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So I wasn't going to read this.
The author had a book previously called EON which I really didn't like for reasons I couldn't put my finger on (at the time. Now I know why: it was because the girl MC hated every other girl in the story...for being girls). I bought the sequel, probably bc the covers were pretty, but I don't remember anything that happens in it, so I don't know if I ever read it.
And then this one came out.
Several friends on Twitter REALLY liked it. Like "favourite book of the year" liked it. And I do like the Regency, so I decided to give it a shot.
AND IT WAS GREAT.
Not only does the main character like and respect the other girls and women in her life, she has SEVERAL DIFFERENT FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS, in and out of her demon-slaying, not to mention an excellent relationship with her aunt that could EASILY been written as toxic. Lady Jersey, who shows up in a lot of books in this period due to her position as a patroness at Almack's, gets actual screen time, as done Queen Charlotte, which was both unexpected and FLIPPING AMAZING.
The world building was also impeccable. Goodman's combination of Regency and Supernatural was brilliant, without getting mired in (so-called) historical accuracy.
Also, the book has a delightful religious character (i.e. openly faithful and not a jerk), and Goodman's coding of the jerk religious character is such that you, as the reader, understand that he's not a jerk because he's religious. He's just a jerk.
I wasn't super-sold on the romance, but since the MC herself isn't super-sold on it either, I feel like it really works from a story-telling point of view.
Sidebar: this book includes not only an excellent Start-to-Byron (95 pages), but also a hilarious use of the Prince Regent to service the plot. I was delighted.
The author had a book previously called EON which I really didn't like for reasons I couldn't put my finger on (at the time. Now I know why: it was because the girl MC hated every other girl in the story...for being girls). I bought the sequel, probably bc the covers were pretty, but I don't remember anything that happens in it, so I don't know if I ever read it.
And then this one came out.
Several friends on Twitter REALLY liked it. Like "favourite book of the year" liked it. And I do like the Regency, so I decided to give it a shot.
AND IT WAS GREAT.
Not only does the main character like and respect the other girls and women in her life, she has SEVERAL DIFFERENT FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS, in and out of her demon-slaying, not to mention an excellent relationship with her aunt that could EASILY been written as toxic. Lady Jersey, who shows up in a lot of books in this period due to her position as a patroness at Almack's, gets actual screen time, as done Queen Charlotte, which was both unexpected and FLIPPING AMAZING.
The world building was also impeccable. Goodman's combination of Regency and Supernatural was brilliant, without getting mired in (so-called) historical accuracy.
Also, the book has a delightful religious character (i.e. openly faithful and not a jerk), and Goodman's coding of the jerk religious character is such that you, as the reader, understand that he's not a jerk because he's religious. He's just a jerk.
I wasn't super-sold on the romance, but since the MC herself isn't super-sold on it either, I feel like it really works from a story-telling point of view.
Sidebar: this book includes not only an excellent Start-to-Byron (95 pages), but also a hilarious use of the Prince Regent to service the plot. I was delighted.
