Very engaging (and a surprisingly quick read), but perhaps over-optimistic. ( )

This book was really entertaining. I don't know if I want to say it was good, necessarily, but it was entertaining. I liked it all the way to the end. Which was happy! And I'm so glad it was happy because really a story about a woman who wants to be a doctor and is also a lesbian in victorian times could probably end up really terrible. But I was so pleased to read about Lou and Eliza getting to live together and make out often. I got to this book from a recommendation in a bad review of [b:Ash|6472451|Ash|Malinda Lo|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1286563960s/6472451.jpg|6550542], and now from a review here I'm moving on to [b:Fingersmith|45162|Fingersmith|Sarah Waters|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327879025s/45162.jpg|1014113]. Here's hoping this chain of YA lesbian books never ends! ( )

Dark, but sweet. I found the fact that there is no mention of the twist in the middle of the book in the publisher's synopsis interesting, to say the least, but I am not bothered by unconventional stories, so it was okay. The story itself moves a little slowly and is somewhat repetitive. I agree with other reviewers who have said that because of the epilogue, it isn't suitable for 9-12 year olds. This is more 13 and up, I think. ( )

This book was infuriating at times, because it brought to the forefront how helpless women were during this time period--even strong willed, intelligent women. It makes me wonder how often women's spirits and bodies were destroyed in order to control them--and with permission for the law.
This book also has a romance under layer, and I think this was nicely done, too. All it takes is one person to truly see you in order to give you hope through the seemingly impossible circumstances of life.
I enjoyed that the book didn't tie things up all nice and neat, as well. Things were still complicate and messy and sad, even when the worst was over. ( )

This book read relatively smoothly, there were a few typos in the edition I read. There were also a few awkward word choices that didn't quite sit right with the time period and threw me out of the world occasionally. But overall it was an enjoyable novel. Read if you enjoy novels in the style of Sarah Waters. ( )