lightreads

A Ruse of Shadows

4/5. Book 8. Do not start here either.

Sherry Thomas is just really good at this. Even when she’s pulling the same tricks again – having our protagonists enact the whole plot of the book without ever explaining to the reader until the very end, false crime accusations again – I’m mostly happy to go for the ride. Here, that narrative secrecy works to enhance the way this book is also about the central romantic relationship, and how they decide what it’s going to be, and what it’s not, like adults and complicated people do.

His at Night

4/5. Historical romance. She is desperate to escape the control of her abusive uncle. He is a noble and secret agent of the crown who pretends to be mildly mentally disabled to hide his work (like you do?). She entraps him into marriage, and stuff happens.

Somehow, I’ve read many Sherry Thomas books, but only now am learning that English is not her native language. That is particularly impressive considering not just the skill of her writing, but the control of language. She is precise and careful with it, and you can tell that she says what she damn well meant to.

Anyway. This is the first book of hers classified as pure romance that I’ve read (the others were mysteries in the most part). This book is thorny and sexy and uncomfortable and, in the last, lovely. The two of them are alike in many ways – both living lies to protect themselves – and they aren’t very nice to each other in part because sometimes we are worst to those who reflect what we hate in ourselves.

There is a lot going on in this book that I think is commenting specifically on the historical romance genre, which I have dabbled in but certainly have not read enough of to fully appreciate. The bad first time sex, the problematically sizzling subsequent sex scenes that co-opt the reader into that space the characters are in of you’re enjoying this aren’t you? Well. Maybe you shouldn’t The flourishes of the plot that have a distinct bent towards the gothic. The careful attention paid to the web of relationships around the main couple, and how their actions have consequences for many, not just themselves.

It's a very particular book, and a good one, and a hard one in places, all while pretending to light airiness.

Content notes: The sort of complicated consent issues that arise around period-accurate notions of how marriage between a man and a woman ought to work and also when you throw alcohol into the mix; drug use, forced and not; violence.

A Study in Scarlet Women, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, The Hollow of Fear, The Art of theft, Murder on Cold Street

4/5. Series of historical mysteries featuring Charlotte Holmes, brilliant lady detective who solves crimes on behalf of her bedridden brother Sherlock whom no one ever actually sees, hm, mysterious.

I never intended to read these because (1) I give few fucks about Holmes stuff to start with and definitely got overdosed in the past decade; and (2) I thought Sherry Thomas wrote fluffy tawdry nonsense? Look. In my defense, she has horrible titles. Lady Sherlock Series? And another one of her books is literally called His at Night.

But the right mood struck, and I read them, and you guys. You guys. (1) These are Holmes nonsense, but only in the loosest, most delightful way. Charlotte is a cherubically-curled, extravagantly dressed, cake-loving delight. These books scramble the Holmes canon without mercy, and thank God for that. And (2) Sherry Thomas is great, and also really really mad about misogyny. These books are just furious, about misogyny in general and about promiscuity double-standards in very specific.

Oh, the mysteries? I mean, they're Holmes stuff so they're fundamentally unfair and not particularly satisfying, but I don't care. I love this chubby Holmes, and her deep bond with her sister, and how much they both care about another profoundly disabled sister, and Mrs. Watson who made her name on the stage, and the slow slow evolution of the Scotland Yard detective who relies on her and resents her and has a whole lot of sexist baggage to work through, and oh yeah there's an unusual romance where the guy is married and they are both quite honorable about it but it's way more complicated than that.

Anyway, yes. These brought me a great deal of unexpected pleasure, and showed me unanticipated depths, even though they feature my least favorite plot (falsely accused) repeatedly (seriously, get another plot), so there, that's me told.

Content notes: Yeah crimes and stuff, but mostly I wanted to note that Charlotte spends the first four books eating anything she wants, then goes on a diet in the fifth book and there is a lot of talk about that and it is exhausting and obnoxious.