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Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Sexual assault, Blood, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
- Despite the slow start it began to pick up in the second half. The climax and ending of the book was a total page-turner.
- It presented the brutality of living in a racist and sexist world without feeling like this brutality was included for the sake of being voyeuristically grimdark.
- The story really hit the sweet spot of despair and hope.
- The magic system of the world is interesting and well thought out.
- The heroine was given space to be flawed and complex. She was a really good example of how a progressive person living in a racist society will make racist assumptions. The changes in her belief system and world perspective over the course of the novel felt well earned.
- I enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads.
- The story was an interesting examination of intersectionality.
Bad
- Occasionally the dialog felt a little bit too on the nose regarding the themes of the story.
- The first half of the book was slow.
- The book contains an in-depth exploration of themes that some people might find difficult. While I felt like it struck the right balance between despair and hope, it's ultimately not a happy story.
- The opening scene included one of my biggest first-chapter pet peeves. I appreciate this scene a lot more having read the entire story and seeing where the author ended up going with it, but it definitely almost put me off the book.
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Vomit, Abandonment
This is probably one of the most important pieces of literature I will ever read
“To hope
To hope, Highmage Freynan”
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Colonisation
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage
Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization