I see nothing but the candle in the mirror, no visions of the future, so lost and alone 
 The Basics 
 It was a bit slow, but I like how the author developed actual historical background. The part before the paranormal elements kicked in was a bit cliche, but I feel it's to be expected. The paranormal elements were overall quite well mixed with the history and it's clear the author actually cares. As a history buff, I like that very much. Nevertheless, there was some kind of depth issues that prevented me from giving this a full five stars... 
 Full Review (theater fangirling ahead) 
 I picked this up because it was set in 1812 (see my status https://www.goodreads.com/user_status...) and I'm obsessed with this musical set in 1812 (which starred Phillipa Soo in the original cast) and, while reading a fashion history book, I found that the era of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 lines up with the regency period in England. Thus, I became interested in regency and I'm glad I did because this book was pretty good. As Passenger, which is partially set in 1776, did with Hamilton, there were some references to Great Comet that were purely unintended, but funny anyways. The Duke of Selburn is described as "charmant" (Il est pas de sexe, Great Comet fans?) And "candle and mirror placement" is discussed (see above song quote). 
 I will say the beginning of this book was a bit dull, but I commend Goodman's building up of the mood and feel of the time period, unlike many other YA authors, who put the romance first and the history ends up taking a back seat and I think her build-up in that regard was actually necessary. Overall, an engaging, fairly original take on a genre built on cliches. If you enjoy a bit more historical detail and less romance, with a little paranormal on the side, this is a good choice.