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The Phantom of Notre Dame #1
The Hells of Notre Dame
One night was all it took.
I should have stayed away. I should have thrown away her scarf, banished Esmeralda from my mind, body, and soul, and never thought or spoke of her again. That would have been the best thing, the right thing.
But our Lord works in mysterious ways, and before I know it, the walls of Notre Dame become her prison as much as they are my sanctuary. And with temptation front and center, neither of us have the strength to resist. Our days become longing glances and coded whispers, our nights stolen kisses and caresses on borrowed time, because we both know the inescapable truth.
Our love can only end as it began—in fire. But as each day passes, and the more I fall under her spell, eternal damnation seems a small price to pay.
If Esmeralda is hell, I’ll go willingly.
The Hells of Notre Dame is a sapphic retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the first book in The Phantom of Notre Dame series: where Hunchback collides with The Phantom of the Opera in the streets of gothic Paris. Perfect for fans of the musicals and classic novels alike, these LGBT+ dark fantasy romances are as steamy as they are twisted, and are intended for a mature adult audience. Content warnings include language, violence, explicit sexual content, the unpacking of religious trauma, homophobia (both internalized and directed toward certain characters) and mentions of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.
I should have stayed away. I should have thrown away her scarf, banished Esmeralda from my mind, body, and soul, and never thought or spoke of her again. That would have been the best thing, the right thing.
But our Lord works in mysterious ways, and before I know it, the walls of Notre Dame become her prison as much as they are my sanctuary. And with temptation front and center, neither of us have the strength to resist. Our days become longing glances and coded whispers, our nights stolen kisses and caresses on borrowed time, because we both know the inescapable truth.
Our love can only end as it began—in fire. But as each day passes, and the more I fall under her spell, eternal damnation seems a small price to pay.
If Esmeralda is hell, I’ll go willingly.
The Hells of Notre Dame is a sapphic retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the first book in The Phantom of Notre Dame series: where Hunchback collides with The Phantom of the Opera in the streets of gothic Paris. Perfect for fans of the musicals and classic novels alike, these LGBT+ dark fantasy romances are as steamy as they are twisted, and are intended for a mature adult audience. Content warnings include language, violence, explicit sexual content, the unpacking of religious trauma, homophobia (both internalized and directed toward certain characters) and mentions of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 28, 2023
247 people are currently reading
5377 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Davennor
17 books333 followersRaelynn Davennor writes fantasy romance and fairytale retellings—usually of the darker variety—and is the author of the Curses of Never and The Phantom of Notre Dame series, both of which became viral BookTok hits.
She is known for her diverse and morally complex characters, as well as her ability to craft heart-wrenching plots that explore heavy themes. While she is a firm believer that light cannot be fully appreciated without first traveling through heaps of darkness, Raelynn always ensures that her characters find their well-deserved happily ever afters—especially the LGBT+ ones.
When not obsessing over her latest idea, she enjoys pampering her menagerie of pets and pretending she isn’t an adult.
She is known for her diverse and morally complex characters, as well as her ability to craft heart-wrenching plots that explore heavy themes. While she is a firm believer that light cannot be fully appreciated without first traveling through heaps of darkness, Raelynn always ensures that her characters find their well-deserved happily ever afters—especially the LGBT+ ones.
When not obsessing over her latest idea, she enjoys pampering her menagerie of pets and pretending she isn’t an adult.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
March 31, 2023
(I was gifted an advanced review copy in exchange for a fair, unbiased review)
TL;DR
This book is a massive waste of time. The worldbuilding is non existent, it bears no resemblance to it’s original source material and is at time the exact opposite of what the original was meant to portray, the characters are bland at best and infuriating, morally confused hypocrites at worst, the plot is paint-by-numbers, its disability rep is abysmal, it trivializes child sexual abuse, and I don’t think I’ve read a book that killed off more of my brain cells. Don’t read it.
(SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT, YOU’VE BEEN WARNED)
Before I start I feel like I should lay out my credentials on the table. I’ve been a huge fan of Notre-Dame de Paris (Or as the English speakers know it, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) For over 5 years now. I’ve read the book more times than I can count, I watch Disney movie at least yearly, I’ve helped with translating several lesser known stage shows, and I’ve made it a point to read/ watch through every retelling of it that I can get my hands on, from high school AUs to modern erotic thrillers to fantasy romances, talking musical instruments and plot twists that reveal Quasimodo’s hump was secretly hiding a pair of angel wings (twice!)
So believe me when I say that this is the worst adaptation I have ever laid my eyes on.
And I don’t say this because it took creative liberties from its source material. I am by no means a book purist; the Disney version is one of my favorite adaptations of the tale despite its deviations. But this? I don’t think I’ve ever come across a retelling that left me scratching my head this hard on why the author decided to even adapt this story in the first place. Because it’s not just different, it’s completely backwards on what the themes and characters of Hunchback were meant to represent to the point that I’m left wondering if this author hated the original story so much she wrote this out of spite.
Even the concept of this book is completely ignorant to what the source material was:It’s supposed to be a “fairy tale retelling” of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but how can that be when Hunchback isn’t even a fairy tale? In case those 400 pages of complex morality and detailed worldbuilding didn’t prove it, it’s a work of Gothic Romance! How can you adapt an entire book without even knowing what genre it’s based on? And yes, I know, it’s more an issue of marketing than actual plot and story critique, but it still irked me enough to mention here.
Let’s start off with the plot, since it’s the topic I have the least to say about. It’s your basic will they won’t they star-crossed lovers, not mind-blowing, but it doesn’t drag. I was able to finish this in one sitting, which is the closest thing I will state to a positive. The prose helps with that, since it’s easy to follow along, though it does follow that hated style of “Ye olde setting with modern swears every 5 words to yank any pesky immersion the reader might be feeling” which is the absolute bane of my existence. It just slid in one ear and came out the other, which, considering the contents, I am very grateful for.
I feel like I shouldn’t be complaining about the worldbuilding considering the author put a clear disclaimer that her work was in no way meant to be historically accurate. Still, I’m going to do it anyway, because I can’t get over how lazy it was. Any descriptions of the surroundings or the environments were barebones at best, and I could never get a decent picture of where we were or what it looked like. If I didn’t know how Notre Dame was laid out from previous adaptations, I would’ve never figured it out. None of it felt consistent either; the author states it is taking place in 1700s Paris, but I never got that through the text itself once. It just felt like hopping from medieval fairs to a time portal into 19th century opera and then hopping forward another 200 years so that the characters could discuss preferred pronouns and BDSM safe words. I don’t care if it’s historically accurate or not, I just ask for basic consistency, but this story couldn’t offer up even that.
But since this is a character focused novel, those previous points wouldn’t matter as much if their writing and conflicts were executed well, right? Then, I’m sorry to say that I have never met such whiny, idiotic, selfish, two-faced scumbags. Every single page I was mentally screaming at them for either being stupid or morally bankrupt, and the fact that this story thinks our main leads are endearing, upright characters we should be siding with and rooting for is salt on the wound. I have too much to say on each one to lump them together, so here we go.
Claude:
Once a brilliantly intelligent, socially and sexually repressed archdeacon and alchemist who’s corruption arc was as tragic as it was sympathetic, now an imbecilic horndog with a libido the size of Mars, a will made out of wet toilet paper, and an obsession with sex that borders on the addictive, (not that the story will ever recognize that as a problem, but then again, it’s an erotica). It is absolutely maddening to watch her wibble wobble between something that she SWEARS is never going to happen again, and then watch her break down and give in two paragraphs later because romance needs to happen now. Heck, her one super hard limit towards intimacy—kissing mouth to mouth— is broken not two pages after the concept is first introduced because her ex-girlfriend asked pretty please! I have no idea why the author had the brilliant idea of making Claude a stud who gets all the maidens instead of a virgin who finally cracked under a wave of hormones, but it was a horrible idea, because it just got rid of all the stakes. There’s no longer any tension on whether she’ll be able to keep her urges in check because we know she can’t keep it in her pants to save her life. She hasn’t been able to before the book even begins! Thus, the will they won’t they dynamic holds no power. I was never worried for the fate of the main couple, because if Claude was ever conflicted or in doubt about their relationship, it would be resolved within the next conversation. If anything, I was just frustrated because I felt like she was wasting my time. If she couldn’t control her urges then, and she can’t control them now, nothing changed. The story just becomes stagnant.
Esme: Though shallow and naive and a bit bratty, Esme in the original book was still an endearing character who’s flaws were understandable in the original novel due to her age. Sure she’s not the brightest bulb in the box, and she makes some really dumb decisions sometimes, but what sixteen-year-old hasn’t? This Esme, on the other hand, has been aged up appropriately so that her romance with her once pedophilic attempted rapist is no longer creepy. And thus, she has no excuse. I’d call her self-absorbed, but I can’t even do that because that would imply she actually values her life, and her priorities clearly show the opposite. This girl is on the run for her life, hidden away as a refugee as the guards who are after her prowl the very cathedral she’s chosen to shelter in, and what’s her biggest concern? That she can’t leave the bloody room meant to keep her safe from death because she’s bored. Her life is in danger, she might never see her family ever again, and her biggest priority is straight up “WAAAAHHH what if the stranger I spent one night with doesn’t like me because they left my scarf in their junk drawer?!!??!?!” I could go on, but frankly my eyes hurt from rolling them too hard. Also fun to mention: Her first plan to seduce Claude included using her sibling to lure away their son (who is a minor) so that she can seduce them in peace. Later on, she straight up takes Quasimodo away with her through a trapdoor so that Claude will have no choice but to retrieve him by talking to her. I’m not saying it was kidnapping, but if I was a lawyer I’d have a very easy time forming a case against it, is all I’m saying. What a wonderful person!
(Small aside: I don’t feel in any way qualified to analyze the whole subplot about the mages being oppressed against, other that I’m fairly sure it’s some sort of racial allegory, and if so, it’s a very poor one. How on earth were mages oppressed when they have magic that powerful, even by an authority like the Catholic Church? It’s almost like certain humans possessing magic would’ve greatly altered the course of history, but we’ve already seen how much this author dislikes worldbuilding. Even more reason to shatter my suspension of disbelief.)
Quasimodo:
This one… this one just hurts. Once a grumpy, hot-headed, impatient soul broken by trauma who was nevertheless loving and loyal to those he cared about to his very last breath, Quasimodo is now… nothing. He is less than two dimensional, I hesitate to even call him a character,he is that hollow. You could replace him with a cardboard standee with a scribbled on smiley face and it would’ve served the story just as well. I just can’t overstate how little of an effect he has on the story: he has no wants, no desires, no personality traits or flaws other than being blandly nice. His presence in book is so bloody minimal that the author never even bothers to describe his face, leaving me to wonder if she’s even aware he’s supposed to be physically deformed! His only purpose is either to help Esme and Claude get together, or to make them look like good people because “Awww look they’re being so kind and gentle towards the disabled child!” It’s honestly disgusting how abysmal the disability representation in this book is, especially considering how well it was done 200 years ago. Quasimodo as a character had so much agency and personality, that to see it all watered down to a piece of cardboard who only exists so that Claude can look like a protective Mama Bear who has to defend and protect his every step is frankly offensive.
Perhaps it’s even more darkly ironic that for all of Claude’s blathering about how much she loves Quasimodo and how much she values being a mother, she’s one of the most neglectful parents I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading about. Her supposed “motherliness” is one of the most criminal cases of tell don’t show I’ve ever seen. Sure, she claims to love him, but at the same time she:
Has nightly sexual escapades sometimes with multiple partners knowing full well if she’s caught she’ll be thrown out of her job risking her and Quasi’s livelihood
Prioritizes m*sturbating to Esme’s scarf rather spending 15 more minutes with her son than their outing would require
Uses her outings with her son to ogle at Esmeralda performing rather than spending any quality time with him
Seriously there is not one single mother-son bonding moment in this book, if Quasimodo is not needed to make the plot go on he’ll just straight up be kicked out of the scene
Has a one night stand with a stranger she’s only spoken to once and leaves Quasi in the care of a complete stranger (Esme’s sibling) who for all she knows could be a thief, a child trafficker, or a Comprachicos looking to steal her son and sell him in the circus freak industry. Did I mention Quasi’s a minor?
Refuses to do anything to save Quasi when he’s arrested and held captive in exchange for Esme’s whereabouts, instead proudly laughing that she’d rather go to Hell willingly
But when Esme is the one in danger? Suddenly goes catatonic with grief forcing her 15 year old son who’s been arrested, hurt, possibly physically tortured and scared out of his bloody mind to comfort her.
It’s frankly mind boggling just how much Claude claims to care about her son compared to how little water her claims actually hold. I honestly believe that if other people didn’t step up and mention he exists, like Esme offering to train him or Renee buying him sticky buns, Claude would straight up forget he existed. Quasi as a character only exists on the behalf of others, and even then he fails at his job of making Claude look like a good mother. And it ultimately weakens both character as a whole: Claude now looks like both a liar and a hypocrite, and Quasi now has so little page time that he’s never allowed to develop into anything more than “Claude’s disabled teenage son.” Quasi’s never even mocked by the society Claude claims he needs protection from, any jabs at his existence are only ever directed at Claude so that she can get offended on his behalf, and snap back accordingly. It’s like the ableist version of a white savior complex!
The Side Cast:
Yeah yeah, I said I wouldn’t lump the characters together, but to be honest there’s just not a lot to say on these guys. They’re just pretty flat all around, but then again, not every character needs an arc to serve their purpose in the story. Renee is Claude’s equally horny ex friend with benefits who serves a role of support, Jules is meant to be the annoying yet endearing sibling type, but only ever really succeeds at being annoying, and Clopin is a character in Hunchback That Exists, and therefore he’s slapped into the story as Esmeralda’s father, character faithfulness be damned. (He’s pretty unrecognizable other than the name.) Erik Phantom is also here, but I’m not as entrenched in the Phandom so I wouldn’t be able to judge whether his character was done justice or not. All I do have to mention is that the author changed it so that he hid away in the catacombs under the opera house because of his magical powers rather than the hideousness of his abhorrent face. This book is now two for one on taking characters best known for being ugly and refusing to actually comment on their ugliness. (I’m starting to wonder if this author is also allergic to facial deformity).
Phoebus and Father Laurent are… villains, I guess, but they’re both two dimensional and cartoonishly evil to the point of boredom. It’s especially disappointing seeing how Hunchback as a story is renowned for having a layered and complex antagonist, but, whatever. Jehan… will get a section all to his own because as my friends can attest, his inclusion left me more pissed off than anything else this book could throw at me, and considering this review is 2K words and still going, that’s a lot.
Jehan:
There’s no polite way to say this, so I’m not even going to try. It really reads like Jehan was sexually abused as a child solely so that Claude could look good.
Let me explain.
Once a fun-loving, consistently drunk teenage hellion who’s sole pleasure and comic relief was extortioning all the money from his older brother that he possibly could in order to fuel his desire for hookers and booze, Jehan’s new backstory was that he was an altar boy in Notre Dame, ran away at fifteen, and is now a broken man who drinks to numb the pain and wishes to see the cathedral burned to the ground. I’ll let you fill in the dots yourself. However, the only narrative purpose this backstory serves is as part of Father Laurent’s evil monologue where he mocks Claude, which is the first time both she and the readers realize that Jehan has been raped, making her so angry that she brutally stabs him to death. And that’s it. Jehan’s trauma is never explored, or unpacked, he’s never allowed to heal from it or even gain any support, the only reason this backstory exists was so that Claude could unleash her ultimate Mama Bear and brutally stab the evil oppressor like a total badass. Jehan is just an afterthought, and his sexual abuse is only ever important when it affects Claude and makes her feel bad. It’s just so incredibly tone deaf that I cannot even believe this was allowed to squeak past the mounds of beta readers, sensitivity readers, and editors. How did no one catch this? How did no one stand up and say “Hey, this is screwed up, maybe you shouldn’t treat the topic of childhood SA so callously?!” Did anyone spare a single brain cell in the production of this book?!
Now, you may be thinking that it’s stupid to get hung up on all the differences between this retelling and the original, especially since the author mentioned in a disclaimer that this book would be taking creative liberties. But honestly? That just makes me even more pissed off. What was the point of making this based off of HoND if nothing resembles the original? If everything about the source material was bastardized to the point of unrecognizability? The blurb claims that it’s “Perfect for fans of the musical and classic novels alike” But there’s nothing about the novel that I love that was preserved in here! Not the worldbuilding, not the themes, not the prose, and most certainly not the characters. I don’t just feel lied to, I feel cheated. And I was given a free copy!
In conclusion, don’t waste your time. I’ve spent 8 pages and almost 3K words ranting because I am that passionate about the Hunchback of Notre Dame. And even then, I cannot find one thing that is redeemable about this book. If you’re a fan of Hunchback, don’t read this book, it’ll just piss you off. If you’re not, I still can’t recommend this book in good faith, because I don’t want this to be anyone’s first impression of the story I love so much and that has changed my life for the better. Read the original 1831 novel if you have the attention span, it’s not a light or easy read but it’s a literary masterpiece for a reason. If not, watch the Disney movie, it’s not book accurate but it’s incredibly good. If you want something shorter but still somewhat book accurate, I’d recommend the 1998 musical Notre Dame de Paris either French or Italian with english subs (Don’t look at the english translation unless you want to die of cringe). It’s not perfect but the soundtrack has a great many bops and it’s free on Youtube. Don’t read this, even for the porn; there’s better out there, and your eyes deserve to read something of quality.
TL;DR
This book is a massive waste of time. The worldbuilding is non existent, it bears no resemblance to it’s original source material and is at time the exact opposite of what the original was meant to portray, the characters are bland at best and infuriating, morally confused hypocrites at worst, the plot is paint-by-numbers, its disability rep is abysmal, it trivializes child sexual abuse, and I don’t think I’ve read a book that killed off more of my brain cells. Don’t read it.
(SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT, YOU’VE BEEN WARNED)
Before I start I feel like I should lay out my credentials on the table. I’ve been a huge fan of Notre-Dame de Paris (Or as the English speakers know it, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) For over 5 years now. I’ve read the book more times than I can count, I watch Disney movie at least yearly, I’ve helped with translating several lesser known stage shows, and I’ve made it a point to read/ watch through every retelling of it that I can get my hands on, from high school AUs to modern erotic thrillers to fantasy romances, talking musical instruments and plot twists that reveal Quasimodo’s hump was secretly hiding a pair of angel wings (twice!)
So believe me when I say that this is the worst adaptation I have ever laid my eyes on.
And I don’t say this because it took creative liberties from its source material. I am by no means a book purist; the Disney version is one of my favorite adaptations of the tale despite its deviations. But this? I don’t think I’ve ever come across a retelling that left me scratching my head this hard on why the author decided to even adapt this story in the first place. Because it’s not just different, it’s completely backwards on what the themes and characters of Hunchback were meant to represent to the point that I’m left wondering if this author hated the original story so much she wrote this out of spite.
Even the concept of this book is completely ignorant to what the source material was:It’s supposed to be a “fairy tale retelling” of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but how can that be when Hunchback isn’t even a fairy tale? In case those 400 pages of complex morality and detailed worldbuilding didn’t prove it, it’s a work of Gothic Romance! How can you adapt an entire book without even knowing what genre it’s based on? And yes, I know, it’s more an issue of marketing than actual plot and story critique, but it still irked me enough to mention here.
Let’s start off with the plot, since it’s the topic I have the least to say about. It’s your basic will they won’t they star-crossed lovers, not mind-blowing, but it doesn’t drag. I was able to finish this in one sitting, which is the closest thing I will state to a positive. The prose helps with that, since it’s easy to follow along, though it does follow that hated style of “Ye olde setting with modern swears every 5 words to yank any pesky immersion the reader might be feeling” which is the absolute bane of my existence. It just slid in one ear and came out the other, which, considering the contents, I am very grateful for.
I feel like I shouldn’t be complaining about the worldbuilding considering the author put a clear disclaimer that her work was in no way meant to be historically accurate. Still, I’m going to do it anyway, because I can’t get over how lazy it was. Any descriptions of the surroundings or the environments were barebones at best, and I could never get a decent picture of where we were or what it looked like. If I didn’t know how Notre Dame was laid out from previous adaptations, I would’ve never figured it out. None of it felt consistent either; the author states it is taking place in 1700s Paris, but I never got that through the text itself once. It just felt like hopping from medieval fairs to a time portal into 19th century opera and then hopping forward another 200 years so that the characters could discuss preferred pronouns and BDSM safe words. I don’t care if it’s historically accurate or not, I just ask for basic consistency, but this story couldn’t offer up even that.
But since this is a character focused novel, those previous points wouldn’t matter as much if their writing and conflicts were executed well, right? Then, I’m sorry to say that I have never met such whiny, idiotic, selfish, two-faced scumbags. Every single page I was mentally screaming at them for either being stupid or morally bankrupt, and the fact that this story thinks our main leads are endearing, upright characters we should be siding with and rooting for is salt on the wound. I have too much to say on each one to lump them together, so here we go.
Claude:
Once a brilliantly intelligent, socially and sexually repressed archdeacon and alchemist who’s corruption arc was as tragic as it was sympathetic, now an imbecilic horndog with a libido the size of Mars, a will made out of wet toilet paper, and an obsession with sex that borders on the addictive, (not that the story will ever recognize that as a problem, but then again, it’s an erotica). It is absolutely maddening to watch her wibble wobble between something that she SWEARS is never going to happen again, and then watch her break down and give in two paragraphs later because romance needs to happen now. Heck, her one super hard limit towards intimacy—kissing mouth to mouth— is broken not two pages after the concept is first introduced because her ex-girlfriend asked pretty please! I have no idea why the author had the brilliant idea of making Claude a stud who gets all the maidens instead of a virgin who finally cracked under a wave of hormones, but it was a horrible idea, because it just got rid of all the stakes. There’s no longer any tension on whether she’ll be able to keep her urges in check because we know she can’t keep it in her pants to save her life. She hasn’t been able to before the book even begins! Thus, the will they won’t they dynamic holds no power. I was never worried for the fate of the main couple, because if Claude was ever conflicted or in doubt about their relationship, it would be resolved within the next conversation. If anything, I was just frustrated because I felt like she was wasting my time. If she couldn’t control her urges then, and she can’t control them now, nothing changed. The story just becomes stagnant.
Esme: Though shallow and naive and a bit bratty, Esme in the original book was still an endearing character who’s flaws were understandable in the original novel due to her age. Sure she’s not the brightest bulb in the box, and she makes some really dumb decisions sometimes, but what sixteen-year-old hasn’t? This Esme, on the other hand, has been aged up appropriately so that her romance with her once pedophilic attempted rapist is no longer creepy. And thus, she has no excuse. I’d call her self-absorbed, but I can’t even do that because that would imply she actually values her life, and her priorities clearly show the opposite. This girl is on the run for her life, hidden away as a refugee as the guards who are after her prowl the very cathedral she’s chosen to shelter in, and what’s her biggest concern? That she can’t leave the bloody room meant to keep her safe from death because she’s bored. Her life is in danger, she might never see her family ever again, and her biggest priority is straight up “WAAAAHHH what if the stranger I spent one night with doesn’t like me because they left my scarf in their junk drawer?!!??!?!” I could go on, but frankly my eyes hurt from rolling them too hard. Also fun to mention: Her first plan to seduce Claude included using her sibling to lure away their son (who is a minor) so that she can seduce them in peace. Later on, she straight up takes Quasimodo away with her through a trapdoor so that Claude will have no choice but to retrieve him by talking to her. I’m not saying it was kidnapping, but if I was a lawyer I’d have a very easy time forming a case against it, is all I’m saying. What a wonderful person!
(Small aside: I don’t feel in any way qualified to analyze the whole subplot about the mages being oppressed against, other that I’m fairly sure it’s some sort of racial allegory, and if so, it’s a very poor one. How on earth were mages oppressed when they have magic that powerful, even by an authority like the Catholic Church? It’s almost like certain humans possessing magic would’ve greatly altered the course of history, but we’ve already seen how much this author dislikes worldbuilding. Even more reason to shatter my suspension of disbelief.)
Quasimodo:
This one… this one just hurts. Once a grumpy, hot-headed, impatient soul broken by trauma who was nevertheless loving and loyal to those he cared about to his very last breath, Quasimodo is now… nothing. He is less than two dimensional, I hesitate to even call him a character,he is that hollow. You could replace him with a cardboard standee with a scribbled on smiley face and it would’ve served the story just as well. I just can’t overstate how little of an effect he has on the story: he has no wants, no desires, no personality traits or flaws other than being blandly nice. His presence in book is so bloody minimal that the author never even bothers to describe his face, leaving me to wonder if she’s even aware he’s supposed to be physically deformed! His only purpose is either to help Esme and Claude get together, or to make them look like good people because “Awww look they’re being so kind and gentle towards the disabled child!” It’s honestly disgusting how abysmal the disability representation in this book is, especially considering how well it was done 200 years ago. Quasimodo as a character had so much agency and personality, that to see it all watered down to a piece of cardboard who only exists so that Claude can look like a protective Mama Bear who has to defend and protect his every step is frankly offensive.
Perhaps it’s even more darkly ironic that for all of Claude’s blathering about how much she loves Quasimodo and how much she values being a mother, she’s one of the most neglectful parents I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading about. Her supposed “motherliness” is one of the most criminal cases of tell don’t show I’ve ever seen. Sure, she claims to love him, but at the same time she:
Has nightly sexual escapades sometimes with multiple partners knowing full well if she’s caught she’ll be thrown out of her job risking her and Quasi’s livelihood
Prioritizes m*sturbating to Esme’s scarf rather spending 15 more minutes with her son than their outing would require
Uses her outings with her son to ogle at Esmeralda performing rather than spending any quality time with him
Seriously there is not one single mother-son bonding moment in this book, if Quasimodo is not needed to make the plot go on he’ll just straight up be kicked out of the scene
Has a one night stand with a stranger she’s only spoken to once and leaves Quasi in the care of a complete stranger (Esme’s sibling) who for all she knows could be a thief, a child trafficker, or a Comprachicos looking to steal her son and sell him in the circus freak industry. Did I mention Quasi’s a minor?
Refuses to do anything to save Quasi when he’s arrested and held captive in exchange for Esme’s whereabouts, instead proudly laughing that she’d rather go to Hell willingly
But when Esme is the one in danger? Suddenly goes catatonic with grief forcing her 15 year old son who’s been arrested, hurt, possibly physically tortured and scared out of his bloody mind to comfort her.
It’s frankly mind boggling just how much Claude claims to care about her son compared to how little water her claims actually hold. I honestly believe that if other people didn’t step up and mention he exists, like Esme offering to train him or Renee buying him sticky buns, Claude would straight up forget he existed. Quasi as a character only exists on the behalf of others, and even then he fails at his job of making Claude look like a good mother. And it ultimately weakens both character as a whole: Claude now looks like both a liar and a hypocrite, and Quasi now has so little page time that he’s never allowed to develop into anything more than “Claude’s disabled teenage son.” Quasi’s never even mocked by the society Claude claims he needs protection from, any jabs at his existence are only ever directed at Claude so that she can get offended on his behalf, and snap back accordingly. It’s like the ableist version of a white savior complex!
The Side Cast:
Yeah yeah, I said I wouldn’t lump the characters together, but to be honest there’s just not a lot to say on these guys. They’re just pretty flat all around, but then again, not every character needs an arc to serve their purpose in the story. Renee is Claude’s equally horny ex friend with benefits who serves a role of support, Jules is meant to be the annoying yet endearing sibling type, but only ever really succeeds at being annoying, and Clopin is a character in Hunchback That Exists, and therefore he’s slapped into the story as Esmeralda’s father, character faithfulness be damned. (He’s pretty unrecognizable other than the name.) Erik Phantom is also here, but I’m not as entrenched in the Phandom so I wouldn’t be able to judge whether his character was done justice or not. All I do have to mention is that the author changed it so that he hid away in the catacombs under the opera house because of his magical powers rather than the hideousness of his abhorrent face. This book is now two for one on taking characters best known for being ugly and refusing to actually comment on their ugliness. (I’m starting to wonder if this author is also allergic to facial deformity).
Phoebus and Father Laurent are… villains, I guess, but they’re both two dimensional and cartoonishly evil to the point of boredom. It’s especially disappointing seeing how Hunchback as a story is renowned for having a layered and complex antagonist, but, whatever. Jehan… will get a section all to his own because as my friends can attest, his inclusion left me more pissed off than anything else this book could throw at me, and considering this review is 2K words and still going, that’s a lot.
Jehan:
There’s no polite way to say this, so I’m not even going to try. It really reads like Jehan was sexually abused as a child solely so that Claude could look good.
Let me explain.
Once a fun-loving, consistently drunk teenage hellion who’s sole pleasure and comic relief was extortioning all the money from his older brother that he possibly could in order to fuel his desire for hookers and booze, Jehan’s new backstory was that he was an altar boy in Notre Dame, ran away at fifteen, and is now a broken man who drinks to numb the pain and wishes to see the cathedral burned to the ground. I’ll let you fill in the dots yourself. However, the only narrative purpose this backstory serves is as part of Father Laurent’s evil monologue where he mocks Claude, which is the first time both she and the readers realize that Jehan has been raped, making her so angry that she brutally stabs him to death. And that’s it. Jehan’s trauma is never explored, or unpacked, he’s never allowed to heal from it or even gain any support, the only reason this backstory exists was so that Claude could unleash her ultimate Mama Bear and brutally stab the evil oppressor like a total badass. Jehan is just an afterthought, and his sexual abuse is only ever important when it affects Claude and makes her feel bad. It’s just so incredibly tone deaf that I cannot even believe this was allowed to squeak past the mounds of beta readers, sensitivity readers, and editors. How did no one catch this? How did no one stand up and say “Hey, this is screwed up, maybe you shouldn’t treat the topic of childhood SA so callously?!” Did anyone spare a single brain cell in the production of this book?!
Now, you may be thinking that it’s stupid to get hung up on all the differences between this retelling and the original, especially since the author mentioned in a disclaimer that this book would be taking creative liberties. But honestly? That just makes me even more pissed off. What was the point of making this based off of HoND if nothing resembles the original? If everything about the source material was bastardized to the point of unrecognizability? The blurb claims that it’s “Perfect for fans of the musical and classic novels alike” But there’s nothing about the novel that I love that was preserved in here! Not the worldbuilding, not the themes, not the prose, and most certainly not the characters. I don’t just feel lied to, I feel cheated. And I was given a free copy!
In conclusion, don’t waste your time. I’ve spent 8 pages and almost 3K words ranting because I am that passionate about the Hunchback of Notre Dame. And even then, I cannot find one thing that is redeemable about this book. If you’re a fan of Hunchback, don’t read this book, it’ll just piss you off. If you’re not, I still can’t recommend this book in good faith, because I don’t want this to be anyone’s first impression of the story I love so much and that has changed my life for the better. Read the original 1831 novel if you have the attention span, it’s not a light or easy read but it’s a literary masterpiece for a reason. If not, watch the Disney movie, it’s not book accurate but it’s incredibly good. If you want something shorter but still somewhat book accurate, I’d recommend the 1998 musical Notre Dame de Paris either French or Italian with english subs (Don’t look at the english translation unless you want to die of cringe). It’s not perfect but the soundtrack has a great many bops and it’s free on Youtube. Don’t read this, even for the porn; there’s better out there, and your eyes deserve to read something of quality.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2023
Pre review: I I…… I will try to write a review when I wake up…
4.5/5 ⭐️
This book is so addictive, I couldn’t put it down until i was finished!!! Which I don’t know withers to cry or be happy about since it ended in a cliffhanger 😭😭😭.
I felt a lot of emotion while reading it, The similarities between Claude and me is so strong, i can relate so much to her struggles, and sometimes i wanted to stop reading it because I really felt her pain (Writing this review alone has mede me cry) 🥲💔.
But of course i couldn’t stop, the plot is amazing and kept me at the edge of my seat, one thing after the other, and the ending?????? I can’t wait for the next book 😭😭
I love Both Claude and Esmeralda, but Claude especially have my whole heart 😭
The writing is beautiful the second characters is amazing, there’s nothing we love more than Found family 😢🤍
The book is simply FIRE 🔥
I hope the sequel doesn’t take much to release because I don’t know if I can wait that long 😭.
Now I’m going to patch my wound and continue crying
4.5/5 ⭐️
This book is so addictive, I couldn’t put it down until i was finished!!! Which I don’t know withers to cry or be happy about since it ended in a cliffhanger 😭😭😭.
I felt a lot of emotion while reading it, The similarities between Claude and me is so strong, i can relate so much to her struggles, and sometimes i wanted to stop reading it because I really felt her pain (Writing this review alone has mede me cry) 🥲💔.
It’s the one thing I’ll never understand: how those closest to his love are the one who judge the harshest
But of course i couldn’t stop, the plot is amazing and kept me at the edge of my seat, one thing after the other, and the ending?????? I can’t wait for the next book 😭😭
I love Both Claude and Esmeralda, but Claude especially have my whole heart 😭
In this life, there is nothing i ever want or need more than you
The writing is beautiful the second characters is amazing, there’s nothing we love more than Found family 😢🤍
The book is simply FIRE 🔥
I hope the sequel doesn’t take much to release because I don’t know if I can wait that long 😭.
Now I’m going to patch my wound and continue crying
July 5, 2023
I wanted to like, even love, this book so much. But I just couldn’t connect to it. I’m not even sure what the issue was for me. I made it to 35% and then I gave up. I was watching the percentages drag by and chapters seemed to be too long, which isn’t a good sign – when I’m starting to feel that way. Objectively, the book seems to be written well. However I do think there’s some descriptive worldbuilding missing which made it so I never connected to the characters. Adding to that, the characters already knew and liked each other before the book began. For me that’s always an added tough element to make me connect to characters.
I love reading about first meetings, first impressions, the awkward vibes… And missing that made it all the more harder, sadly. I can’t say much about the plot since at 35% there didn’t seem to be much of one.
So instead I’ll post some of my reading updates, that also made me realize I wouldn’t finish this book.
22.0% “Unclear so far if this book has plot, it’s a fun read though.” – The moment I was still lying to myself. I wanted to like this book so much because the author seems nice and the cover is gorgeous. I love Paris and the Notre Dame and yet…
28.0% “I agree with Jules, I’m also very confused about this romance and instant connection the MCs have.” – Ah, there it is. What honestly ended up being the main issue. I didn’t care about the characters and I didn’t understand their love story/obsession.
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
I love reading about first meetings, first impressions, the awkward vibes… And missing that made it all the more harder, sadly. I can’t say much about the plot since at 35% there didn’t seem to be much of one.
So instead I’ll post some of my reading updates, that also made me realize I wouldn’t finish this book.
22.0% “Unclear so far if this book has plot, it’s a fun read though.” – The moment I was still lying to myself. I wanted to like this book so much because the author seems nice and the cover is gorgeous. I love Paris and the Notre Dame and yet…
28.0% “I agree with Jules, I’m also very confused about this romance and instant connection the MCs have.” – Ah, there it is. What honestly ended up being the main issue. I didn’t care about the characters and I didn’t understand their love story/obsession.
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
January 7, 2026
I had such high hopes for this book. I waited for months to get it and bought it the day it came out. The phantom of the opera theme didn’t come into play until the book was almost over and it felt super rushes and more like a marketing ploy than a plot point. The relationships were strange to me and the sex scenes were written in an uncomfortable way. For being a retelling of a story set in old Paris the writing was painfully modern, with the story feeling forced to weave modern pronouns and language into the plot which made the story jarring and clunky.
March 28, 2023
Thank you to Rae for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever wanted to read a Hunchback of Notre Dame reimagining where Claude Frollo was the hero and Phoebus was the villain? Have you ever wanted to merge The Hunchback of Notre Dame AND Phantom of the Opera? Do you like magic? Trans-awakening? Spicy times? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
I fell in love with this cover when it was first revealed months ago, and when I received an ARC I immediately shoved everything else to the side to read this. I actually didn't know this merged Hunchback and Phantom together and so I was surprised as heck. But man, this was SO GOOD. Esmerelda and Claude are such diverse characters and the side characters are just as interesting. The representation in this book alone is everything!
But the plot? Absolute. Fire. Check your TWs (always take care of yourself first, friends!) and there is a cliffhanger because another book is coming but when it ended I had to go back to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a long time where I haven't been watching the percentage in the corner wondering when the end of the book is coming. But this just makes me want more more more more more!
Do yourself a favor and pick this up. Thank me later.
Have you ever wanted to read a Hunchback of Notre Dame reimagining where Claude Frollo was the hero and Phoebus was the villain? Have you ever wanted to merge The Hunchback of Notre Dame AND Phantom of the Opera? Do you like magic? Trans-awakening? Spicy times? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
I fell in love with this cover when it was first revealed months ago, and when I received an ARC I immediately shoved everything else to the side to read this. I actually didn't know this merged Hunchback and Phantom together and so I was surprised as heck. But man, this was SO GOOD. Esmerelda and Claude are such diverse characters and the side characters are just as interesting. The representation in this book alone is everything!
But the plot? Absolute. Fire. Check your TWs (always take care of yourself first, friends!) and there is a cliffhanger because another book is coming but when it ended I had to go back to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a long time where I haven't been watching the percentage in the corner wondering when the end of the book is coming. But this just makes me want more more more more more!
Do yourself a favor and pick this up. Thank me later.
March 30, 2023
This dark fantasy retelling is perfect for those looking for a steamy sapphic romance! Inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, this story is set in the gothic streets of Paris where temptation looms in its streets. 🔥
Ever since Claude first laid eyes on the dancing and fiery Esmeralda, they have been obsessed. However, as part of the Notre Dame’s clergy, succumbing to the desires of the flesh and breaking their vow of celibacy is a sin. Claude decides to watch Esmeralda one last time… but then, the unexpected happens and they find themselves face to face with temptation.
Esmeralda noticed that mysterious person watching her every performance. As a fire mage, having the support of someone in the church might be the difference between life and death. What she did not expect was her body’s reaction to Claude… their chemistry was undeniable and leaking off the pages!🥵
Their relationship is refreshing to read, filled with acceptance and support. I also loved Claude’s relationship with her son, Quasimodo, which was a nice twist from the original story. This was a fantastic LGBTQ retelling with great exploration of gender identity.
Thanks for the author for gifting me a copy for review
Ever since Claude first laid eyes on the dancing and fiery Esmeralda, they have been obsessed. However, as part of the Notre Dame’s clergy, succumbing to the desires of the flesh and breaking their vow of celibacy is a sin. Claude decides to watch Esmeralda one last time… but then, the unexpected happens and they find themselves face to face with temptation.
Esmeralda noticed that mysterious person watching her every performance. As a fire mage, having the support of someone in the church might be the difference between life and death. What she did not expect was her body’s reaction to Claude… their chemistry was undeniable and leaking off the pages!🥵
Their relationship is refreshing to read, filled with acceptance and support. I also loved Claude’s relationship with her son, Quasimodo, which was a nice twist from the original story. This was a fantastic LGBTQ retelling with great exploration of gender identity.
Thanks for the author for gifting me a copy for review
May 5, 2023
I loved this book. I loved the idea, I loved the twists, I loved how R. L. Davennor managed to combine 2 of my absolute favorite things and make it better by including the LGBTQIA community. The Hunchback of Notre Dame meets Phantom of the Opera in this re-telling in a most pleasing way ( and I don’t just mean the spice 🌶) and is complete with all the whimsy that you’d find at the Feast of Fools. Although the story line differs in ways from the story we all know, it still leaves you with the message and moral that Clopin leaves you with in the end Disney’s Hunchback movie.
“So here is a riddle to guess if you can”,
Sing the bells of Notre Dame,
“What makes a monster and what makes a man?”
“So here is a riddle to guess if you can”,
Sing the bells of Notre Dame,
“What makes a monster and what makes a man?”
May 20, 2024
*insert michael jackson gif*
we need to bring back writing workshops.
for the life of me i couldn't tell you what this was abt bc it was so all over the place, supposedly in 1800s france but from how they talked etc id think it was 2023. by 20% i just couldn't even force myself to attempt to be intrigued by whatever the book was supposed to be abt.
we need to bring back writing workshops.
for the life of me i couldn't tell you what this was abt bc it was so all over the place, supposedly in 1800s france but from how they talked etc id think it was 2023. by 20% i just couldn't even force myself to attempt to be intrigued by whatever the book was supposed to be abt.
April 19, 2023
DNF @ 23%
The modern writing in a historical setting was unbearable.
The modern writing in a historical setting was unbearable.
May 13, 2023
Paris. I have to admit that I'm one of the few people in the world not really fond of Paris. For me Paris is an overcrowded place. The streets are dirty and it never really feels entirely safe. However, I do love the history of the city and most of all the stories connected to the old buildings. The Notre Dame, the Opera House. So, when I saw this book, written by an author I was already familiar with, on BookSirens I had to grab my review copy.
What I love about this book is that it's mostly character driven. This book focusses mostly on the Notre Dame, we're visiting the Opera House only later and Erik and Meg are never really the centre of this story, and of course all the elements of the original tale are there. But the plot is, if you look closely at it, kind of thin. Esmeralda is hunted for messing up using her magic, Frollo is the one in love with her and harboring her in the Notre Dame.
Although the plot of this book is kinda thin it's never boring. On the contrary. Both characters are struggling with their own issues, worries and longings. Especially Claude is in a really complicated position. They're struggling with their gender, they're struggling with their role in life and in the church and they're struggling with their sexuality and love. I think the struggle feels very realistic, but reviewers with more personal experiences like Claude are the ones you should listen to.
I do love though how eventually the story of the Notre Dame gets intertwined with the Phantom of the Opera. Since the discrimination in this book is against mages Erik has a really good reason to be hiding. It therefore also makes sense that he's the one they're gonna ask for help when more people have to hide and flee from the government. No better place to hide like the theatre where no one can tell fiction and reality apart.
