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witcheep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
And then she'll have won this childish game of wills.
The plot seems to be that Dawsyn and her ally are constantly in a hurry, but nothing much actually happens. The stakes should be very high (life and death!) but it doesn't feel like that at all. Dawsyn and her ally rush around from a hiding place to another,
Oh, and just to add to the annoyance of this all, the book has a bloody cliffhanger ending. 🙄
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Sexual assault, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Body horror, Infertility, and Pregnancy
crinkledmochi's review against another edition
the plot and point of the story just fell super flat after the first 15% and i really tried to enjoy it
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Gore, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War
aurora4847'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
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
Minor: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
meat_muffin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
amre23'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? No
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Genocide, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, Torture, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
soniajoy98'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Classism
Minor: Physical abuse, Torture, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
magiquek8ball'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
Based wholly on those breaks and when in the book I needed to take them, I can say that this book is perfectly paced and the ebbs and flows of the plot are as soothing and intoxicating as the magic in the pool of Iskra. I’ve never wanted to pick back up a book so soon after finishing it.
One of my favorite things about this book (aside from the characters) is the language used both in and out of dialogue. When the characters are talking to each other, not only does their individual personality come through but it really feels like a fantasy book in the cadence of their speech. I was constantly aware that I was witnessing something magical and of-another-world. Despite the true, heartwarmingly, human moments in the book, there was nothing pedestrian about it because of the words the author used in those moments.
Throughout this book, I got a sense that Stacey McEwan was sharing her wishes for the world. Some were small and simple like a man with huge hands who loves a woman with a sharp wit and
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and War
Minor: Confinement, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Classism
As a fantasy book, the -isms that are mentioned act more as a metaphor for ones that exist in our world. I found them powerful and thoughtfully done, but they are there.