This isn't my usual style of read. I'm not big on historical fiction, though historical fantasy holds a bit more interest for me. And travel stories + any kind of prostitution in fantasy aren't my thing, so the combination of those factors made me a bit wary at first.
Then I saw that this is a Tor Teen title - which means interesting and diverse - and I read an excerpt on Bookish First that piqued my interest. Plus it's an own voices story. So despite my initial hesitation, I was excited to read The Good Luck Girls!
The story ended up being pretty much precisely what it promised. A group of five girls escapes a house of prostitution and ends up on a wild west adventure with a feminist bent. I appreciated the historical parallels to the story and the way the tougher themes were handled (slavery + the mistreatment of women). I found Aster and Violet, two of the Good Luck Girls, interesting. This is a well-written debut novel that I think many will enjoy.
On the other hand, the other three girls felt very one-dimensional to me and the inclusion of Zee didn't add much to the story. The world-building had some interesting elements, but there wasn't much shown beyond a few fantastical things that existed solely to turn the plot in a certain direction. I found myself a bit bored by the travel story, which of course, is probably just a matter of taste.
I did like the direction the book took as well as Aster's and Violet's character development, but otherwise the story fell a bit flat for me. Again, please do keep in mind that the whole story setup was a pretty tough sell for me, so this could absolutely be a case of it's not you (the story), it's me.
I'd recommend this book for fans of Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee! Thank you Tor Teen and Bookish HQ for sending me an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Then I saw that this is a Tor Teen title - which means interesting and diverse - and I read an excerpt on Bookish First that piqued my interest. Plus it's an own voices story. So despite my initial hesitation, I was excited to read The Good Luck Girls!
The story ended up being pretty much precisely what it promised. A group of five girls escapes a house of prostitution and ends up on a wild west adventure with a feminist bent. I appreciated the historical parallels to the story and the way the tougher themes were handled (slavery + the mistreatment of women). I found Aster and Violet, two of the Good Luck Girls, interesting. This is a well-written debut novel that I think many will enjoy.
On the other hand, the other three girls felt very one-dimensional to me and the inclusion of Zee didn't add much to the story. The world-building had some interesting elements, but there wasn't much shown beyond a few fantastical things that existed solely to turn the plot in a certain direction. I found myself a bit bored by the travel story, which of course, is probably just a matter of taste.
I did like the direction the book took as well as Aster's and Violet's character development, but otherwise the story fell a bit flat for me. Again, please do keep in mind that the whole story setup was a pretty tough sell for me, so this could absolutely be a case of it's not you (the story), it's me.
I'd recommend this book for fans of Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee! Thank you Tor Teen and Bookish HQ for sending me an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.