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Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Racism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Cannibalism, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Deportation
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent
I loved this standalone dark academia fantasy. The magic system was so complex, detailed and well-thought out. The worldbuilding was amazing, built brick by brick with societal issues that cut deep - the negative effects of patriarchy, greed, ego, misogyny, sexism, classism, racism. So many topics to unpack with a dash of magic that just added another high-stake power in this book's dynamic.
We follow two main characters, Sciona and Thomil. My favorite character from the beginning was Thomil. I loved his grit, his love of culture, him as a whole. Sciona had a lot of character development and by the end of the book, I was sobbing because of everything she was able to accomplish.
I feel like this story was exactly what I needed at this time. With the way the world has been lately, I toast to the same thing as Sciona and Thomil at the end, "To hope."
This book was very heavy on my heart and should be given a proper amount of time to fully absorb and go through in order to savor reading it for the first time. So many aspects of hard to stomach moments, including abuse, murder, and sexual harrasment, but overall, I'm glad I was able to bear witness to this story.
I loved how this story felt really full circle, whenever an author alludes back to moments that happened in the beginning of the book at the end, as well, I always feel so much nostalgia. Like the crossing, the toasts that Sciona and Thomil had made, so many details that tugged on my heartstrings as I watched the characters I love go through so much hardship.
Such a good book I highly recommend this. This story also reminded me of Shingeki no Kyojin and Those Who Walk Away from Omelas.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Rape, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Pregnancy
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Police brutality, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Alcohol
While’s it’s certainly not the same world/setting, there are laws of alchemy such as you can’t create something from nothing. So the law of equivalent exchange reigns supreme and this has a unique take on how this is achieved.
Wang has a way of entrancing me in her writing and world building. It’s excellent detail but not too much that you’re overwhelmed. At times, the dialogue/debate pieces were a bit too lengthy for my taste, but I understand why they were included. This truly was the only thing keeping it from a solid 5/5 for me. (Which I actually had 4.75 but I think it’s more like a 4.9, so a 5/5 it is!)
I finished this book with a week and that’s uncommon for me, so it speaks to the greatness of this book and characters in it! 10/10 recommend!
Moderate: Cursing, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting
Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Vomit
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Cannibalism, Death of parent
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment
Minor: Gun violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail