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sarasbookmark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Torture, Dementia, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
mangofraiche's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kelisabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
achay91's review against another edition
- 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: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Blood, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gore, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
tyr2607's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
fizzymilk22's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
supergirled's review against another edition
- 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: Religious bigotry and War
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, and Grief
Minor: Mental illness and Sexual content
ezwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I will admit that the beginning is a bit slow but I put that on the sheer amount of world building that's needed and once you're past that it really picks up speed and off we go.
Ead and Sabran's stories (and story as a couple) and Tane's were really what interested me the most. I enjoyed Loth's POV as well but honestly was not interested in Niclays at all and every time we circled back to him I was ready to move on again. I am not usually a fan of alternating POVs but the way they all worked to tell the story was really fun to watch knit together at the end.
The way Shannon handles having a matriarchy, religious bigotry, politics all in a fantasy setting was beautifully done.
I will also admit that the way this ends is not the way I like my (mostly) stand alone books to end, but this really only applies to Sabran and Ead. This is only a spoiler for anyone who has seen The Untamed, but it reminded me of the way that the show ends for Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and I just like a bit more of a solid "and they lived happily ever after" for my couples and would love to see if we ever get anymore with them.
I eagerly await A Day of Fallen Night even though we'll be going backwards in time, it will be interesting to read about events already knowing how the future plays out.
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Infertility, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
never have i read a story so vast in scope, detailed in its lore & legends, steeped in religion. additionally, it's imaginative and fresh, and manages to expertly weave all its scattered narratives tgt (sidenote: this book actually reminds me of the poppy war in its worldbuilding, historical inspo, and fire vs water magic). unfortunately, i think its vast scope's a double-edged sword. bc of its sheer range, we constantly jump around from one location and narrative to another; coupling this lack of prolonged focus w/ the (understandable) 3rd person pov, no character--even the main ones--is explored deep enough for my liking, and ultimately i dont feel any real connection w/ them. this affects my enjoyment--or rather my experience of the book: i couldnt fully immerse myself in the book, despite all the adventures, new lands, dragons, escapes, and court intrigue. it was like i was watching it all happen from a detached distance, and didnt rly feel anything no matter what's happening, despite all the countless times the main characters were imperiled. and that's...not fun bc i highly value emotional connection and evocation in my books. another quabble, although a minor one, is the ultimate dragon-wyrm showdown, where i felt like the power imbalance didnt make sense: the wyrms could breathe fire while the dragons could only fly, and for the dragons to be at a disadvantage during the battle even tho they were water creatures literally fighting in the damn ocean???
honestly, this book's rly good. i particularly enjoyed the thought-provoking exploration of religious differences, themes of open-mindedness and duty, many morally gray characters (not loth tho, thats why i have a soft spot for him), worldbuilding, and feminist msg. it's also prolly the first book w/ pet-human bond trope that melts my hard heart. unfortunately, it didnt rly click w/ me, and the lack of emotional connection--that frustrating absence of some spark, a lil sth--makes this a rly-good-but-not-yet-great read.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Biphobia, Chronic illness, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Murder, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Death of parent
josie9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse and Cursing