a bustling businesswoman with a niche market—fine garments for wealthy merchants and noblewomen imbued with the good luck charms of her Pellian ancestors. But while Sophie mingles with the upper class, her brother becomes involved in a call for proletarian reforms against the stifling nobility.
What a beautiful and well-thought out book about difficult choices and truth! In addition to all of the amazing characters (particularly female characters who work within the system instead of overtly subverting social norms, and the emphasis on traditionally feminine occupations—a nice change in a genre saturated with the Bad-Ass Woman [for the record, I love this trope, but there are quite a few issues with it]), I loved how all of the various themes tied together to create a rich, wonderful world of inequality, promise and history. Some of the main themes in this book involve cultural assimilation and loss of cultural identity, both accidental and on purpose, and how assimilating into an adopted culture can mean success for immigrants, but comes with costs of its own (lack of knowledge of your own history, can't speak the language of your culture, etc.). There are also very interesting observations of economics and politics, meritocracy vs nepotism, and monarchy vs democracy, and differences in priorities based upon gender, and how circle/population sect prioritizes their values. The conclusion is that when each circle only sees their truth, all lose.
And bonus: pretty clothes.
I cannot wait for book 2!
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
What a beautiful and well-thought out book about difficult choices and truth! In addition to all of the amazing characters (particularly female characters who work within the system instead of overtly subverting social norms, and the emphasis on traditionally feminine occupations—a nice change in a genre saturated with the Bad-Ass Woman [for the record, I love this trope, but there are quite a few issues with it]), I loved how all of the various themes tied together to create a rich, wonderful world of inequality, promise and history. Some of the main themes in this book involve cultural assimilation and loss of cultural identity, both accidental and on purpose, and how assimilating into an adopted culture can mean success for immigrants, but comes with costs of its own (lack of knowledge of your own history, can't speak the language of your culture, etc.). There are also very interesting observations of economics and politics, meritocracy vs nepotism, and monarchy vs democracy, and differences in priorities based upon gender, and how circle/population sect prioritizes their values. The conclusion is that when each circle only sees their truth, all lose.
And bonus: pretty clothes.
I cannot wait for book 2!
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
March 22, 2018
*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
DNF @ 24%
I was so excited for this one. Magic, political intrigue, rebellion/revolution... I was so ready, but this book just didn't hit me right.
It was a bit slow for my preferences. I tend to like a faster pace, so this is something some people won't mind. Definitely a slow build. By 24% the potential romance is hinted at (this is kinda liked--it isn't over the top, subtle), but the bad guy isn't even in the picture. Sure, there is conflict: potential revolution on the horizon and the MC doesn't want anything to do with it, since she will probably lose her job, but we still have no idea what the book is truly moving towards.
At this point, I looked at other reviews -- many super positive, but I learned more about the villain and I wasn't impressed, I'm assuming things do not pick up, so no thanks.
The magic is somewhat interesting. The main character doesn't know much about it, no one is formally taught it, so we the readers do not know much about it either. Learning about the magic would be interesting, I'm sure, but at this point I'm not even sure if it would be a major part of the story, which is a bummer.
I also wasn't able to connect to the characters, the biggest killer for me. I can't explain why I wasn't interested in them :/ I'm assuming others will be able to and it seems to be written well, so I'm sure this is a book many will enjoy.
DNF @ 24%
I was so excited for this one. Magic, political intrigue, rebellion/revolution... I was so ready, but this book just didn't hit me right.
It was a bit slow for my preferences. I tend to like a faster pace, so this is something some people won't mind. Definitely a slow build. By 24% the potential romance is hinted at (this is kinda liked--it isn't over the top, subtle), but the bad guy isn't even in the picture. Sure, there is conflict: potential revolution on the horizon and the MC doesn't want anything to do with it, since she will probably lose her job, but we still have no idea what the book is truly moving towards.
At this point, I looked at other reviews -- many super positive, but I learned more about the villain and I wasn't impressed, I'm assuming things do not pick up, so no thanks.
The magic is somewhat interesting. The main character doesn't know much about it, no one is formally taught it, so we the readers do not know much about it either. Learning about the magic would be interesting, I'm sure, but at this point I'm not even sure if it would be a major part of the story, which is a bummer.
I also wasn't able to connect to the characters, the biggest killer for me. I can't explain why I wasn't interested in them :/ I'm assuming others will be able to and it seems to be written well, so I'm sure this is a book many will enjoy.
Read
March 7, 2018DNF
Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC. I wanted to give this one a try, even though it isn’t quite my thing, since I was given a copy in exchange for a review.
Subject matter just didn’t end up keeping my interest. The writing is crisp and the narration is spot on, but it wasn’t enough to keep me invested.
Don’t take these comments as me disliking the book because I think it is well written. It just isn’t for me.
Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC. I wanted to give this one a try, even though it isn’t quite my thing, since I was given a copy in exchange for a review.
Subject matter just didn’t end up keeping my interest. The writing is crisp and the narration is spot on, but it wasn’t enough to keep me invested.
Don’t take these comments as me disliking the book because I think it is well written. It just isn’t for me.
October 28, 2019
cute! a charming, lovely story. the last quarter was anticlimactic and i'm not sure where the story will go in the later books - it could either be fantastically creative, or dully milking-the-cash-cow (based on a few reviews and the blurb it seems like the latter). but i'd still definitely recommend this first book if you like victorian stories!
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