I'm really excited to read the next book in the series and to learn more about the different kinds of magic and the political situation in Paris.
What I love about this book is that it's mostly character driven. This book focusses mostly on the Notre Dame, we're visiting the Opera House only later and Erik and Meg are never really the centre of this story, and of course all the elements of the original tale are there. But the plot is, if you look closely at it, kind of thin. Esmeralda is hunted for messing up using her magic, Frollo is the one in love with her and harboring her in the Notre Dame.
Although the plot of this book is kinda thin it's never boring. On the contrary. Both characters are struggling with their own issues, worries and longings. Especially Claude is in a really complicated position. They're struggling with their gender, they're struggling with their role in life and in the church and they're struggling with their sexuality and love. I think the struggle feels very realistic, but reviewers with more personal experiences like Claude are the ones you should listen to.
I do love though how eventually the story of the Notre Dame gets intertwined with the Phantom of the Opera. Since the discrimination in this book is against mages Erik has a really good reason to be hiding. It therefore also makes sense that he's the one they're gonna ask for help when more people have to hide and flee from the government. No better place to hide like the theatre where no one can tell fiction and reality apart.
I'm really excited to read the next book in the series and to learn more about the different kinds of magic and the political situation in Paris.
April 22, 2023
I want to thank R.L. Davennor for the eARC, and I'm so sorry that it took me this long to get to reading the book. I ended up getting the ARC right before the release date so I ended up reading my kindle copy when I came out of a book slump.
I loved the characters, and Claude's journey with becoming comfortable with who they are and where they came from - dealing with internalized homophobia and religious trauma is a hefty weight, and I imagine that this is exacerbated by where they are (Archdeacon of Notre Dame) so when they become infatuated with the Embermage (Esmerelda), the internal crisis becomes a major external crisis that is the starting off point for the unfolding plot. Paris is a hot bed of religion and mages, and the conflict between the police and the mages spirals out of control due to an accidental burn of the chief of police, Phoebus by the Embermage. This follows some of the plotlines for the Hunchback of Notre Dame, but also blends some of the plot of The Phantom of the Opera - which is a vibe and I am all for this blending.
This is not for historical purists - but if you love fantastic LGBTQIA+ representation, sapphic main characters, magic, and Paris - then you might also like this book.
4 out of 5 stars, 3 out of 5 for spice.
I loved the characters, and Claude's journey with becoming comfortable with who they are and where they came from - dealing with internalized homophobia and religious trauma is a hefty weight, and I imagine that this is exacerbated by where they are (Archdeacon of Notre Dame) so when they become infatuated with the Embermage (Esmerelda), the internal crisis becomes a major external crisis that is the starting off point for the unfolding plot. Paris is a hot bed of religion and mages, and the conflict between the police and the mages spirals out of control due to an accidental burn of the chief of police, Phoebus by the Embermage. This follows some of the plotlines for the Hunchback of Notre Dame, but also blends some of the plot of The Phantom of the Opera - which is a vibe and I am all for this blending.
This is not for historical purists - but if you love fantastic LGBTQIA+ representation, sapphic main characters, magic, and Paris - then you might also like this book.
4 out of 5 stars, 3 out of 5 for spice.
Read
July 21, 2025DNFed at 30%. I'm sorry to my fans, but I just can't do this anymore. Happy that lesbians get to have trash though, everyone deserves bad books. No star rating because DNF, you know the drill.
Claude and Esmeralda go from "mutual attraction" to "making incredibly stupid choices" for each other in the first 6 chapters or so. Setting this in a world where people say their pronouns to each other as a part of introductions while Catholicism is still a major power is nonsensical in the extreme. Phoebus being an unrepentant bad guy when this book is 1. clearly pulling heavily from the Disney movie and musical and 2. doing polyamory in future books that involves Esmeralda made me angry on a deep personal level. Also, it's incredibly strange that the Frollo/Esmeralda dark romance novel features kink negotiation. Most of all, it's just incredibly boring. Blood of Hercules at least had the decency to be the most insane book I've ever read.
I might finish it one day just to take the piss, but a friend of mine did that already, and I really don't feel the need to finish it when my NetGalley library is 29 books.
Claude and Esmeralda go from "mutual attraction" to "making incredibly stupid choices" for each other in the first 6 chapters or so. Setting this in a world where people say their pronouns to each other as a part of introductions while Catholicism is still a major power is nonsensical in the extreme. Phoebus being an unrepentant bad guy when this book is 1. clearly pulling heavily from the Disney movie and musical and 2. doing polyamory in future books that involves Esmeralda made me angry on a deep personal level. Also, it's incredibly strange that the Frollo/Esmeralda dark romance novel features kink negotiation. Most of all, it's just incredibly boring. Blood of Hercules at least had the decency to be the most insane book I've ever read.
I might finish it one day just to take the piss, but a friend of mine did that already, and I really don't feel the need to finish it when my NetGalley library is 29 books.
December 20, 2024
4.5 starts rounded up!
I loved this book. I loved the way the romance (and SMUT) was talked about. I loved that Claud has internal gender issues without making it a personality trait. I LOVED the magic embedded into the story of notre dame, even more I loved the fact the phantom of the opera was then is this. Fun fact about me, my favourite Disney movie is hunchback of notre dame and my favourite move musical is phantom of the opera. I shall be preordering the sequel the moment I can and I won’t shut up about this book for at least 8 months
I can’t believe it took me this long to find, own and read this book. My life is forever changed
I loved this book. I loved the way the romance (and SMUT) was talked about. I loved that Claud has internal gender issues without making it a personality trait. I LOVED the magic embedded into the story of notre dame, even more I loved the fact the phantom of the opera was then is this. Fun fact about me, my favourite Disney movie is hunchback of notre dame and my favourite move musical is phantom of the opera. I shall be preordering the sequel the moment I can and I won’t shut up about this book for at least 8 months
I can’t believe it took me this long to find, own and read this book. My life is forever changed
May 8, 2023
I received a free ARC and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I really loved the way the author told the story. it's the first time I've read a retelling of this kind, and that's what caught my eye. I love the unique spin the author puts in this story and I can't wait to see what is to come in the next book. Definitely would love to see more world building. The characters are easy to love and I feel that the emotional journey they all go through is well written. Definitely recommend this book!
I really loved the way the author told the story. it's the first time I've read a retelling of this kind, and that's what caught my eye. I love the unique spin the author puts in this story and I can't wait to see what is to come in the next book. Definitely would love to see more world building. The characters are easy to love and I feel that the emotional journey they all go through is well written. Definitely recommend this book!
December 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️ ⭐️
June 19, 2024
Um…. Loosely a retelling of the hunch back of notre dame. Magic systems, es falling in love with someone else. It was a lot. I didn’t care for this book but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be for you.
April 23, 2023
Honest review for ARC.
I really enjoyed this novel. It’s one of those books I completed in one sitting cause I just wanted to know what happened next. One of the most interesting pieces to the story is the MCs character development and discovering who they are and who they truly feel themselves to be. It felts raw and honest. Outside of that the story keeps a pretty rapid pace but not at the expense of story telling. More like it will keep you locked in because there really isn’t a dull moment. I’d say my only “complaint” if you could call it that was the ending was rather abrupt. It definitely feels like a set up for a second novel, but it felt like an odd way to end this first book. However outside of that one thing, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend! I’m looking forward to the next book and learning more about the magic system!
Review: 4.5
I really enjoyed this novel. It’s one of those books I completed in one sitting cause I just wanted to know what happened next. One of the most interesting pieces to the story is the MCs character development and discovering who they are and who they truly feel themselves to be. It felts raw and honest. Outside of that the story keeps a pretty rapid pace but not at the expense of story telling. More like it will keep you locked in because there really isn’t a dull moment. I’d say my only “complaint” if you could call it that was the ending was rather abrupt. It definitely feels like a set up for a second novel, but it felt like an odd way to end this first book. However outside of that one thing, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend! I’m looking forward to the next book and learning more about the magic system!
Review: 4.5
April 15, 2023
I got an ARC of this book, and I was very happy to get the email saying it was ready for me to download and read.
Then, I read the first two pages and ended up putting it off for several days because the description I was given was different than what the book said it was. I took offense to that because I don't like being lied to.
I gave it a chance after a while and I will say it is very well written. I liked how it dealt with trans identity and gender disphoria. I really think we need more books that have that kind of in-depth description and analysis.
That might be the only good thing about this book, though.
