MC > Recent Status Updates

For the reviews that say this is very flowery and hard to follow, I am getting the flowers but not the hard to follow part. This is pretty and twisted but lyrical. I’m liking it.

Oh, this is dark. It’s very fantastical and well written, like a Grimm Fairytale.

I see what the hype is about. To be fair, I read and enjoyed her stand-alone, The Demons Prince book, so I knew this would be good. It is set before that one though and I am remembering bits from it, but it’s not spoiled for me, I don’t think.

Dnf, no rating. The writing is underdeveloped and yet wordy at the same time.

Going to dnf. The writing isn’t good and the characters are hollow.

On book 2

“…he realized he couldn’t pull his eyes from Ellsbeth’s face, her narrowed eyes and the curl at the corner of her mouth. Sometimes, Ellsbeth said carefully, I like being told what to do.”

Um, hello, yes please. The atmosphere of this is HOT and they are talking about her dissertation thesis. It is so academic and so provocative at the same time.

The FMC is so naive and selfish. Her character flaws are impeccably written and the way she’s grasping at “clues” for her own self promotion makes me want to shake her. Gullible, irresponsible, innocent, and too smart for her own good.

I am SO into this. Many dark academia books skip the academia and go quickly into whatever other pull or trope is being implemented. This doesn’t do that. The writing presumes a level of intelligence in the reader, like Babel by R.F. Kuang but with a less heavy handed approach. Covertly writers as though knowing the reader is competent or at least clever enough to figure it out.

Bourdain is my kryptonite and usually a death knell for books I read, but this woman has a far more personal connection, so I'm looking forward to this.

Well, it feels very academic and the email correspondence is on point. I also feel like it is inspired by a school I am familiar with, so probably going to be a good read.

Page 10. Interesting BaTB retelling

This definitely reads like a YA fantasy. Ps 92

The writing is middle of the road but the world-building is lackluster, the characters are rushed, and there intro to the MMC is obvious. Pg 25

79

Pg 71

Pg 60

Confirmed it is taking place in the early 1920s. This is set 5 years post WW1.

Very tired tonight but want to add some pages . Pg 32

I am reading an ebook copy since my SE is too nice. It has only 434 pages. I'm on page 33. This is ad good as I remember. It is set in Europe circa 1930s to 40s, but obviously in a fantastical world with dragons. In the year since I last read it, the themes have become more mainstream than fiction...