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Gnomon
Emile Delaurier is a beautiful militant revolutionary, a living beacon of righteous justice for the world. For Renaire, an artist in a constant battle against the demons in the bottle, it was obsession at first sight. His devotion led to two years of homicidal partnership as Renaire followed Delaurier in his ruthless quest for equality through the death of the corrupt, like a murderous Robin Hood.
Then Delaurier breaks his pattern, leading Renaire into Russia to kill a reporter with no immoral background, and gives no explanation for his actions.
When Interpol contacts Renaire, he already has enough problems—keeping Delaurier alive, dealing with the shift in their relationship, and surviving the broken past that still haunts him. But when he learns what Interpol wants from him, Renaire must face the truth about that a noble man isn’t always a good one. He’s left with a choice no man should ever have to make—to follow his heart or his morals.
Then Delaurier breaks his pattern, leading Renaire into Russia to kill a reporter with no immoral background, and gives no explanation for his actions.
When Interpol contacts Renaire, he already has enough problems—keeping Delaurier alive, dealing with the shift in their relationship, and surviving the broken past that still haunts him. But when he learns what Interpol wants from him, Renaire must face the truth about that a noble man isn’t always a good one. He’s left with a choice no man should ever have to make—to follow his heart or his morals.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
4 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Luchia Dertien
1 book9 followersLuchia Dertien is a 27-year-old white cis female living in the United States. She desperately wants to be petting a dog right now. Writing genuinely is her passion, which she has been doing since the age of 3. Her first written work is titled “Castle Castle” and is generally considered to be the greatest piece of literature she’s ever produced. In middle school, she wrote a story called “Death By Mud,” which is her second best piece of literature. “Gnomon” is usually ranked somewhere near 13th.
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September 13, 2015
1 italicized star. DNF @40%. Review posted September 13, 2015.
http://www.wherethemapends.com/writer...
Yep. This book is humbug.
When I look at that writing style, then two words come to my mind: batshit insane. If I have to read one more fucking word written in italics, my eyes are going to pop out of their sockets because I'm positive that I rolled them for the 1000th time. Blech.
Reading the blurb, I was honestly expecting something way more exciting. Yet what I got right from the start till the mark I had to abandon ship, was a boring storyline with plenty of narrative that could not have been more indifferent to me. Awful. The writing felt incredibly stilted and I didn't like the main characters. That allegedly fancy art crap (I actually like art just fine) came off as highly pretentious and ridiculous. Oops. I dared to italicize ridiculous. I need to keep you on your eager toes. After all, you'll have to endure much more if you decide to give this book a try.
I quote (I'll try hard not to quote the entire 40%):
Jean-Auguste Loudin was a brutal exploitative businessman who was blah-blah equality, blah-blah crimes and justice. Renaire had zoned out pretty fast on that.
See? That's how I felt while reading Gnomon. I zoned out very fast because…blah-blah…blah-blah.
"You could be so much more." It pisses Delaurier off, of course, and he lets out an aggravated huff of air. "I mean it, Renaire. You could! Your test scores are superb, and your grades were as good as mine when you actually tried. If you'd only--"
"I've owned you since you first saw me, and you love it, you wouldn't even know what to do with yourself if I didn't."
Baba knows exactly what to do with you both.
His lips are right there, right in front of him, but this is Delaurier. This can't be what Renaire wants it to be. This is just Delaurier exploding in a new way.
Step aside, lovelies. Baba is about to explode in a new way, too. Geeeee-zus. Gimme a break!
Delaurier pulls his mouth away to attack Renaire's ear, biting his earlobe like it's been tormenting him for years.
Hmm…the ear has tormented him for years? Really?
Delaurier doesn't stop. He walks backward, and Renaire follows until they hit a wall. Delaurier laughs, and it's beautiful.
Baba: He who laughs last laughs longest, right?
Renaire is trying to taste every wonder of Delaurier's mouth with his tongue and then sucking in every gasp right along with Delaurier's lower lip, it doesn't happen very often.
Baba: Thank God for small favors. It must be worse if it had happened more often.
He waits for the bit of nails in his scalp, waits for Delaurier to fuck his mouth so hard and deep that Renaire will be hoarse for a month, but he doesn't. Delaurier's eyes are fixed on his own, occasionally flicking down to watch Renaire's lips swallow him with every agonizingly slow thrust, but he always comes back to Renaire's eyes, like they're magnetic. "Your fucking mouth.
Wow. A whole month? *Baba's jaw drops to the floor* Close your f@cking mouth, Baba.
Delaurier drops to his knees.
Delaurier looks up at him with eyes as desperately devoted to Renaire as they are to The Cause.
Delaurier barely has time to wrap his lips around Renaire's cock before he's coming with an agonizing groan, inside Delaurier's mouth, and Delaurier fucking swallows, swallows like he's starving for it, and sweet motherfucking God if he could come again he absolutely would.
Delaurier here and Delaurier there and Renaire here and Renaire there.
Sweet motherf@cking God, if I could undo my mistake when I decided to read this book I absolutely would.
It's the only real physical contact since Russia, and even that keeps Renaire halfway to a panic attack, and he doesn't know what is going on. Delaurier's grip is tight and warm even in his sleep, and reclaiming his hand is more difficult than it should be. Although he'll admit that quite a bit of the difficulty is that he really, really doesn't want to let go.
Baba doesn't know what's going on either.
"I'll wait here," he says firmly, and dear God, the look in Delaurier's eyes is trust.
Delaurier trusts him. Delaurier trusts him, and Renaire has no idea what to do with that.
Baba: Is it over yet? Is it over yet? Houston we have a problem. *sigh*
Renaire swallows the sudden dryness in his throat and raises a hand, only to stop, leaving it floating in the air between them. He hesitates, and Delaurier gives him an unimpressed what the hell are you doing look. Renaire feels like he's going to vibrate to death.
Baba: I'm afraid I'll be vibrating to death as well. Good grief. That's so bad.
"We did," Delaurier says, and the room erupts, and Renaire absolutely wants to die.
Baba: Just go ahead and die, I could not care less. Blah.
Instead he just follows Delaurier up his own personal, ridiculous staircase, to the second floor of his apartment.
Baba: I have no clue whatsoever why anyone would italicize second floor. Oops. I just did it. #sorrynotsorryatall
"I am going to have nightmares for years about this," Renaire says and then realizes in a moment of horror that he's going to have to put the Matisse down to open some of the drawers. There is no safe place here for him to put the Matisse down. He doesn't even want to put the Matisse down; he wants to hold it forever, but he has bare hands, and they're eternally shaking from the eight hours of sobriety he demands of himself. This is a catastrophe, an absolute catastrophe.
OMG, Baba scurries around like a little cackling chicken. I don't know how to put this book down. OMGOMGOMG! I want to put it down, though. My hands are shaking and I still don't know what to do. Am I ever glad that I never drink. Joking aside, this is a catastrophe. Seriously. This narrative is annoying as hell and extremely boring.
Delaurier is definitely okay with this, so Renaire licks a long firm press of his tongue to the bottom of Delaurier's cock.
Baba is definitely not okay with this. Licking cock is great when you know how to do it but a boatload of italics is a big fat nuisance (no pun intended).
He shakes his head, hair spraying water all over, and he does not give a fuck, because they're in the shower and this has to be a no right now, this has to be a no, "No no no, I want that so fucking bad but not here, not now, I want--"
"Shhh," Delaurier says, soothing and affectionate and ruthlessly killing Renaire with the sweetness of his breath against Renaire's cheek and kisses him again. "Another time, then. What do you want?"
"Stop asking that, I never know what I want," Renaire says, and it's true, it's so true, Delaurier robs all reason from his mind the moment their skin touches. "I just want you."
I neither want Delaurier nor Renaire. Two fancy names and a totally bland story topped off with a highly annoying writing style.
Bottom line
I always trust myself to do the right thing. In this misshapen case, a DNF is the equivalent to an eternal salvation.
http://www.wherethemapends.com/writer...
Yep. This book is humbug.
When I look at that writing style, then two words come to my mind: batshit insane. If I have to read one more fucking word written in italics, my eyes are going to pop out of their sockets because I'm positive that I rolled them for the 1000th time. Blech.
Reading the blurb, I was honestly expecting something way more exciting. Yet what I got right from the start till the mark I had to abandon ship, was a boring storyline with plenty of narrative that could not have been more indifferent to me. Awful. The writing felt incredibly stilted and I didn't like the main characters. That allegedly fancy art crap (I actually like art just fine) came off as highly pretentious and ridiculous. Oops. I dared to italicize ridiculous. I need to keep you on your eager toes. After all, you'll have to endure much more if you decide to give this book a try.
I quote (I'll try hard not to quote the entire 40%):
Jean-Auguste Loudin was a brutal exploitative businessman who was blah-blah equality, blah-blah crimes and justice. Renaire had zoned out pretty fast on that.
See? That's how I felt while reading Gnomon. I zoned out very fast because…blah-blah…blah-blah.
"You could be so much more." It pisses Delaurier off, of course, and he lets out an aggravated huff of air. "I mean it, Renaire. You could! Your test scores are superb, and your grades were as good as mine when you actually tried. If you'd only--"
"I've owned you since you first saw me, and you love it, you wouldn't even know what to do with yourself if I didn't."
Baba knows exactly what to do with you both.
His lips are right there, right in front of him, but this is Delaurier. This can't be what Renaire wants it to be. This is just Delaurier exploding in a new way.
Step aside, lovelies. Baba is about to explode in a new way, too. Geeeee-zus. Gimme a break!
Delaurier pulls his mouth away to attack Renaire's ear, biting his earlobe like it's been tormenting him for years.
Hmm…the ear has tormented him for years? Really?
Delaurier doesn't stop. He walks backward, and Renaire follows until they hit a wall. Delaurier laughs, and it's beautiful.
Baba: He who laughs last laughs longest, right?
Renaire is trying to taste every wonder of Delaurier's mouth with his tongue and then sucking in every gasp right along with Delaurier's lower lip, it doesn't happen very often.
Baba: Thank God for small favors. It must be worse if it had happened more often.
He waits for the bit of nails in his scalp, waits for Delaurier to fuck his mouth so hard and deep that Renaire will be hoarse for a month, but he doesn't. Delaurier's eyes are fixed on his own, occasionally flicking down to watch Renaire's lips swallow him with every agonizingly slow thrust, but he always comes back to Renaire's eyes, like they're magnetic. "Your fucking mouth.
Wow. A whole month? *Baba's jaw drops to the floor* Close your f@cking mouth, Baba.
Delaurier drops to his knees.
Delaurier looks up at him with eyes as desperately devoted to Renaire as they are to The Cause.
Delaurier barely has time to wrap his lips around Renaire's cock before he's coming with an agonizing groan, inside Delaurier's mouth, and Delaurier fucking swallows, swallows like he's starving for it, and sweet motherfucking God if he could come again he absolutely would.
Delaurier here and Delaurier there and Renaire here and Renaire there.
Sweet motherf@cking God, if I could undo my mistake when I decided to read this book I absolutely would.
It's the only real physical contact since Russia, and even that keeps Renaire halfway to a panic attack, and he doesn't know what is going on. Delaurier's grip is tight and warm even in his sleep, and reclaiming his hand is more difficult than it should be. Although he'll admit that quite a bit of the difficulty is that he really, really doesn't want to let go.
Baba doesn't know what's going on either.
"I'll wait here," he says firmly, and dear God, the look in Delaurier's eyes is trust.
Delaurier trusts him. Delaurier trusts him, and Renaire has no idea what to do with that.
Baba: Is it over yet? Is it over yet? Houston we have a problem. *sigh*
Renaire swallows the sudden dryness in his throat and raises a hand, only to stop, leaving it floating in the air between them. He hesitates, and Delaurier gives him an unimpressed what the hell are you doing look. Renaire feels like he's going to vibrate to death.
Baba: I'm afraid I'll be vibrating to death as well. Good grief. That's so bad.
"We did," Delaurier says, and the room erupts, and Renaire absolutely wants to die.
Baba: Just go ahead and die, I could not care less. Blah.
Instead he just follows Delaurier up his own personal, ridiculous staircase, to the second floor of his apartment.
Baba: I have no clue whatsoever why anyone would italicize second floor. Oops. I just did it. #sorrynotsorryatall
"I am going to have nightmares for years about this," Renaire says and then realizes in a moment of horror that he's going to have to put the Matisse down to open some of the drawers. There is no safe place here for him to put the Matisse down. He doesn't even want to put the Matisse down; he wants to hold it forever, but he has bare hands, and they're eternally shaking from the eight hours of sobriety he demands of himself. This is a catastrophe, an absolute catastrophe.
OMG, Baba scurries around like a little cackling chicken. I don't know how to put this book down. OMGOMGOMG! I want to put it down, though. My hands are shaking and I still don't know what to do. Am I ever glad that I never drink. Joking aside, this is a catastrophe. Seriously. This narrative is annoying as hell and extremely boring.
Delaurier is definitely okay with this, so Renaire licks a long firm press of his tongue to the bottom of Delaurier's cock.
Baba is definitely not okay with this. Licking cock is great when you know how to do it but a boatload of italics is a big fat nuisance (no pun intended).
He shakes his head, hair spraying water all over, and he does not give a fuck, because they're in the shower and this has to be a no right now, this has to be a no, "No no no, I want that so fucking bad but not here, not now, I want--"
"Shhh," Delaurier says, soothing and affectionate and ruthlessly killing Renaire with the sweetness of his breath against Renaire's cheek and kisses him again. "Another time, then. What do you want?"
"Stop asking that, I never know what I want," Renaire says, and it's true, it's so true, Delaurier robs all reason from his mind the moment their skin touches. "I just want you."
I neither want Delaurier nor Renaire. Two fancy names and a totally bland story topped off with a highly annoying writing style.
Bottom line
I always trust myself to do the right thing. In this misshapen case, a DNF is the equivalent to an eternal salvation.
January 29, 2016
Promising.
I'll be the first to admit that I avoid whackadoodle characters like the plague but apparently now I need a to add the caveat that if they're amoral and unsavory terrorists I can *maybe* deal.
Renaire and Delaurier are terrorists in an organization called STB. Widely known and recognizable terrorists who are treated almost like folk heroes. They're both highly intelligent and both a cornucopia of psychological disorders. These are characters I can really sink my teeth into and I did.
Whatever STB's "cause" is it isn't revealed specifically but "government" isn't "listening to" them so they keep ramping up their efforts until they reach a tipping point. I'm still confused as whether or not this is supposed to be contemporary or AU. Mainly because I cannot imagine a world wherein known terrorists are free to roam around Paris heavily armed. If this is a thing I wish to remain oblivious in my bubble thanks.
Renaire is consumed with Delaurier and never asks questions. He just follows Delaurier and obeys him. Until he gets a call from an Interpol agent that changes everything.
To call their relationship obsession would be a bit of an understatement. Because murder.
Nothing says I Love You like an execution or stalking your partner. I'd be willing to bet their song is "Every Breath You Take" because it's SO ROMANTIC!
They've been teamed up for the past 2 yrs, but they've not been romantically involved until now. They're in a Moscow nightclub where Renaire is chatting up a couple of Portuguese ladies in hopes of a sex respite after a bad day. Jealousy always works to inspire #TeamCrazy into action, doesn't it? Renaire never thought Delaurier would happen for him and the rest of STB has been anxiously awaiting their making it official for the past 2 yrs. Go figure.
Dertien does an excellent job of conveying that desperate and frantic quality of two people who have wanted each other for a long time and are finally getting what they want.
I think I just forgot my name. Kudos, Delaurier.
Renaire tells this story and the tone Dertien is going for works in that it stays true to his characterization. She also did an excellent job with the exposition of his backstory. I love when it's sprinkled like bread crumbs and keeps you wanting more rather than information dumped.
But the writing style I found a bit clunky. It's a tad repetitive, probably could've been streamlined a bit and has imagery that could easily be characterized as superfluous. I tend to like that sort of thing though. More twists and turns from the terrorist storyline would've been nice. I was hoping to be kept on the edge of my seat and what I got was predictable and maybe a little trite?
Overall, a promising debut from this author. I'm in the 3.5-3.75 range so I'll round up.
Love is a quiet ache, more often than not, like a splinter in your soul.
I'll be the first to admit that I avoid whackadoodle characters like the plague but apparently now I need a to add the caveat that if they're amoral and unsavory terrorists I can *maybe* deal.
Renaire and Delaurier are terrorists in an organization called STB. Widely known and recognizable terrorists who are treated almost like folk heroes. They're both highly intelligent and both a cornucopia of psychological disorders. These are characters I can really sink my teeth into and I did.
Whatever STB's "cause" is it isn't revealed specifically but "government" isn't "listening to" them so they keep ramping up their efforts until they reach a tipping point. I'm still confused as whether or not this is supposed to be contemporary or AU. Mainly because I cannot imagine a world wherein known terrorists are free to roam around Paris heavily armed. If this is a thing I wish to remain oblivious in my bubble thanks.
Renaire believed in only one thing, and that was Delaurier.
Renaire is consumed with Delaurier and never asks questions. He just follows Delaurier and obeys him. Until he gets a call from an Interpol agent that changes everything.
To call their relationship obsession would be a bit of an understatement. Because murder.
Nothing says I Love You like an execution or stalking your partner. I'd be willing to bet their song is "Every Breath You Take" because it's SO ROMANTIC!
They've been teamed up for the past 2 yrs, but they've not been romantically involved until now. They're in a Moscow nightclub where Renaire is chatting up a couple of Portuguese ladies in hopes of a sex respite after a bad day. Jealousy always works to inspire #TeamCrazy into action, doesn't it? Renaire never thought Delaurier would happen for him and the rest of STB has been anxiously awaiting their making it official for the past 2 yrs. Go figure.
Dertien does an excellent job of conveying that desperate and frantic quality of two people who have wanted each other for a long time and are finally getting what they want.
"I'm going to tear you apart and make you come so fucking hard you forget your own name, but I'll know it, and I'll keep it safe while you're screaming nonsense into my fucking mattress."
I think I just forgot my name. Kudos, Delaurier.
Renaire tells this story and the tone Dertien is going for works in that it stays true to his characterization. She also did an excellent job with the exposition of his backstory. I love when it's sprinkled like bread crumbs and keeps you wanting more rather than information dumped.
But the writing style I found a bit clunky. It's a tad repetitive, probably could've been streamlined a bit and has imagery that could easily be characterized as superfluous. I tend to like that sort of thing though. More twists and turns from the terrorist storyline would've been nice. I was hoping to be kept on the edge of my seat and what I got was predictable and maybe a little trite?
Overall, a promising debut from this author. I'm in the 3.5-3.75 range so I'll round up.
Did not finish
March 21, 2021Audio 5 Stars
Story dnf @ 41%
The character behaviors were juvenile at times. It makes no sense considering they are assassins and this is supposed to be a dark read.
Story dnf @ 41%
The character behaviors were juvenile at times. It makes no sense considering they are assassins and this is supposed to be a dark read.
September 4, 2015
Holy hot-smoke in hell. *Takes deep breath, straightens hair, exhales slowly* Okay, okay...
Meet Player 1: Delaurier, militant revolutionary, born to lead, love unconditionally, and fuck up lives for the cause:
Meet Player 2: Renaire, artist, just as dark with handling a gun or knife, caught in a pull-push obsession with both bottle and the man who's born to lead and fuck up lives:
Even on the level of basic communication, meet the sexual tension between these two:
Annnnnnnd... well.. ughh, just leave me here, goddammit, lol, 'cause -- hot dammmn...
Recommended -- th'hell recommended to anyone who's into m/m thrillers with intelligent plot and just downright dangerous, hot, and destructive m/m blind obsession.
Meet Player 1: Delaurier, militant revolutionary, born to lead, love unconditionally, and fuck up lives for the cause:
Meet Player 2: Renaire, artist, just as dark with handling a gun or knife, caught in a pull-push obsession with both bottle and the man who's born to lead and fuck up lives:
Even on the level of basic communication, meet the sexual tension between these two:
Annnnnnnd... well.. ughh, just leave me here, goddammit, lol, 'cause -- hot dammmn...
Recommended -- th'hell recommended to anyone who's into m/m thrillers with intelligent plot and just downright dangerous, hot, and destructive m/m blind obsession.
November 23, 2016
3.75 stars
I was a bit nervous going in, because this is my first audiobook by Will M. Watt. Fortunately, the narrator did a good job. Character voices were differentiated and the pacing wasn’t too slow. At times, especially during action scenes, the narrator’s cadence would get high-pitched, but even so the audiobook is pretty enjoyable.
I’ve got a soft spot for the slightly (or very) unhinged MCs. I don’t read many books with them, but chances are that I’m going to enjoy a book about globe-trotting assassins offing those they believe deserve it.
Apparently I’m willing to turn a blind eye to terrorism, so long as it’s being performed by two French whackjob lovebirds.
The book is told from Renaire’s POV, so we get a front-row seat to the mental disassociation that allows him to love Delaurier without guilt. Renaire’s feelings for Delaurier are as much obsession as they are love. His story is told in bits here and there, so readers don’t find out what lead Renaire to be who he is until well into the book, which kept me captivated.
Delaurier is seen through Renaire’s eyes, which probably skews readers’ perception of him. He’s a man of principle, though those principles are violent. But I wouldn’t say Delaurier is amoral, as opposed to him thinking that the end justified the means, even if the means were murder and violence. I liked that the only thing that cracked through his armour and made him nervous was Renaire.
So yes, these two raise eyebrows. And so does their romance, which isn’t exactly of the sweet variety. Renaire and Delaurier constantly fight and argue, hurting each other and themselves in the process. They certainly aren’t poster-boys for a healthy and sane relationship, but they’re drawn to each other, and they’re confident in their crazy love.
What these two lack in sweetness, they definitely make up for in sexiness. Delaurier and Renaire were on fire once they dropped their pants, and were more than willing to make up for the two years of pining for each other.
The mystery/crime plot takes a while to get going, but it kept me entertained throughout the book. It wasn’t entirely believable, especially Interpol’s laid-back role, but I still found it engaging. It kept me guessing about the outcome, which could have gone a number of ways.
Overall, I really enjoyed ‘Gnomon’. It’s not a traditional MM romance, but Delaurier and Renaire clearly belong together, and are stronger together in all the crazy. Recommended if you’re looking a crime read, and don’t mind that the MCs have a host of psychological issues.
I was a bit nervous going in, because this is my first audiobook by Will M. Watt. Fortunately, the narrator did a good job. Character voices were differentiated and the pacing wasn’t too slow. At times, especially during action scenes, the narrator’s cadence would get high-pitched, but even so the audiobook is pretty enjoyable.
I’ve got a soft spot for the slightly (or very) unhinged MCs. I don’t read many books with them, but chances are that I’m going to enjoy a book about globe-trotting assassins offing those they believe deserve it.
Apparently I’m willing to turn a blind eye to terrorism, so long as it’s being performed by two French whackjob lovebirds.
The book is told from Renaire’s POV, so we get a front-row seat to the mental disassociation that allows him to love Delaurier without guilt. Renaire’s feelings for Delaurier are as much obsession as they are love. His story is told in bits here and there, so readers don’t find out what lead Renaire to be who he is until well into the book, which kept me captivated.
Delaurier is seen through Renaire’s eyes, which probably skews readers’ perception of him. He’s a man of principle, though those principles are violent. But I wouldn’t say Delaurier is amoral, as opposed to him thinking that the end justified the means, even if the means were murder and violence. I liked that the only thing that cracked through his armour and made him nervous was Renaire.
So yes, these two raise eyebrows. And so does their romance, which isn’t exactly of the sweet variety. Renaire and Delaurier constantly fight and argue, hurting each other and themselves in the process. They certainly aren’t poster-boys for a healthy and sane relationship, but they’re drawn to each other, and they’re confident in their crazy love.
What these two lack in sweetness, they definitely make up for in sexiness. Delaurier and Renaire were on fire once they dropped their pants, and were more than willing to make up for the two years of pining for each other.
The mystery/crime plot takes a while to get going, but it kept me entertained throughout the book. It wasn’t entirely believable, especially Interpol’s laid-back role, but I still found it engaging. It kept me guessing about the outcome, which could have gone a number of ways.
Overall, I really enjoyed ‘Gnomon’. It’s not a traditional MM romance, but Delaurier and Renaire clearly belong together, and are stronger together in all the crazy. Recommended if you’re looking a crime read, and don’t mind that the MCs have a host of psychological issues.
December 24, 2015
It was difficult to follow this story and understand what it was actually about. The two main characters Delaurier and Renaire are terrorists, and highly specialised assassins. Renaire is also an artist and the two men travel around Europe together killing people to further the cause of their organisation.
There is also a deep unspoken attraction between the two men which Delaurier doesn't really acknowledge but after two years of travelling and killing together things come to a head when Delaurier kills someone to protect Renaire's identity.
The story is largely focused on the aftermath of this killing and the relationship of the two men.
I always think spy/thriller/assassin stories should be deeply entertaining and grip the reader from the word go but unfortunately that isn't the case here. It was well written, but somewhat boring.
I couldn't understand what the two men were fighting for or why they suddenly came together. I think this story is missing a back story which would have helped give the story and the characters a bit more life.
Alas this wasn't a good story for me.
Thanks to DSP for providing the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There is also a deep unspoken attraction between the two men which Delaurier doesn't really acknowledge but after two years of travelling and killing together things come to a head when Delaurier kills someone to protect Renaire's identity.
The story is largely focused on the aftermath of this killing and the relationship of the two men.
I always think spy/thriller/assassin stories should be deeply entertaining and grip the reader from the word go but unfortunately that isn't the case here. It was well written, but somewhat boring.
I couldn't understand what the two men were fighting for or why they suddenly came together. I think this story is missing a back story which would have helped give the story and the characters a bit more life.
Alas this wasn't a good story for me.
Thanks to DSP for providing the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2024
I first read this book many years ago when it was still a popular fanfiction on ao3, and it was one of my favourite works inspired by Les Misérables; I remember downloading a file when Luchia mentioned selling the rights so that the work could be published, and after that… the epub somehow got lost. I’d been trying to find this novel for almost ten years by the time I managed to get it, despite hating the fact that everyone has different names now, and do you want to know the worst part? As I was about to finish reading this very difficult to find book I found the original fanfiction on the Wayback Machine. Thank you Internet Archive, it was too little too late, sadly.
I’ve been putting off writing this review, but it must be done.. Every time I reread something I used to love, I’m afraid of ruining the beautiful perception of it the nostalgia fueled vision gives me, and this idea was proven right this time. I assume this will not stop me from rereading other books and see if they stand the test of time, but I'm going to have to prepare myself for heartbreak.
Most of the transformative works written after the 2012 Les Mis rénaissance featured “les amis de l’ABC”, the group of young revolutionaries that plays a semi-minor part in the plot of the book. In this fanfiction/novel, the story is set in contemporary times and the revolutionaries become a terrorist cell disguised as an activist group.
I feel like, despite the changed names and events strictly linked to the original novel, you can tell it’s fanfiction (the ao3 kind, because it’s the one type i have extensive experience reading): it uses a pretty recognisable dialectic and also I’ve read a lot of exr (famous Les Mis pairing) in my time, so the characters are almost set in stone by fandom standards.
All this to say: I don’t know if I can review this book fairly because I know where it comes from and its background, and while I was reading I was trying to read through the lines so that I could find the original fanfiction I used to love so long ago.
