takarakei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion and Sexism
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s a murder mystery set in a gritty world that centers on mining the remains of a fallen angel, and the world is split between the descendants of angels and demons.
No one in this story is truly good here, but the divide of Elect versus Fallen makes some worse than others.
honestly set expectations aside for who the characters are and what they’ll do/what they have done.
Spoiler
Very unreliable narrator.Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Racism
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Sexual content
starchie27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Abortion and Sexual content
anahisa'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
3.25
because let’s get into it!!!! the descendants of angels MINING divinity from their fallen ancestors bodies???? Weaving the biblical into the western aesthetic so seamlessly??? HELLO??? AHHHH, HOW’D SHE DO IT!!!! WHAT A MIND WHAT A MIND WHAT A MINDDD <3333
ok gushing aside, my gripe with this novella is that it’s better suited to being a whole novel. The characters and plot were interesting, but the story was too rushed + unresolved for me to really get invested in these relationships and revelations. What could’ve been!
that being said, thematically she still had plenty to say + critique, and I’d love to see roanhorse revisit this world in the future.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
ameliabee33's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This short story left a little to be desired to be honest. I really liked the concept, thay Celeste is trying to prove her sister's innocence by any means necessary- even if that means she destroys all of her other relationships in the process. I kind of saw the plot twist coming, it was predictable. Kind of reminded me of "My Sister the Serial Killer" book, in which the reader knows that Celeste's sister is not innocent. Like her sister isn't that likable of a character and Celeste is just a blind sibling willing to do whatever- even if that means destroying her relationship is with Abraxas- the demon lord she is in love with.
I read reviews saying that the author used this world as tool to talk/showcase the unfair and unjust treatment of BIPOC in the law system. I am not a member of thay community so I cannot say how well it represents that, but it is interesting to read this book going into it with that knowledge.
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Violence and Torture
davidbythebay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I can really say I did. The writing is exquisite and immersive. The story is inventive and engaging. My biggest issue is that this book needs at least 100 pages more to delve into the characters and set the players more. The pacing is too quick with sudden character shifts that just don't read as plausible, much less believable.
The only characters I liked in the end were secondary ones (one of whom could be considered more of a primary-B character he is so borderline). He is treated more like a secondary character even when he is being used as a primary character. And a lot of this all has to do with the lack of character exploration in the brief novel. At just about 200 pages, this needed a strong hand adding in more of the world and the characters. We meet one female character briefly, get a curt description of her personality in the next scene confirming what we saw, and see a complete 180° change in her, all in the span of I believe 50 pages. I felt I must have missed something, as though the ARC was missing pages - which, I checked, it was not.
Another 100 pages written as beautifully as these pages would have easily improved my rating, provided of course they expanded and showed nuance in the world and characters.
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
maeverose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was drawn to this because I love fantasy stories that incorporate religion (be it a real religion or fantasy, I just like religious themes in books… despite being very agnostic lol) and because I really like the Between Earth and Sky series and wanted to read more from the author. I also wanted to try something new, since I’ve never read a western-adjacent story before, but unfortunately I’m not sure it’s for me. I’m not typically a fan of murder mysteries either.. which I didn’t realize this was. I struggle with flawed/unlikable main characters, so I wasn’t really a fan of Celeste. None of the characters really grabbed my interest, sadly.
So 3 stars for the writing, world building, ideas and social commentary, but not really a story for me.
Graphic: Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Pregnancy, Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Genocide, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Minor: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
Graphic: mentions of human castration, bleeding out Moderate: poisoning, animal gorewordsareworlds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
While I'm a big fan of flawed MCs, and love the way Roanhorse has written others, this one crossed a point of no return where I was actively rooting against her, which also made for an unpleasant experience for the last quarter of the book.
Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual content and Confinement
Minor: Sexism