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iono's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Torture, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and War
kirstenpod_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
micaelamariem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The worldbuilding was so intense and phenomenal. Though there was obviously many layers to the world, which was built off of Ancient Rome standards, it didn’t feel too complicated or over explained.
The characters were all multifaceted and deeply flawed which i appreciated.
The overarching themes, though, are what I most resonated with. When fighting against a broken society, how do you stop yourself from becoming just another broken society? How do you fix the system when it’s the people who are broken? How do you stay true to your morals when you’re being threatened and blackmailed? The question of ancient philosophers that one.
And speaking of Ancient Rome and Greece, I do like the clever use of deus ex Machina that didn’t feel like a cop out but seemed like a clever way to call back to the Ancient Rome inspiration.
And I did get very connected to the story line so the plot twists at the end wrenched my heart and had me gasping.
My fellow fantasy and dark academia readers, you need to check this one out 🤓
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
mills33's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
jen9801's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
zgreyz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ajenkies4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
dontquotekonthat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Grief
emmamc02's review against another edition
How does this have such good reviews?
For starters, it is heavily YA (which isnt inherently bad) and the main character couldn't be anymore generic if he tried. Which isn't what I was expecting when it is supposedly Adult Fantasy... the main character is 17 ffs.
It doesn't help that the writing is boring, and it keeps contradicting itself at certain points. To add to the problems, the magic system makes little to no sense. It tries to be a rip-off of Brandon Sanderson Mistborn mixed with Warbreaker... just without any thought or logical planning. It makes no sense.
It's also marketed as a magic school plot, however I got about ¼ of the way through and he still hasn't gotten to the school... and the Rome influence? Idk where that was other than the pretentious naming system and the Colosseum... that's all.
Overall it was boring, I wasn't interested and made little to no sense. Which is disappointing considering I was looking forward to reading this for a while... heart broken.
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, and Murder
shlymiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism