I liked this episode a lot, multiple characters that switches off nuggets, of the over all storyline for Season 2, like building layers of further foundation for Season 3 and the conclusion of the series.

Thanks to netgalley and Serial Box for the advance ARC.

Ellen Kushner's. books are really good. Unfortunately, this book wasn't written by Ellen Kushner, but by a committee and boy does it show. If you want rambling, fractured storylines, patchy writing quality, just unnevenness in general, then this is the series for you. Over the years I've tried to think objectively about works that are published outside of the traditional system, and I'm finding that there are good indie presses, but that most nontraditionally published books go that route because they just aren't good. This seems to be the situation here. It's a decent story poorly told. I hope she goes back to her own work eventually, because those were some really good books.

POV – 3rd person, multi character, often omni-present
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Fantasy, Serial, Historical, Coming-of-Age, Queer
Content Warning – mild violence, sexual situations, adultery/cheating, prostitution
Orientations – MM, MF, FF



** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **



I love the world building of this series, and the talented writers who bring it all together, but I was left heartbroken by the events of Season One and I'm hopeful that Season Two will at least offer some relief from that. I'm coming straight into this, just an hour after finishing Season One, so it's all fresh in my mind. There are still the infrequent issues of editing mistakes, changes of tense that don't always make sense, as were in Season One, but the recurring issue of font change has been eliminated, which is a relief.

Because of the format Netgalley sent, or perhaps because of how Kindle interprets them, the formatting for the first half of this series of ARC's was terrible. The documents had either one or two lines then a line of gapping, repeated throughout and it wasn't only hard on the eyes, but made it more difficult to follow in terms of flow. The second half were much better formatted.

~

Episode 11: In the Shadow of Riverside, by Tessa Gratton

★★★★★
Pages: 46

Oh, Arthur! You poor, reckless boy. He could have been so happy with Rafe, if his heart wasn't already broken and Arthur had just a bit of patience.
It was nice to see a bit of Shade's POV for once, because I'm honestly intrigued by him and Florian, but they don't appear as often as I'd like.
Most of all, I love Rafe. And how hard he's trying to do the right thing, by everyone but himself. To give them all what they want and need, but never himself. And his dad made me cry.
I can't say anything else without spoiling it, other than that Diane is, unfortunately, likely to get her way. Again.

Favourite Quote

“You're a dark, slinking shadow of Riverside, my Shade, and when I taste you I taste the soul of the island.”

““I think,” Arthur said carefully, in his perfect Landish, crisp and Middle City-bred, “I think you are a mess, Rafe Fenton, but I still want to kiss you.”

This was in some ways a marked improvement over the previous parts. The stakes: real, high and palpable.

The plot: finally racing ahead, though it becomes unclear what some of the characters actually have left to do.

But then there are the characters: what I considered to be the potential strength of the series is really done a disservice here. I continue to think Kaab is a lost opportunity and inconsistently written. Micah was practically absent, and Rafe was as annoying as ever, and I can't help feeling that the only reason his flirtation with Arthur progresses, and the two share information and kisses, is so that the resolution of the plotline can have any significance. It strains credulity; while in the previous parts I found Rafe's turning to Arthur fairly believable, his actions here seem plot-contrived. Worse: the Duchess continues to be described as a powerful plotter, but when did she last plot something well? Why must she be ruled by sentimentality here? And why would she make such a petty decision? It's like Cersei all over again.

I hope the ending will bring me some conclusion and not a cliffhanger at least. Onwards to the last two parts I go!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for making this available for me to read in exchange for a review

And all the threads start to be gathered together...

Some shockingly high-stakes (and bloody) kinda events in this episode, after being lulled into thinking that the drama might all get resolved without *too* much violence. Nope!

Major cliffhanger in this episode, again... so on to the next!