aseel_reads's review
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child death, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Genocide, Gun violence, War, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical content, Rape, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
changbinslemonade's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Rape and Racism
khakipantsofsex's review
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Ableism and Rape
talonsontypewriters'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Classism, Blood, Grief, Slavery, Gun violence, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Racism, War, Death, Confinement, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Torture
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, Alcohol, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape
Execution by hanging. Power imbalance in relationship (representative of colonizing government/colonized subject).cardanrry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Murder, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Slavery, Classism, Death, and Racism
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
rorikae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Touraine is a soldier sent to quell a rebellion in the homeland that she was stolen from. After arriving, she realizes that there is more going on in the country than she suspected and that there are still some personal connections that exist for her. She also meets Luca, the princess who is secretly trying to steal the throne from her uncle. As the two women connect, they begin to learn more about how they can create peace in this country but it may require them to come close to committing treason.
Clark creates a fascinating story rooted in complex characters that it is easy to care for. This world is filled with political intrigue and a cast of fascinating and sometimes despicable characters. Touraine and Luca are both easy to care for and easy to curse at in the same breath. They feel like living people with all of their flaws painfully obvious. The story took a number of twists and turns and Clark keeps the reader guessing about what will happen next. I'm fascinated to see where the story goes in the second installment.
Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Violence, War, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Gore, Racism, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
Minor: Sexual content
virgilsinferno's review
- 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: Xenophobia, Colonisation, War, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts
This novel involves a lot of potentially upsetting content, main themes are about colonialism, war, and xenophobia. But there's plenty of other content warnings to consider, so I would read with caution knowing this.laurajeangrace's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Colonisation, War, Vomit, Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Death, and Confinement
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual assault, and Rape
alyanna_dm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: War
Minor: Rape
loreofthebooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Military fantasy can be hit or miss for me. I'm very picky about it most of the time, however, I felt that The Unbroken did it very well. This book showed a complicated look at colonialism, and unlike a lot of other books, I felt it was done very well. It was woven in with the story in a way that made it work. There was a definite depth to this book, and it wasn't one of the typical rebellion books that you read.
First off, there were lots of grey areas, and Touraine (who is the best) was part of that. Her character arc was delightful in this book. Because at first, you know who is in the wrong (or at least you think you do), and then there are more complicated aspects to it as well.
Luca wasn't a pleasant character, but I get why Clark gave her a viewpoint, because it was showing multiple sides to the story -- to what each side was thinking. Essentially, this book was rebellions within rebellions. It was convoluted, and I loved that aspect of it.
Clark also included some political intrigue, which is more of what I love. I liked that I didn't know who to trust, and how the interactions between characters were complicated. All the characters themselves were complicated.
The magic in this book was curious, and I like how we were exposed to it -- and its mystery was doled out in small pieces.
I thought overall the writing was good, however, there were a few things that I struggled with in this book.
The slowness in some parts. I felt that parts were more drawn out than necessary, and that it didn't help the story any. Also, just the pacing overall just didn't quite work for me.
I wasn't totally sold on the relationship between Tour/Luca, and I get what it is supposed to be, but it didn't work as well as I wanted it to. I could see where it was going, and what Clark was aiming for, I just personally didn't think it felt as fleshed out as it could be. I felt there was very little interaction for Tour to switch her affections so quickly, and I just wasn't as in love with that aspect of the book.
Overall, this was a strong military fantasy that I enjoyed.
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Colonisation
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape