Greetings, fellow denizens of St. Crispian’s. While I have no more Emma M. Lion for you today (well, nothing about her beyond comparisons to her impeccable character and journal), I have something similar.
I read another book by Beth Brower (equally as heartbreaking as Emma and much thicker). And I’ve popped out of my rabbit hole in order to give you another not-quite-a-review post about it (do I have another review I was going to write and post for you before this one?? Yes. Am I postponing that until next week at the very least?? Also yes).
Behold: the Q.
CAN QUINCY ST. CLAIRE KEEP THE Q?
A dying man with a scheme
A charming smuggler one step ahead of the law
A former foundling with a mangled hand
A family of kingmakers
A printing tycoon
A constable on the trail of justice
An idealistic solicitor with secrets of his own
&
The genius at the center of it all, Quincy St. Claire
🥰 Why I’m in Love 🥰
- The same world as Emma M. Lion?? YES PLEASE GIVE IT TO ME
- And of course I adore London-esque, Victorian vibes and they were there all the way.
- The slow-burn, my friends. It’s a long book and this gives Beth so much room to slowly develop her characters. And honestly, Quincy needed it.
- And this leads me to ✨character development✨ which was superb, as always (applause, Beth!!). I struggled to understand Quincy at the beginning, but as the tale progressed we started to understand what made her tick (and she definitely has ticks, not heart beats).
- That backstory *sobs* I’m tearing up as I write this. WHY DOES BETH TORTURE HER CHARACTERS LIKE THIS.
- The vibes were immaculate. It’s got serious London vibes. Fancy parties. Moody evenings. Impressive houses, dark alleys, parties and dresses and long walks (why hello Emma and Pierce!!) and train stations and parks and churches.
- The mint. The lemons. THE FLOWERS. THAT BUTTERFLY!!!
- Just…how human Quincy was?? Despite being all mechanical and efficient and dedicated to the Q, she was alarmingly human. Arch too. I love how they had to work so hard to understand each other.
- And also just how similar they are?? The “Perfect Marriage of Profit and Poetry” indeed (thank you to that one newspaper headline from chapter twenty-six for that quote *bows*). They aren’t that different, truly.
- The emotional wreckage. You should know by now that if a book makes me cry, it’s an almost automatic five star and instant recommendation. I stayed up way too late reading this book (I honestly didn’t mean to read those last two hundred pages that night. Believe me, please) and I was actually crying and hugging the Q at ten thirty at night over this book (Chapter 49, for you who are actually going to read this book and come back and see how it lines up with this post. This is all of you, of course. *stares meaningfully at audience*). THIS BOOK HURT ME.
- The banter. Quincy can use sarcasm and clever comments like literally no one else. Verbal battles, but not surface level. Not merely fluff and sarcasm strewn about. It has depth. I’m not doing very well at explaining it. Please tell me you understand.
- This book had chapter titles. I adore the chapter titles. A lost art.
- The ending was *chef’s kiss* masterful. Thank you for being realistic and yet still hopeful, Beth.
- Quincy is not Emma, but I think both have an important story to tell. I’m not sure how authors write different characters and keep track of what motivates each one, but I’m impressed.
😠Why I’m Sad ðŸ˜
- There were no Emma cameos. I realize this book is pre-Emma, but…I had hopes. Perhaps Quincy and Arch and Co. shall make an appearance in Emma’s journals at some point?? Hint hint, wink wink, Beth??
- Umm…like Emma, a few period appropriate (maybe?? I wasn’t actually around during the Victorian era) usages of some semi-unsavory words.
- I don’t have many complaints. This book is really good.
- Actually Arch’s middle name is not my favorite. I’m picky about my names, y’all. Anton???
- But…what happened to that one relationship we in the Q were following, between Boy Blue and Angel?? DID THEY ACTUALLY END UP TOGETHER??? DID THEY???
Coda
I adore this book. I want to read everything Beth Brower has ever written and ever will write. The vibes were immaculate. Less poetry than Emma, but still an absolutely vital book. Character development was on point. Lovers of Emma shall not be disappointed. Those who still haven’t read Emma can read the Q without fear of being left out of inside nuances or knowledge. A complete novel that can stand on its own two feet (and does, quite handily). Highly recommend to all of you.
Always,
Ava 📰
P.S. Is that book cover not the most perfect thing ever for a book about a newspaper?? It has the crease in the center and everything. I do so appreciate covers that correspond that beautifully with the actual stories they contain.
P.P.S. This book also has a soundtrack, and if that isn’t the most epic thing ever, I don’t know what is.
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16 Responses
MORE BETH BROWER?????? THIS BOOk sounds SO GOOD!!!!!!! I NEED IT!!!!!!
Though. . . No Emma cameo? Sad. I think it might have been written first though. Maybe. I’m not sure. Anyhow, I need to get my hands on a copy of this book, so that I may comfort myself about the lack of any more Emma books. I want it. I need it. Someday. . . *Stares wistfully off into the distance*
No Emma cameo *weeps* But there is hope for a Quincy cameo in upcoming Emma books, right?? Who am I kidding. Why would she ever leave Rhysdon to venture to St. Crispian’s…
It truly was a comfort in these trying times of Emma drought. It’s so different from Emma, but also somehow similar. I can’t explain it. I don’t love Quincy quite as much as Emma though, I don’t think…don’t tell her.
I know!!!! The Emma drought…. this is the perfect name. ðŸ˜
EEE MORE BETH BROWER!!!!!!! Ooh I’ve seen The Q pop up in my Kindle recommendations! And yes, I do believe The Q was written before Emma. Though tis a terrible pity there’s no Emma cameo…. I’ve been on the fence about whether I should check out this book or not, but your review has now convinced me, Ava!!!!! To the digital library of Kindle Unlimited I go!!!!!! (marches off into the distance, brandishing a sword, determined to fight anyone who gets in the way)
Yes more Beth Brower!! Now all I need to do is obtain her fantasy trilogy and the Beast of Ten, and I shall have read her works in their entirety. Well, except for what she includes in the St. Crispian’s Gazette.
You should definitely read it. It was a little slow in the start, but then you get into it and end up staying up really late to finish the last half of the book. I even considered naming my next journal after Quincy, so there’s some high praise (unfortunately the name didn’t fit the vibes of the journal). IT WAS GOOD!!! *marches with you for moral support, since you seem to be perfectly capable of storming the digital library yourself*
Ohhh I’ve seen the Beast of Ten in KU as well!!! (I think nearly all her books are in Kindle Unlimited! As well as a ton of other fantastic books).
Oooh!!!!!!! It must be good then!!!!!!! I shall attempt to work my way through the slow starts. Slow starts are often a cause for me to DNF books, I fear!!!! (I can’t even write slow starts!!! Hence why I may have had my mc go through a portal to this new world a bit too quickly in my published book series, but all was fine in the end!!!!!! Hopefully. I totally didn’t put her through a great deal of trials and ordeals, caused her to go through multiple near-death situations, and had her dealing with this evil sorceress that is after her because she turns out to be the subject of some prophecy and could potentially destroy her (the evil sorceress that is)). 🙂
And yess!!!!!! WE SHALL STORM THE DIGITAL LIBRARIES TOGETHER!!! (hands you a flaming torch to light the way through the dark passages) (we march through the digital libraries)
I’m ashamed to say that I was not as capable of storming the digital libraries as I thought. Because soon after, I watched LOTR with my mom, and promptly forgot about any and all digital libraries. I did get the LOTR books though!!! (Hopefully they’re good??? I DNFed book two last year, I think, and I’m trying to read them again….. Third time’s a charm?)
Wait, have you read (or watched) LOTR by the way??
I typically don’t have KU…my mother got a really good price on three months recently and that was handy, but it’s over ðŸ˜
Yayyy!! *brandishes torch*
Well. Priorities. tLotR is very important. I’m also on my third time trying to read them…I struggle with it for some reason. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice!! Why is this so hard?? My dad read them to my siblings and I though, so I’m not entirely out of the loop. And ofc I’ve watched the movies. My sister was requesting Christmas movies to add to her list of them yesterday and I suggested tLotR. She was not impressed for some reason.
LOTR has elves, gifts, old guys with white beards, fun magic rings, redemption, singing, and snow! This makes it %100 a Christmas movie!!!
Right?? I couldn’t remember the full list of Christmas elements to tell her though lol
AND they leave Rivendell on December 25, do they not??
Hard when you’re on the spot. Oh yes!! They do!! Actually, here. Just show her this. Far better proof than what I could give:
https://www.jrrjokien.com/p/10-reasons-the-lord-of-the-rings
YESSS THANK YOU. You’re a saint, Journey. This will come in handy when my LotR nerd brother comes home from college.
You’re most welcome. *Bows* Give him my regards when he does. He obviously has good taste.
Journey Bloomfield, this is perfect lol. XD I had such a fun time reading that article!!!!!
And Ava….
I finished The Q.
I’m shooketh.
*stares at the wall in shock*
I can’t believe it.
Quincy and Arch…. their fight… QUINCY LOST the…. (blinks) This…. This book destroyed me. Truly. If I ever meet Beth Brower, I shall very much have to hold back from shouting at her for absolutely destroying me with The Q….
I WAS SHOOKETH AS WELL. THE NERVE, BETH. THE ABSOLUTE NERVE.
She…she… *sobs at the injustice*
I can’t. That ending. BETH TOOK EVERYTHING FROM HER. EVERYTHING.
SHE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (sobs with you) I am shooketh. I still am. I will never heal from this book. Never, I tell you!!!!
Ah, I have heard of this one from several bloggers in the Emma fandom!! And know you describe it in the kind of review authors dream of. Sounds so emotionally wrecking XD..Haha, am I willing/ready to dive into this??? I may just watch from a an awed distance for a wee while longer.
(Also, you’ll be notified I subscribed to your blog—I thought I already was this whole time XD !!!!!!! Glad to finally be properly in the look *salutes*