Gossip Girl meets Downton Abbey, but with an all-Black cast in Gilded Age Chicago! Loosely based on the real history of a wealthy Black family at the time, this follows young people coming of age and learning to differentiate what they want from what their parents might want for them. It's chock full of romantic drama, secrets, longing, angst, and fighting for civil rights.
I think this is a strong debut and I look forward to seeing more like this from Marquis in the future. I think if you go in with the right expectations, you could have a fun time with this YA novel. I will say the pacing is rather slow for this sort of effervescent story filled with social drama. And I think the pacing made the character twists feel more staid than they are supposed to. That said, overall I found this to be fun and a very accessible entry-point for teens seeking historical flair and diverse representation alongside their romantic drama.
I think this is a strong debut and I look forward to seeing more like this from Marquis in the future. I think if you go in with the right expectations, you could have a fun time with this YA novel. I will say the pacing is rather slow for this sort of effervescent story filled with social drama. And I think the pacing made the character twists feel more staid than they are supposed to. That said, overall I found this to be fun and a very accessible entry-point for teens seeking historical flair and diverse representation alongside their romantic drama.