That said, if I have to judge it from a published book standpoint most of it doesn’t make sense, from the vague philosophy and morals the characters adhere to (as radical leftist activists!! their brand of leftism is incredibly hypocritical) to the terrorist-but-not-by-vocation that becomes besties with a cop (an interpol one at that) overnight.
At a certain point it becomes ridiculous as they don’t even bother to use code names; they very publicly commit crimes using their government names and hang out at their known headquarters in a secluded room of a famous Parisian bistrot where everyone (including apparently Interpol) knows they map out their hits on prominent politicians.
The book comes across as poorly researched and ends up not being able to hold its own weight: it works as a fanfiction, not only because as I’ve already mentioned the characters come from a standard calcified in fandom canon, so that the seasoned reader comes across the fic with the knowledge necessary to understand it and fill the blanks of characterisation (the characters act like that because the reader with previous knowledge of the original already knows they would behave in a certain way) but also because you cannot hold expectations out of something created for free for the sake of fan community — but once someone asks money for their Original work it needs to be readable and possibly make sense.
As I read on I got increasingly angry at the book, and only finished it out of the same sense of nostalgia that led me to it.
Now I am afraid to ever reread my actual favourite Les Mis fanfiction, given the traumatic experience with this one.
I’ve been putting off writing this review, but it must be done.. Every time I reread something I used to love, I’m afraid of ruining the beautiful perception of it the nostalgia fueled vision gives me, and this idea was proven right this time. I assume this will not stop me from rereading other books and see if they stand the test of time, but I'm going to have to prepare myself for heartbreak.
Most of the transformative works written after the 2012 Les Mis rénaissance featured “les amis de l’ABC”, the group of young revolutionaries that plays a semi-minor part in the plot of the book. In this fanfiction/novel, the story is set in contemporary times and the revolutionaries become a terrorist cell disguised as an activist group.
I feel like, despite the changed names and events strictly linked to the original novel, you can tell it’s fanfiction (the ao3 kind, because it’s the one type i have extensive experience reading): it uses a pretty recognisable dialectic and also I’ve read a lot of exr (famous Les Mis pairing) in my time, so the characters are almost set in stone by fandom standards.
All this to say: I don’t know if I can review this book fairly because I know where it comes from and its background, and while I was reading I was trying to read through the lines so that I could find the original fanfiction I used to love so long ago.
That said, if I have to judge it from a published book standpoint most of it doesn’t make sense, from the vague philosophy and morals the characters adhere to (as radical leftist activists!! their brand of leftism is incredibly hypocritical) to the terrorist-but-not-by-vocation that becomes besties with a cop (an interpol one at that) overnight.
At a certain point it becomes ridiculous as they don’t even bother to use code names; they very publicly commit crimes using their government names and hang out at their known headquarters in a secluded room of a famous Parisian bistrot where everyone (including apparently Interpol) knows they map out their hits on prominent politicians.
The book comes across as poorly researched and ends up not being able to hold its own weight: it works as a fanfiction, not only because as I’ve already mentioned the characters come from a standard calcified in fandom canon, so that the seasoned reader comes across the fic with the knowledge necessary to understand it and fill the blanks of characterisation (the characters act like that because the reader with previous knowledge of the original already knows they would behave in a certain way) but also because you cannot hold expectations out of something created for free for the sake of fan community — but once someone asks money for their Original work it needs to be readable and possibly make sense.
As I read on I got increasingly angry at the book, and only finished it out of the same sense of nostalgia that led me to it.
Now I am afraid to ever reread my actual favourite Les Mis fanfiction, given the traumatic experience with this one.
October 15, 2015
Review @ BookPoisoning
“You fucked up. If you touch me again, you will bleed.”
I debated a lot with myself on whether or not I should post this review, and then I thought “why the hell not ?”. But this is going to be a really rambly fandom talk, I need to get all of this out of my chest so, seriously, just skip this. Please.
It feels really weird for me to say this but, my fandom now has a published work. That’s right, Gnomon is originally a fanfic, one of the most popular fanfics in this fandom, and to know that it’s now an actual book is very unsettling. To be honest, this is not really the kind of book I would have instinctively picked up if it weren’t for the fact that I already know and love the story, and that it’s about my two favourite idiots. The fanfic itself, I was sold from the beginning because, knowing the dynamics between the characters, and knowing what this group of people stands for, a terrorist!AU isn’t so much of a stretch. It actually makes sense and showcases their relationship in a very interesting (if very fucked up) way. It all happened so fast. I even debated whether or not I wanted to read the book, but I decided I wanted to support the author.
I think I’ll always like the story, but mainly because, to me, it’ll always be linked to my OTP. The tension and the miscommunication were too good for me to pass up, the fact that you see the dark side of “he was a charming young man capable of being terrible“, that R’s loyalty and self-doubt and lack of self-preservation are portrayed in such a brutal way. It was amusing to see what became of each character, and how they changed from one version to the other : the two entities forming Carope totally make sense, and the combination was actually quite clever. The nicknames stayed, which made me flail helplessly. My two favourite quotes were there, so I didn’t need to be worried.
There are a few things that I’m still not quite sure about / that would need some improvement :
- the names were a bit difficult to get used to. Knowing the original work, no matter what the names on the page were, I thought about others. I would also want to applaud / shake my head in disbelief at the names the author chose : Emile Delaurier is such an awful, pretentious name and yet, it kind of grew on me. Renaire is awful, I get that she couldn’t use the original name, but I’m still sad we’ve lost the pun in the process. Glasson, Carope, sure, if you want, but the others are a big no for me. Jules is a fucking brilliant alternative and, Matthieu and Céline sort of work, weirdly enough.
- the excessive use of italics. I never noticed that there were so much in the original fanfic, but it’s really too much here. I get that emphasis is important, I’m definitely the kind of person who would use it too much, but sometimes you have to let the reader breathe.
- the fact that it gets rambly at times. It is a difficult task to bring about characters, you don’t think enough about that. When it comes to fanfic, you don’t even need explanation : every one knows who the characters are, why they’re here, what they like, what makes them tick. All that information would be superfluous in fanfic. You just have to write down a name and the reader knows exactly what it’s about. The introductions, for a new reader (as in, who wasn’t there when this work first took shape), can be a bit rough around the edges and lengthy.
It’s really difficult to think about selling points. What would make a non-fandom-related person want to read this book ? I don’t know. For me, the appeal was elsewhere. But, no matter who the characters are, I still think the story is good ? The tension is beautiful, the clash between them will always be my favourite scene. I love how raw they are, how completely fucked up but how it’s not romanticized.
They both have big issues, both individually and as a couple, they’re well aware of that, the author is aware and so, the reader can see it too. By all rights, it shouldn’t work between them, but somehow it does, and that’s great for them, but you’re never left thinking “Oh my god, I want that too !” because who in their right mind would want that ?! Even when it was a story solely about two different idiots, you could see how fucked up they were and, even though I tend to prefer the stories in which they are happier, more domestic and flufflier with each other, I can’t help but like the way they were written there.
And I love how, despite everything, it all stays completely consensual (if not completely healthy) and we’re not seeing some 50 shades of Grey crap. This story has issues too, but at least it doesn’t let down on that front.
Also, yeah for diversity ? It’s mostly secondary characters but, knowing my fandom well and how much we love to play with gender and society norms, it’s great to see a trace of it still present in the published work.
A word of caution, though : this book contains very graphic scenes (both in terms of violence and sex), so stay away if you don’t want any of that. I wouldn’t exactly categorize this as Erotica, because that’s not quite the image that I have, and above all, I think this story is about a lot of things, it just happens to have some explicit scenes in there. I would also like to say that both are just passing scenes, but that’s not the case …
Sidenote : DUDE ! I was on the lookout for any mistakes, and let me just say that one name, in the part about Vienna, really shouldn’t be there ! I’m glad it is, though.
“You fucked up. If you touch me again, you will bleed.”
I debated a lot with myself on whether or not I should post this review, and then I thought “why the hell not ?”. But this is going to be a really rambly fandom talk, I need to get all of this out of my chest so, seriously, just skip this. Please.
It feels really weird for me to say this but, my fandom now has a published work. That’s right, Gnomon is originally a fanfic, one of the most popular fanfics in this fandom, and to know that it’s now an actual book is very unsettling. To be honest, this is not really the kind of book I would have instinctively picked up if it weren’t for the fact that I already know and love the story, and that it’s about my two favourite idiots. The fanfic itself, I was sold from the beginning because, knowing the dynamics between the characters, and knowing what this group of people stands for, a terrorist!AU isn’t so much of a stretch. It actually makes sense and showcases their relationship in a very interesting (if very fucked up) way. It all happened so fast. I even debated whether or not I wanted to read the book, but I decided I wanted to support the author.
I think I’ll always like the story, but mainly because, to me, it’ll always be linked to my OTP. The tension and the miscommunication were too good for me to pass up, the fact that you see the dark side of “he was a charming young man capable of being terrible“, that R’s loyalty and self-doubt and lack of self-preservation are portrayed in such a brutal way. It was amusing to see what became of each character, and how they changed from one version to the other : the two entities forming Carope totally make sense, and the combination was actually quite clever. The nicknames stayed, which made me flail helplessly. My two favourite quotes were there, so I didn’t need to be worried.
There are a few things that I’m still not quite sure about / that would need some improvement :
- the names were a bit difficult to get used to. Knowing the original work, no matter what the names on the page were, I thought about others. I would also want to applaud / shake my head in disbelief at the names the author chose : Emile Delaurier is such an awful, pretentious name and yet, it kind of grew on me. Renaire is awful, I get that she couldn’t use the original name, but I’m still sad we’ve lost the pun in the process. Glasson, Carope, sure, if you want, but the others are a big no for me. Jules is a fucking brilliant alternative and, Matthieu and Céline sort of work, weirdly enough.
- the excessive use of italics. I never noticed that there were so much in the original fanfic, but it’s really too much here. I get that emphasis is important, I’m definitely the kind of person who would use it too much, but sometimes you have to let the reader breathe.
- the fact that it gets rambly at times. It is a difficult task to bring about characters, you don’t think enough about that. When it comes to fanfic, you don’t even need explanation : every one knows who the characters are, why they’re here, what they like, what makes them tick. All that information would be superfluous in fanfic. You just have to write down a name and the reader knows exactly what it’s about. The introductions, for a new reader (as in, who wasn’t there when this work first took shape), can be a bit rough around the edges and lengthy.
It’s really difficult to think about selling points. What would make a non-fandom-related person want to read this book ? I don’t know. For me, the appeal was elsewhere. But, no matter who the characters are, I still think the story is good ? The tension is beautiful, the clash between them will always be my favourite scene. I love how raw they are, how completely fucked up but how it’s not romanticized.
They both have big issues, both individually and as a couple, they’re well aware of that, the author is aware and so, the reader can see it too. By all rights, it shouldn’t work between them, but somehow it does, and that’s great for them, but you’re never left thinking “Oh my god, I want that too !” because who in their right mind would want that ?! Even when it was a story solely about two different idiots, you could see how fucked up they were and, even though I tend to prefer the stories in which they are happier, more domestic and flufflier with each other, I can’t help but like the way they were written there.
And I love how, despite everything, it all stays completely consensual (if not completely healthy) and we’re not seeing some 50 shades of Grey crap. This story has issues too, but at least it doesn’t let down on that front.
Also, yeah for diversity ? It’s mostly secondary characters but, knowing my fandom well and how much we love to play with gender and society norms, it’s great to see a trace of it still present in the published work.
A word of caution, though : this book contains very graphic scenes (both in terms of violence and sex), so stay away if you don’t want any of that. I wouldn’t exactly categorize this as Erotica, because that’s not quite the image that I have, and above all, I think this story is about a lot of things, it just happens to have some explicit scenes in there. I would also like to say that both are just passing scenes, but that’s not the case …
Sidenote : DUDE ! I was on the lookout for any mistakes, and let me just say that one name, in the part about Vienna, really shouldn’t be there ! I’m glad it is, though.
July 27, 2017
When picking up this book, it's VERY helpful to be aware that it began as a fanfic work for the Les Miserables fandom. I've read that version a ridiculous amount of times and love it to my core, and I would be lying if I didn't say that it is partially out of the love I have for the characters from Les Mis and how Dertien reimagined them all.
That said, I tried going into reading this as though the characters were fresh people whom I had never met yet and trying to separate them from the characters in Les Mis I'm already closely familiar with. I failed horribly, but I will say that character development happens throughout this book. Literally in every chapter, these characters are changing and learning more, often as we learn things. Details about them are revealed slowly, for the most part. So without that background of the characters they are based off of already in my head, I could see it being hard to connect with either Renaire or Delaurier until several chapters in. That, I'm the sort of reader who likes to learn as much as possible about the characters I'm reading about, and building headcanons, ect. But these two are already based off of other characters, and the author wrote them as most fanfic authors do - expecting their audience to have a base understanding of those characters, in this case Enjolras and Grantaire. So without that base understanding, for readers unfamiliar with Les Mis or who haven't read the fic version of Gnomon and therefore don't relate it to Les Mis, I'd say it lacks in character revelations here and there.
Again, I'm someone who's read the fic version and am very familiar with Les Miserables, so I adore these characters, whether they are written as Renaire and Delaurier, or Enjolras and Grantaire.
This is an intense book with a lot of peaks in the storyline, yet it has always felt quiet in a dangerous way, to me. That's the best way I am able to describe the tone of this book. The moments that are not climactic still make you feel like something is burning under the surface and you just know it's all going to turn around soon and something is going to happen. Those moments are actually my favourite in the book. Particularly the train scenes in the early chapters.
It also has very humourous moments, especially between characters, and that tends to be my favourite type of humour to read. Carope is particularly hilarious, and a character whose name I was always searching for on the pages and very happy to see each time it showed up.
This is also a very sexy book. I don't know why I was not expecting this book to have as explicit scenes as it does, but when I got to the first one, I thought parts would be re-worded or entirely left out in comparison to the fic version. Nope! I'm no longer the sort of person who gets impatient to get to the love scenes in fics or books I'm reading, and it's actually quite the opposite - I'm usually impatient to just get them over with and get on to the plot - but the ones in this book are soooo good and necessary.
I was a little disappointed to find that there wasn't as much additional text as I was expecting. I've been following the author's blog devoted to the fic version, on which information about Gnobook has been shared, and I guess I'd just built it up in my head, so I was expecting many pages more in addition to the fic version, rather than the short passages of extra information, and the one several-page flashback, which is not the fault of the author. I just got over-excited, because I very much love this book to bits.
It's one of my favourites. The fic version has been such for years, since the first time I read it. And in a stupid way - because this is a book about stupid terrorist boys - this book makes me feel comforted and is a little retreat I go to.
That said, I tried going into reading this as though the characters were fresh people whom I had never met yet and trying to separate them from the characters in Les Mis I'm already closely familiar with. I failed horribly, but I will say that character development happens throughout this book. Literally in every chapter, these characters are changing and learning more, often as we learn things. Details about them are revealed slowly, for the most part. So without that background of the characters they are based off of already in my head, I could see it being hard to connect with either Renaire or Delaurier until several chapters in. That, I'm the sort of reader who likes to learn as much as possible about the characters I'm reading about, and building headcanons, ect. But these two are already based off of other characters, and the author wrote them as most fanfic authors do - expecting their audience to have a base understanding of those characters, in this case Enjolras and Grantaire. So without that base understanding, for readers unfamiliar with Les Mis or who haven't read the fic version of Gnomon and therefore don't relate it to Les Mis, I'd say it lacks in character revelations here and there.
Again, I'm someone who's read the fic version and am very familiar with Les Miserables, so I adore these characters, whether they are written as Renaire and Delaurier, or Enjolras and Grantaire.
This is an intense book with a lot of peaks in the storyline, yet it has always felt quiet in a dangerous way, to me. That's the best way I am able to describe the tone of this book. The moments that are not climactic still make you feel like something is burning under the surface and you just know it's all going to turn around soon and something is going to happen. Those moments are actually my favourite in the book. Particularly the train scenes in the early chapters.
It also has very humourous moments, especially between characters, and that tends to be my favourite type of humour to read. Carope is particularly hilarious, and a character whose name I was always searching for on the pages and very happy to see each time it showed up.
This is also a very sexy book. I don't know why I was not expecting this book to have as explicit scenes as it does, but when I got to the first one, I thought parts would be re-worded or entirely left out in comparison to the fic version. Nope! I'm no longer the sort of person who gets impatient to get to the love scenes in fics or books I'm reading, and it's actually quite the opposite - I'm usually impatient to just get them over with and get on to the plot - but the ones in this book are soooo good and necessary.
I was a little disappointed to find that there wasn't as much additional text as I was expecting. I've been following the author's blog devoted to the fic version, on which information about Gnobook has been shared, and I guess I'd just built it up in my head, so I was expecting many pages more in addition to the fic version, rather than the short passages of extra information, and the one several-page flashback, which is not the fault of the author. I just got over-excited, because I very much love this book to bits.
It's one of my favourites. The fic version has been such for years, since the first time I read it. And in a stupid way - because this is a book about stupid terrorist boys - this book makes me feel comforted and is a little retreat I go to.
May 2, 2021
Book Reaction: https://neverhollowed.com/2018/09/16/...
Rating: 4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Rating: 4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
November 8, 2024
What does one do when one is in love with the world’s most beloved terrorist? It would be much safer, much more prudent, to run as fast as possible in the opposite direction. That’s not possible for Renaire. He’s been in love with Emile Delaurier since they first bumped into each other two years before Luchia Dertain’s Gnomon opens. I supposed the fact that they each killed someone at that first meeting cemented their bond. For two years, Renaire has been following Delaurier on his jobs, helping when he can. He doesn’t believe in Delaurier’s Cause (always capitalized in the text). But he can’t leave Delaurier, not for long...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
June 20, 2022
IYKYK 🖤❤
I wanted this book, purchased this book, and read this book for My Blorbos™, and ultimately that is what it gave me. Gnomon delivers a compact, high-pressure plot with a fantastic incorporation of location-based flashbacks. But Gnomon mostly delivers a bubbly batch of nostalgia.
The characterization was inconsistent, a flaw I'm willing to somewhat overlook for the sheer amount of varied interpretations of these characters I've read in the past. It was disappointing to watch the viciously cruel, cold, ruthless Emile soften into a bizarrely smitten and optimistic hand-holding boyfriend. From the start, he was promised to be a man who can shoot a stranger point-blank and knows how to poke every bruise he's given Renaire. This is the man I wanted to read, and his sudden disappearance—somewhere between the snuggles and fond smiles—made me drop this down a star.
But when it's good, it's good. There's a reason these guys are My Blorbos™, and Luchia doesn't shy away from the desperate devotion, the misguided idealism, every unhealthy and tragic and romantic element that makes their relationship ring true. I haven't stopped thinking about the we weren't even going to be here, we would be headed to Australia, he would have thought it was a fucking honeymoon since I was a teenager, and the betrayal hit just as hard.
There is a lot of suspension of disbelief that needs to be done (I have been to the Sénat, and it is hard to get into) and the ending was... not what I wanted. But I knew exactly what this novella was when I read it, and I enjoyed the prose and the structure and the familiarity—and the unexpected, too. I love these Stupid Terrorist Boys, and it made my heart warm to come home to them.
I wanted this book, purchased this book, and read this book for My Blorbos™, and ultimately that is what it gave me. Gnomon delivers a compact, high-pressure plot with a fantastic incorporation of location-based flashbacks. But Gnomon mostly delivers a bubbly batch of nostalgia.
The characterization was inconsistent, a flaw I'm willing to somewhat overlook for the sheer amount of varied interpretations of these characters I've read in the past. It was disappointing to watch the viciously cruel, cold, ruthless Emile soften into a bizarrely smitten and optimistic hand-holding boyfriend. From the start, he was promised to be a man who can shoot a stranger point-blank and knows how to poke every bruise he's given Renaire. This is the man I wanted to read, and his sudden disappearance—somewhere between the snuggles and fond smiles—made me drop this down a star.
But when it's good, it's good. There's a reason these guys are My Blorbos™, and Luchia doesn't shy away from the desperate devotion, the misguided idealism, every unhealthy and tragic and romantic element that makes their relationship ring true. I haven't stopped thinking about the we weren't even going to be here, we would be headed to Australia, he would have thought it was a fucking honeymoon since I was a teenager, and the betrayal hit just as hard.
There is a lot of suspension of disbelief that needs to be done (I have been to the Sénat, and it is hard to get into) and the ending was... not what I wanted. But I knew exactly what this novella was when I read it, and I enjoyed the prose and the structure and the familiarity—and the unexpected, too. I love these Stupid Terrorist Boys, and it made my heart warm to come home to them.
April 25, 2024
This book was born as one of my all-time favorite pieces of fanfiction out there, and it still is - to this day I still remember some of the quotes by heart. As a work separate from the universe it was born from it's an enjoyable read, but what made it such a brilliant and iconic fanfiction was that it perfectly took R ( one of my favorite R characterizations ever) and E's characters and made them work perfectly in a new setting that still made it work for them; we knew them, and that's something that someone not familiar with Les Mis might suffer from going into this. Still, fun and light
September 9, 2015
If you are interested in erotica and (semi?) romance, I think this would be your jam. And you have to enjoy a gigantic sprinkling of italics. And lots of talk about creating art, which reads like a load of horses**t. I, however, thought this was going to actually be a spy/thriller and the eroticism and general love stuff grew tiresome very, very quickly. Skipped to the end just to see if the annoying love interests died (I kind of hoped they did); I think this is what they call "new adult" and they can keep it.
I received an EARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an EARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read
July 5, 2019I've read this online countless times before and I can't wait to have this book in paperback!
Want to read
September 10, 2015Ohhhhhhhhh! Do want!
no-thank-you
September 11, 2015If Baba doesn't like it I sure as Hell won't like it either
December 14, 2022
STOP filing off the serial numbers and publishing shit. STOP it.
March 9, 2023
I honestly don't remember exactly how this book made it into my tbr, but it did and I wish I knew for sure. (I had two books with the same title on my tbr and I'm guessing only one of them was a reccomendation) I read the synopsis a few days ago and then sort of selected it as my next read.
So before the end of the second chapter I'd realized this was most likely fanfiction of Les Miserables. By the time the rest of the terrorist group was introduced at the café, I really had to come check. Couldn't confirm it straight away but a bit more digging enlightened me. That's not a criticism I'm making really, but I guess I'd rather have known before I started it, and then I would have gone into it with different expectations.
So the book itself isn't too big, and even though the synopsis does make it clear there's romance, I guess I was expecting a little less romantic drama and a bit more crime syndicate? My own fault, I guess. So I suppose it was an okay book, not terrible, not great. I was very very interested in the first chapter, but then by 24% I was waiting for the rest of the premise to be introduced still, and then most of the criminal action took a back seat until the 80% mark.
If you're going to read it, look up the fanfiction tags and trigger warnings.
So before the end of the second chapter I'd realized this was most likely fanfiction of Les Miserables. By the time the rest of the terrorist group was introduced at the café, I really had to come check. Couldn't confirm it straight away but a bit more digging enlightened me. That's not a criticism I'm making really, but I guess I'd rather have known before I started it, and then I would have gone into it with different expectations.
So the book itself isn't too big, and even though the synopsis does make it clear there's romance, I guess I was expecting a little less romantic drama and a bit more crime syndicate? My own fault, I guess. So I suppose it was an okay book, not terrible, not great. I was very very interested in the first chapter, but then by 24% I was waiting for the rest of the premise to be introduced still, and then most of the criminal action took a back seat until the 80% mark.
If you're going to read it, look up the fanfiction tags and trigger warnings.
November 29, 2019
just read the tumblr enjolras/grantaire fic version of this on a long plane ride and it was... pretty good? for a fic? let’s say 3.5 stars by fic standards but i’m not sure how i would’ve rated it if i read it as a standalone novel with original characters like i should have. the point is i was very entertained, good old exr etc etc
there are like 4 other parts to this (discontinued :c) series on ao3 so i’m off to read those now!!
there are like 4 other parts to this (discontinued :c) series on ao3 so i’m off to read those now!!
February 16, 2024
so actually i knew this story when it was les mis fanfic. so fun to revisit it 10 years later!!!!! def reads like a fanfic however doesn’t mean it’s not fun and comfy to read. anyway ship exr for good health ❤️🇫🇷
January 19, 2018
This whole book was pretty meh.
It jumped around a lot, and characters had a lot of emotional whiplash.
It jumped around a lot, and characters had a lot of emotional whiplash.
March 18, 2021
One of my feel-good go-to... With revolutionaries and killings and blood and alcohol. XD I simply love it.
July 3, 2024
this is easily my 10th re-read. i pre-ordered the book after reading the fanfic all the way in 2015. this story is etched into my brain permanently. always love it.
April 24, 2025
flowery but i liked it. big fan of the source material
September 21, 2016
This started out as one of my absolute favorite fics (can you catch where the author calls Delaurier Enjolras?), and I was overjoyed when I heard that the author got a publishing deal for it. I bought it asap even if it has taken me absolutely forever to read it (it's already a year old, wow). It wasn't a disappointing read, far from, but it wasn't what I remembered it being. Someone pointed out the over-use of italics, and once you see that it is hard to unsee. There is also less interesting drama than I remembered, but it was still very much worth the read and I might even reread it at some point.
Also, while I love the depiction of an unusual relationship, please people, this is not a healthy relationship, and it's not depicted as such. Enjoy the book, but this is not a relationship-goals book.
Also, while I love the depiction of an unusual relationship, please people, this is not a healthy relationship, and it's not depicted as such. Enjoy the book, but this is not a relationship-goals book.
March 27, 2016
Ok, ok... Calm down, my heart. BEST thing ever. I have to confess I got to this through Les Mis, I was reading another part of the 'series' and I was like "this person is an author, for sure, someone so amazing has to have published books because if not, the world's a gloomy place full of shadows". And it's so much fun to read this with 'new' chatacters. I was trying to narrate the plot to one of my friends, and yup, it's one hell of a story. The most important thing is that the writing's wonderful, the characters have soul and life, and it's happy and sad and all I want literature to be. It's alive. It's hard to express how much I love this book, and how much I want to read books like this because (forget the little flaws) they are words that are meant, and felt, and lived through.
February 6, 2017
Ich war mir am Anfang nicht sicher, was mich hier erwarten würde, aber Luchia hat es geschafft, dass ich Delaurier und Renaire liebgewonnen habe, auf ihre eigene verquere Art und Weise. Natürlich bleibt die Frage bestehen, ob ihre Liebe, ihre Beziehung zueinander gesund ist - nein, ist sie nicht, und doch ist sie für die beiden so nötig wie die Luft zum Atmen. Und damit hatten sie mich auch schon am Haken.
Ich bin mir sicher, dass man dieses Buch entweder liebt oder hasst, etwas dazwischen gibt es wohl nicht.
Ich bin mir sicher, dass man dieses Buch entweder liebt oder hasst, etwas dazwischen gibt es wohl nicht.
October 12, 2015
Interesting yet somewhat depressing read. Wouldn't completely rule out reading something else from this author.
October 30, 2015
Read this because B*b* (The Oxygen Thief) (BTOT) dnf'd it and her fawning minions fawned. It was another great read and I thank BTOT for the rec!
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