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Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
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: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Car accident, Pregnancy
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, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexual assault, Vomit, Police brutality, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Cannibalism, Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Minor: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Cannibalism, Pregnancy