wrensreadingroom's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Deportation, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Self harm, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, and War
booksthatburn's review against another edition
In retrospect I should’ve realized a book whose blurb mentions three authors I don’t like reading (as a positive comparison) was not going to be a book I would probably enjoy.
I like the main character (Raina). I appreciate the way a story-specific version of sign language is used for her to communicate and others to communicate with her, and I like that the book has a list of author supplied contact warnings available at a link. That’s basically where the stuff that I like ends, and most of those ultimately aren’t about the actual story.
I have enjoyed other books where two people that are from groups that hate each other for various reasons end up in a romance. I often do like those... when the two individuals involved haven’t already hated each other specifically in this context. But I’m having trouble relating to this story where part of the main premise is that Raina specifically hates the Witch Collector, and then has to travel with him, and the book seems to be heading towards a romantic/sexual relationship between them. I am not in favor of this trajectory, and the rate at which she is softening to him does not, to me, line up with what he’s actually doing. Ultimately, it’s just not a story that I care to read and so I'm stopping.
I like the main character (Raina). I appreciate the way a story-specific version of sign language is used for her to communicate and others to communicate with her, and I like that the book has a list of author supplied contact warnings available at a link. That’s basically where the stuff that I like ends, and most of those ultimately aren’t about the actual story.
I have enjoyed other books where two people that are from groups that hate each other for various reasons end up in a romance. I often do like those... when the two individuals involved haven’t already hated each other specifically in this context. But I’m having trouble relating to this story where part of the main premise is that Raina specifically hates the Witch Collector, and then has to travel with him, and the book seems to be heading towards a romantic/sexual relationship between them. I am not in favor of this trajectory, and the rate at which she is softening to him does not, to me, line up with what he’s actually doing. Ultimately, it’s just not a story that I care to read and so I'm stopping.
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death of parent, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Kidnapping, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Self harm, Animal death, and Pregnancy
molls's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, War, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
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