I say it is well written, but that is because the sentence structure is good and almost no spelling mistakes (I understand it is still in editing, so the last couple of chapters had a few). However, there is a distinct lack of descriptions given of almost anything or anyone. The only people I saw any real description for were Esmerelda and Claude. And those weren't right up front descriptions. They were sprinkled in throughout the book. Everyone else seemed to be just a walking speech bubble. I had no idea what to imagine in my head.
I understand not wanting to give gendered descriptions of certain characters, but Jules was one of those speech bubbles with their shirt not fully buttoned as that was the only physical description we are ever given of them.
I also had no idea how old anyone was. It wasn't until Claude and Erik mentioned that it had been nearly 30 years since they saw each other that I got any indication of possible age, which was still very ambiguous. For that matter, how old is Esmerelda?
I know the author said that this wasn't going to be historically accurate, but it is JARRING to go from a 1700s setting (the time the author said this takes place) to the late 1800s after that particular opera house was constructed.
Claude seems contradictory in that the very first chapter she talks about being damned for liking women and wars with herself about it, and then breaks those vows quickly. A rule of never kissing on the lips is broken within a page or two of us learning about it. No warring with God about her questioning her gender, just the lust. "Stop swearing" and "I'm going to fuck you" all within a couple paragraphs. I can't keep up with her contradictions.
Esmerelda is just self-destructive. Constantly doing exactly what she is told not to do. I swear the only reason she got so mad to attack Erik was so she would "deplete her magic" before the climax of the book to add tension. It was too obvious and made no sense since the description of their fight was so minimal that it sounded like it was the same, if not less, than the amount of magic she had used during her performances as the embermage when she summoned a dragon to dance with.
The author didn't even give a description of her battle with Phoebus in the end. Somehow, he got away, but we don't get to know how. It was built up so much about her getting her magic back and it being 3 times stronger than before, but the reader gets no payout for it.
I do appreciate getting a copy of this book early, but I can't give it a good review.
Then, I read the first two pages and ended up putting it off for several days because the description I was given was different than what the book said it was. I took offense to that because I don't like being lied to.
I gave it a chance after a while and I will say it is very well written. I liked how it dealt with trans identity and gender disphoria. I really think we need more books that have that kind of in-depth description and analysis.
That might be the only good thing about this book, though.
I say it is well written, but that is because the sentence structure is good and almost no spelling mistakes (I understand it is still in editing, so the last couple of chapters had a few). However, there is a distinct lack of descriptions given of almost anything or anyone. The only people I saw any real description for were Esmerelda and Claude. And those weren't right up front descriptions. They were sprinkled in throughout the book. Everyone else seemed to be just a walking speech bubble. I had no idea what to imagine in my head.
I understand not wanting to give gendered descriptions of certain characters, but Jules was one of those speech bubbles with their shirt not fully buttoned as that was the only physical description we are ever given of them.
I also had no idea how old anyone was. It wasn't until Claude and Erik mentioned that it had been nearly 30 years since they saw each other that I got any indication of possible age, which was still very ambiguous. For that matter, how old is Esmerelda?
I know the author said that this wasn't going to be historically accurate, but it is JARRING to go from a 1700s setting (the time the author said this takes place) to the late 1800s after that particular opera house was constructed.
Claude seems contradictory in that the very first chapter she talks about being damned for liking women and wars with herself about it, and then breaks those vows quickly. A rule of never kissing on the lips is broken within a page or two of us learning about it. No warring with God about her questioning her gender, just the lust. "Stop swearing" and "I'm going to fuck you" all within a couple paragraphs. I can't keep up with her contradictions.
Esmerelda is just self-destructive. Constantly doing exactly what she is told not to do. I swear the only reason she got so mad to attack Erik was so she would "deplete her magic" before the climax of the book to add tension. It was too obvious and made no sense since the description of their fight was so minimal that it sounded like it was the same, if not less, than the amount of magic she had used during her performances as the embermage when she summoned a dragon to dance with.
The author didn't even give a description of her battle with Phoebus in the end. Somehow, he got away, but we don't get to know how. It was built up so much about her getting her magic back and it being 3 times stronger than before, but the reader gets no payout for it.
I do appreciate getting a copy of this book early, but I can't give it a good review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2025
I didn't love this book. It is a good concept but not well written.
March 17, 2024
Nope
dnf at 50%
dnf at 50%
April 25, 2023
So to preface this review, I'm going to mention that I'm not really a fan of the fantasy genre as a rule, and I don't really get into retellings. But if you write a book that is the sapphic collision of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Phantom of the Opera? With a ton of queer representation?
I. AM. ALL. IN.
As you can probably guess, I had high expectations going into this one, and I was not disappointed. This story had me hooked from the very beginning, and I was intrigued as I waited to see how Davennor was going to merge the stories of Phantom and Hunchback. The answer? Brilliantly.
I loved all of the characters, and I am impatiently awaiting book two in the series because I need more of Erik. Like, a lot more. And yes, this book ends in a cliffhanger. You should know that going in. I somehow missed that fact and felt my anxiety levels spiking as I watched the percentage of completion get higher and higher. But it was the good kind of cliffhanger; one that satisfies you enough for now while still leaving you begging for more.
Oh, and can we please talk about this COVER??? I'm so incredibly smitten. I honestly can't stop looking at it. I'm definitely going to order a signed copy of this one so that I can gaze at it on my shelf whenever I want. Speaking of beautiful, go check the author's Insta and see the gorgeous illustration of Claude. OMG. I'm deeply in love.
So at the beginning of this review I mentioned that I never really got into fantasy. Am I now going to go dive into Davennor's back catalog and devour all of their other retellings? You bet your ass I am. I just may be hooked. :)
Content warnings from the author: language, violence, explicit sexual content, homophobia (both internalized and directed toward certain characters) and mentions of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.
I. AM. ALL. IN.
As you can probably guess, I had high expectations going into this one, and I was not disappointed. This story had me hooked from the very beginning, and I was intrigued as I waited to see how Davennor was going to merge the stories of Phantom and Hunchback. The answer? Brilliantly.
I loved all of the characters, and I am impatiently awaiting book two in the series because I need more of Erik. Like, a lot more. And yes, this book ends in a cliffhanger. You should know that going in. I somehow missed that fact and felt my anxiety levels spiking as I watched the percentage of completion get higher and higher. But it was the good kind of cliffhanger; one that satisfies you enough for now while still leaving you begging for more.
Oh, and can we please talk about this COVER??? I'm so incredibly smitten. I honestly can't stop looking at it. I'm definitely going to order a signed copy of this one so that I can gaze at it on my shelf whenever I want. Speaking of beautiful, go check the author's Insta and see the gorgeous illustration of Claude. OMG. I'm deeply in love.
So at the beginning of this review I mentioned that I never really got into fantasy. Am I now going to go dive into Davennor's back catalog and devour all of their other retellings? You bet your ass I am. I just may be hooked. :)
Content warnings from the author: language, violence, explicit sexual content, homophobia (both internalized and directed toward certain characters) and mentions of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.
February 25, 2025
*3.5 stars
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I mean a sapphic Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling? Sign me up! It started out great and reminded me so much of the Disney movie except with queer characters and magic. However this book was just so drawn out and I started to get bored. There’s a phantom of the opera aspect too but it doesn’t get added in until near the end of the story and it felt a little random. I also got so irritated with all the pronoun changes! In the beginning, the author states that Claude is gender fluid and figuring themselves out and eventually would identify as nonbinary lesbian with she/they pronouns. While I have no issues with that and can accept that Claude’s pronouns may change during the course of the story, what threw me off was the author going back and forth repeatedly on pronouns within the same sentence when referring to Claude’s character. It drove me bonkers! While I’m interested to see where this story goes, I’m not sure my brain can keep up with the back and forth if it continues in subsequent books.
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I mean a sapphic Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling? Sign me up! It started out great and reminded me so much of the Disney movie except with queer characters and magic. However this book was just so drawn out and I started to get bored. There’s a phantom of the opera aspect too but it doesn’t get added in until near the end of the story and it felt a little random. I also got so irritated with all the pronoun changes! In the beginning, the author states that Claude is gender fluid and figuring themselves out and eventually would identify as nonbinary lesbian with she/they pronouns. While I have no issues with that and can accept that Claude’s pronouns may change during the course of the story, what threw me off was the author going back and forth repeatedly on pronouns within the same sentence when referring to Claude’s character. It drove me bonkers! While I’m interested to see where this story goes, I’m not sure my brain can keep up with the back and forth if it continues in subsequent books.
January 29, 2025
Ummm….okay so, I loved the idea of this book! The queer retelling of Notre Dame. I just felt that the author stuffed everything in here at once. The story almost felt forced…I really don’t know how to explain to. I think I would have loved the simplicity of the charters love story if it was heavier on the actual story which was very interesting! But the focus was so heavy on the charters identity instead of it coming to fruition naturally through the telling of the actual story and world that the author created. The phantom aspect was just sorta dropped into the story very last minute…it felt odd to bring in a main character 75% way through the book…
Something interesting would happen in the story then a refocus on the identity of a charter. I would have loved if the charter just breathed through the story and find it simply by existing.
Vibes: 2.5⭐️
Writing: 2.5⭐️
I’m sorry I really wanted to love this book!!
Something interesting would happen in the story then a refocus on the identity of a charter. I would have loved if the charter just breathed through the story and find it simply by existing.
Vibes: 2.5⭐️
Writing: 2.5⭐️
I’m sorry I really wanted to love this book!!
May 2, 2023
This was a very interesting retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I was wrapped up in the story the author was telling as well as the differences between the original story and the story that I was reading. I really enjoyed how things changed between the two stories.
I want to state that I really appreciated the author giving trigger warnings and making people aware that there are some very heavy topics within the pages. I also loved that after initial readers read their copy they mentioned how some of the writing was problematic in their eyes. Rather than doubling down and saying its what she wanted she went back in and made changes to better reflect the communities that were affected by the writing.
I would absolutely read more from this author as I was drawn in quickly with this read.
I want to state that I really appreciated the author giving trigger warnings and making people aware that there are some very heavy topics within the pages. I also loved that after initial readers read their copy they mentioned how some of the writing was problematic in their eyes. Rather than doubling down and saying its what she wanted she went back in and made changes to better reflect the communities that were affected by the writing.
I would absolutely read more from this author as I was drawn in quickly with this read.
May 4, 2023
This is a very loose retelling/mashup of the Hunchback of Norte Dame and Phantom of the Opera. Except for the names of Characters and the mentions of some places you don’t see much of either story.
While the author does say that the story isn’t meant to be historically accurate some of the language felt very modern and would pull you out of the story for a moment.
I enjoyed the chemistry portrayed between the characters. While the main story is between Claude and Esmeralda I hope we get to see more of Quasimodo, Jehan, Mercedes, and Erik in future books. While not my first LGBTQ novel it was the first I have read with this level of gender exploration which I found new and interesting. And I loved the magical elements of the story of both those mages know and those just emerging.
It does end on a cliffhanger and that has me excited to find out what comes next.
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
While the author does say that the story isn’t meant to be historically accurate some of the language felt very modern and would pull you out of the story for a moment.
I enjoyed the chemistry portrayed between the characters. While the main story is between Claude and Esmeralda I hope we get to see more of Quasimodo, Jehan, Mercedes, and Erik in future books. While not my first LGBTQ novel it was the first I have read with this level of gender exploration which I found new and interesting. And I loved the magical elements of the story of both those mages know and those just emerging.
It does end on a cliffhanger and that has me excited to find out what comes next.
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
May 31, 2023
One of the things I appreciate the most about this author's writing is that their books can be quite dark, yet through sarcasm, quick wit, found family, etc I always walk away having had a good few chuckles and feeling kinda warm and fuzzy inside? Ahaha. Their books also manage to pull me out of slumps and this one was no different 😂 - I read it SO FAST.
This book is not for historical purists or for anyone who likes retellings that stay super close to the original story...But! I did find the spin on it pretty brilliant! really enjoyed the magic system and how certain magical abilities were paired with specific characters - it just makes so much sense and it left me sitting there wondering how I hadn't thought of this before!
I also really enjoyed how the characters were flawed and we witnessed their various struggles and already could see some growth in this book.The way everything lined up, I am honestly so excited for book 2! I several theories 😏 (I'm actually hoping a character might develop into a demolitions expert) and can't wait to see more characters pop in!
If you like dark fantasy romance, would enjoy a loose Hunchback of Notre Dame x Phantom of the Opera retelling and are looking for a read with some great LGBTQIA+ rep, including sapphic main characters - read this!
Content warnings: Content warnings include language, violence, death, explicit sexual content, homophobia (both internalized and directed toward certain characters) and mentions of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.
A huge thanks to the author, R. L. Davennor, for the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
This book is not for historical purists or for anyone who likes retellings that stay super close to the original story...But! I did find the spin on it pretty brilliant! really enjoyed the magic system and how certain magical abilities were paired with specific characters - it just makes so much sense and it left me sitting there wondering how I hadn't thought of this before!
I also really enjoyed how the characters were flawed and we witnessed their various struggles and already could see some growth in this book.The way everything lined up, I am honestly so excited for book 2! I several theories 😏 (I'm actually hoping a character might develop into a demolitions expert) and can't wait to see more characters pop in!
If you like dark fantasy romance, would enjoy a loose Hunchback of Notre Dame x Phantom of the Opera retelling and are looking for a read with some great LGBTQIA+ rep, including sapphic main characters - read this!
Content warnings: Content warnings include language, violence, death, explicit sexual content, homophobia (both internalized and directed toward certain characters) and mentions of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia.
A huge thanks to the author, R. L. Davennor, for the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
April 1, 2023
Genderbent and sapphic Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling with magic and gender identity rep? SAY LESS
I swear this book helped heal my Catholic religious trauma.
I loved every moment of this book and the obvious care the author took when discussing gender identity.
I do have a soft spot for dark reimaginings of classic tales, and was very excited when I heard about this one. I went in with high hopes and I was pleased.
*I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
I swear this book helped heal my Catholic religious trauma.
I loved every moment of this book and the obvious care the author took when discussing gender identity.
I do have a soft spot for dark reimaginings of classic tales, and was very excited when I heard about this one. I went in with high hopes and I was pleased.
*I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
May 6, 2023
This dark fantasy retelling is incredible. Inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is an absolute favourite of mine, but not very often done. The author has spun an amazing story.
Filled with the main characters you loved and maybe hated, Claude and Esmeralda's relationship will leaving you begging for more.
This story was filled with acceptance and support. I loved the way the author dived into a different struggle, that isn't often written about. This is a spectacular LGBTQA+ book.
Thanks for the author for gifting me a copy for review
Filled with the main characters you loved and maybe hated, Claude and Esmeralda's relationship will leaving you begging for more.
This story was filled with acceptance and support. I loved the way the author dived into a different struggle, that isn't often written about. This is a spectacular LGBTQA+ book.
Thanks for the author for gifting me a copy for review
April 25, 2024
Dios mío lo que me ha costado terminar este libro 💀👄💀
Es un coñazo impresionante y es que no pasa absolutamente NADA. NADA. empiezas y acabas el libro con la misma información y casi sin arco de personaje....
Luego está todo el drama de la culpabilidad católica que???? Tiene mucha importancia pero solo a ratos???
Y el smut... Sosísimo, nada del otro mundo, porque además hay pocas escenas y terribles... Wdym que te entra el calentón la noche antes de que te vayan a ejecutar solo porque te viene a ver la otra pava?????? Estás sucia y triste y dices uf es que esa túnica que le tapa entere uffff🔥🥵🥵🥵
EEN FINN
Y luego que quasimodo y Claude de repente tengan poderes? Así sin más? Totalmente extra y no aporta nada
Terrible
Además ni el conflicto social ni nada está bien hecho....
Es un coñazo impresionante y es que no pasa absolutamente NADA. NADA. empiezas y acabas el libro con la misma información y casi sin arco de personaje....
Luego está todo el drama de la culpabilidad católica que???? Tiene mucha importancia pero solo a ratos???
Y el smut... Sosísimo, nada del otro mundo, porque además hay pocas escenas y terribles... Wdym que te entra el calentón la noche antes de que te vayan a ejecutar solo porque te viene a ver la otra pava?????? Estás sucia y triste y dices uf es que esa túnica que le tapa entere uffff🔥🥵🥵🥵
EEN FINN
Y luego que quasimodo y Claude de repente tengan poderes? Así sin más? Totalmente extra y no aporta nada
Terrible
Además ni el conflicto social ni nada está bien hecho....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2024
What kind of turned into fanfiction which ended up including “The Phantom of the Opera” it was pretty hard to put down. I loved how Davennor changed Claude without it being too much. The plot line with mages representing Gypsy’s was very interesting and I loved going back and forth between Claude and Esmeralda’s perspectives! I also appreciated bringing in characters from the original novel! Overall it worked for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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