rachelcotter1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, and Domestic abuse
lilawsahar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The author writes about society that believes women have to burn off their magic at the age of 16, so they banish them to a wooded encampment. During this time, the girls have to fed for themselves for a year, but some don’t make it back alive. When in reality, this year of grace is a way for the men to break young women’s spirits, so they don’t revolting against the misogynist practices of their society.
Spoiler
During this year of grace, the main character discovers that the girls are slowly going mad. And she becomes banished from the group for not accepting that it’s magic. This drives her to leave the encampment and fall in love with someone who would kill her if it weren’t for a promise. The man is a poacher who is tasked with killing girls who leave the camp so they can terrorize the girls in the camp. With him, she realized the girls in the camp are going mad because where the girls drink water is a well full of poison. The society had poisoned the well, so the girls go crazy and do horrible things to believe they are the weaker sex. She goes and helps the girls wean off of well. This starts a new movement of the final year girls, where women start to silently rebelling again the misogynistic society. What a wild plot. However, I didn’t like the happy ending, but I’ve never liked where everything ends perfectly.If you like dystopian novels, you’ll enjoy this read. This book is similar to hand maidens tale, lord of the flies, and hunger games.
Graphic: Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexism, and Confinement
Minor: Suicide, Stalking, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Vomit
rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Torture, Gore, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Infertility, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
tiana_king's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Outing
Minor: Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal death
stonefruits's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexism, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia, Confinement, Infertility, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gore, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
ann_the_imp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Vomit, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Confinement, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Grief, Hate crime, Infertility, Sexual content, Excrement, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Pregnancy, Sexism, Addiction, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
alidathealien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Firstly, there's a semi love triangle, because of course there is. But having the love interest be someone who's literal job is to torture and kill these girls???? Jfc.
Secondly, it doesn't make sense to me that Tierney would be so against the customs of the county when that's all she's known her whole life. The whole time reading it I was thinking "but what if Tierney was a stout believer in the magic and everything? What if it's not until her grace year when she can't find her magic that she begins to realize something's off?" And tbh I think that would be a much more interesting story than a girl who already thinks it's all bullshit from before the book even starts.
Anyways, shout out to the scene where Ryker is telling Tierney about his family while staring wistfully at his figurines and Tierney thinks to herself "I thought the figurines represented girls he's killed, but I'm starting to think they're actually his family" YEAH NO SHIT. you're just STARTING to think that????
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Suicide, Bullying, Gore, Sexism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Misogyny
auri_underthing'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
4.75
Horror. Desperate. Clawing.
Woah. That was… intense. A haunting and almost grotesque story about a girl becoming a woman and realising she can be just as powerful as a man.
Read it in one sitting.
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
parchmentdreams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Gore, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Child death, and Death
a_wren_that_reads'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
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Pregnancy, Suicide, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Child abuse, Deportation, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gore, Grief, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Fire/Fire injury