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honeycupreads's Reviews (114)
lighthearted
fast-paced
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body shaming
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, War
Minor: Homophobia, Xenophobia, Islamophobia
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, Vomit
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Physical abuse
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Death of parent
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cannibalism, Murder
Moderate: Torture, Vomit, Stalking
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Grief
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Alcohol
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Stalking
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“There is such a thing as evil in this world. It does not help to look away from it. It does not even help necessarily to look at it. But sometimes, when you cannot force the world to come to its senses, you must settle only for wiping away some of the small evils in front of you.”
I absolutely adored this book. Dora and Elias are without a doubt two of my favorite main characters of all time. If I could change one thing, it would be that the book isn't long enough! I think it could have benefitted from being at least 100 pages longer, especially the search for the other half of Dora’s soul.
Dora’s struggle with feeling ‘less than’ because she doesn’t experience emotions the way others do broke my heart. She has constantly been told that she ruins things, that she might as well be a doll since she ‘has no feelings’—but that simply isn’t true. She describes her emotions as having ‘long tails,’ explaining that, for example, she doesn’t feel the immediate shock of fear but does experience dread. Despite this, she demonstrates an incredible depth of empathy and compassion—perhaps even more than someone with an entire soul might.
The words failed to prick at her in the way that they should have. She wasn’t upset or offended or tempted to weep. There was a small part of her, however — very deep down — that added the comment to a longstanding pile of other, similar comments. That pile gave her a faint sinking feeling which she never could quite shake. Sometimes, she would find herself taking it out and examining it in the middle of the night, for no particular reason she could discern.
Elias carries so much hatred and anger for the world around him, yet he still spends every moment trying to make it a better place, even if only in small ways. Atwater does an incredible job portraying the fury that burns within him. One might be tempted to categorize Elias as a typical grumpy, brooding romance MMC, but his disdain is reserved solely for those who inflict harm on others and refuse to acknowledge their extreme privilege. Albert captures this perfectly when, in response to Dora’s question about whether Elias is simply angry about the war, he says:
“Elias is angry about a great number of things and I am sure that he would tell you about all of them at length if you were to ask him. But he holds onto that anger in a way that is both highly productive and terribly miserable. I think that Elias has been angry now for so long that he is scared to let it go — I think he is scared that it would make him too complacent, and he might become all of those things which he so despises in others.”
The love that grows between Elias and Dora is truly special—a man who carries his anger like a warm blanket and a woman who believes she is only half a person because she doesn’t feel things the way others do. They bring out the most genuine parts of each other and share a deeply beautiful understanding. Every conversation, every glance, every new piece of themselves they reveal only draws them closer. If any two characters were ever true soulmates, I believe it would be Dora and Elias.
“I cannot imagine you came to one of these parties you hate so much in order to dance.”
“You are correct, of course,” Elias told her. “I despise these silly balls. I did not come here simply to dance. I have again had little success today. I found myself sitting alone in the dark, tired and bitter. And I suppose I could have stayed like that. But I promised Albert that I would be kinder to myself. And so I tried to think of where I would want to be if I were not so bound to this hopeless task.”
“You cannot have thought of Lady Cushing’s ball.”
“I did not, I thought of you, Dora. But you are here, and so here I am. I did not come here only to dance. I came here only to dance with you. It is quite a different thing.”
I don’t think I could write this review without talking about Albert! I absolutely love him and would gladly read a twenty-five-book series just about him. He is such a good friend to Elias and quickly becomes one to Dora as well. With a heart of gold, Albert is one of the most genuine characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about. He works tirelessly to help everyone at the workhouses and ensures that Elias takes care of himself.
The entire subplot focusing on the workhouses and the inhumane conditions forced upon those sent there is handled with such care. In my opinion, the workhouses serve as an accurate parallel to many systemic issues in modern societies worldwide. The rich remain rich because they ignore the suffering of others. The population of unhoused people grows every day because no one provides them with the support they need. Millions of incarcerated people are forced into unbearable labor under the guise of ‘rehabilitation’ and ‘punishment.’ And countless children are trapped in a system that actively works against them unless they are wealthy and white. The anger Elias feels toward the workhouses reflects the frustration so many people feel today. This anger is captured wonderfully when Elias says:
“When I look upon this table, I see all the people who might have starved to set it. I see a lavish meal painstakingly prepared by an entire staff, when half such lavishness would not have materially harmed anyone. Meanwhile, there are so many starving in the workhouses as we speak. Some children, innocent of wrongdoing. Some soldiers, just like your son — men who had no money or connections waiting for them when they came home, and no Lord Sorcier to mend their broken limbs. Their blood kept all these very fine tables safe from Napoleon… and now that they are home it has earned them not one scrap of bread, nor even the consideration of being allowed polite discussion over dinner.”
I think this book packs such a punch in so few pages that I know it will forever have a special place in my heart. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“Are you happy just now, Dora?”
“I am… very content… No, I think I am happy. What a lovely feeling. I am dreaming, and I don’t want to wake up.”
“I don’t want to wake up either.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Classism
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, War
Minor: Child death, Violence, Death of parent