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"Whimsical, witty, and brimming over with charm" (India Holton), Olivia Atwater's delightful debut will transport you to a magical version of Regency England, where the only thing more meddlesome than a fairy is a marriage-minded mother! It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul. Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment--an unfortunate condition that leaves her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season--but when Elias Wilder, the strange, handsome, and utterly ill-mannered Lord Sorcier, discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into peculiar and dangerous faerie affairs. If her reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all high society, then she and her family may yet reclaim their normal place in the world. But the longer Dora spends with Elias, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love even with only half a soul. Praise for Half a Soul "Whimsical but never frivolous, sweet but not sugary. I loved it." --Alix E. Harrow "Delightful. Half a Soul is the definition of a comfort read." --Hannah Whitten "I wolfed this down with great pleasure." --KJ Charles "This winsome, whimsical fantasy romance sweeps you off your feet." --Megan Bannen "Smart and subversive, Half a Soul will ignite your heart--and your hope." --Shelley Parker-Chan "A perfect historical fantasy romance: warm, sparkling with magic, dangerous, and delightful." --Tasha Suri … (mais)
As a child, Dora's soul was claimed by Lord Hollowvale but her cousin Vanessa saved her before he could take all of it by plunging her embroidery scissors into his leg, since faery beings cannot abide the touch of iron.
Lord Hollowvale jerked back from the scissors. Fear briefly clouded his face as he glanced down at them—a strange circumstance, since the scissors were only a little bigger than Vanessa's little fist, and their eyes were decorated with cheerful little roses. Vanessa drew Dora slowly around the faerie and back towards the manor, keeping her scissors squarely between herself and the marquess. "As you wish, niece of Georgina Ettings," the elf spat finally. "I have full half of my payment. May you make good use of the other!"
Since then, Dora (Theodora Ettings) has always worn the scissors around her neck as protection against him returning to steal the other half of her soul but she has been unable to feel any deep emotions and knows that she doesn't react like normal people. Her aunt (Dora is an orphan) seems constantly exasperated by Dora's lack of emotion and her inappropriate responses; essentially, Dora has no filter and says what she's thinking out loud.
Now in danger of becoming spinsters at the grand old ages of 20 and 19, the cousins travel to London for the Season - where the Lord Sorcier, Elias Wilder, is also to be found as well as his friend Albert Lowe, a physician who happens to be the third son of Lord and Lady Carroway. Vanessa feels that the Lord Sorcier might be able to help Dora with her magical problem. And Dora might discover that she can feel emotions, even with only half a soul.
Though they are members of the nobility both Wilder and Lowe engage in charitable work, specifically trying to cure a magical plague affecting the labour classes in London. Atwater shows us a lower tier of society from those we usually see in Regency novels - though I don't know enough to attest to the accuracy or lack thereof of the workhouses and so on that she describes, myself. The medical angle was interesting and unusual and I did like the way all the loose ends were neatly tied up. I'm getting used to seeing discrepancies in small details of the manners of the period and the country in novels written now but set then (hardly a new gripe for me) but this is a parallel England where magic is used for the benefit of the nation - so it's easy to turn a blind eye in this instance.
I liked this gentle story though I did feel a bit like Dora; muffled in cotton and a little distant from emotions. I wondered, as I read, if the author wanted us to feel that Dora is on the spectrum (to coin a phrase) though that angle wasn't expanded on. It was nice to see things working out well for her in the end - because who doesn't like a Faery Tale to end happily ever after?
This was fun! Wears a lot of hats as a historical romance-magic mystery. I liked the combination of an Ella Enchanted-coded FL and the Sherlock/John-ness of Elias and Albert lol
It's like a softer, slightly more YA version of Season 1 of "Bridgerton" but with magic and faeries and I had an absolutely delightful little time reading it. While "Half a Soul" isn't the most complicated tale (it's actually super predictable) it IS perfect for anyone looking for a cozy Regency-era romance sprinkled with some spellwork. ( )
"Whimsical, witty, and brimming over with charm" (India Holton), Olivia Atwater's delightful debut will transport you to a magical version of Regency England, where the only thing more meddlesome than a fairy is a marriage-minded mother! It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul. Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment--an unfortunate condition that leaves her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season--but when Elias Wilder, the strange, handsome, and utterly ill-mannered Lord Sorcier, discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into peculiar and dangerous faerie affairs. If her reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all high society, then she and her family may yet reclaim their normal place in the world. But the longer Dora spends with Elias, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love even with only half a soul. Praise for Half a Soul "Whimsical but never frivolous, sweet but not sugary. I loved it." --Alix E. Harrow "Delightful. Half a Soul is the definition of a comfort read." --Hannah Whitten "I wolfed this down with great pleasure." --KJ Charles "This winsome, whimsical fantasy romance sweeps you off your feet." --Megan Bannen "Smart and subversive, Half a Soul will ignite your heart--and your hope." --Shelley Parker-Chan "A perfect historical fantasy romance: warm, sparkling with magic, dangerous, and delightful." --Tasha Suri
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Google Books — A carregar...
(3.95)
2
As a child, Dora's soul was claimed by Lord Hollowvale but her cousin Vanessa saved her before he could take all of it by plunging her embroidery scissors into his leg, since faery beings cannot abide the touch of iron.Since then, Dora (Theodora Ettings) has always worn the scissors around her neck as protection against him returning to steal the other half of her soul but she has been unable to feel any deep emotions and knows that she doesn't react like normal people. Her aunt (Dora is an orphan) seems constantly exasperated by Dora's lack of emotion and her inappropriate responses; essentially, Dora has no filter and says what she's thinking out loud.
Now in danger of becoming spinsters at the grand old ages of 20 and 19, the cousins travel to London for the Season - where the Lord Sorcier, Elias Wilder, is also to be found as well as his friend Albert Lowe, a physician who happens to be the third son of Lord and Lady Carroway. Vanessa feels that the Lord Sorcier might be able to help Dora with her magical problem. And Dora might discover that she can feel emotions, even with only half a soul.
Though they are members of the nobility both Wilder and Lowe engage in charitable work, specifically trying to cure a magical plague affecting the labour classes in London. Atwater shows us a lower tier of society from those we usually see in Regency novels - though I don't know enough to attest to the accuracy or lack thereof of the workhouses and so on that she describes, myself. The medical angle was interesting and unusual and I did like the way all the loose ends were neatly tied up. I'm getting used to seeing discrepancies in small details of the manners of the period and the country in novels written now but set then (hardly a new gripe for me) but this is a parallel England where magic is used for the benefit of the nation - so it's easy to turn a blind eye in this instance.
I liked this gentle story though I did feel a bit like Dora; muffled in cotton and a little distant from emotions. I wondered, as I read, if the author wanted us to feel that Dora is on the spectrum (to coin a phrase) though that angle wasn't expanded on. It was nice to see things working out well for her in the end - because who doesn't like a Faery Tale to end happily ever after?
(January 2024)
3.5-4 stars (