nerdybookqueen's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
The only reason I didn't DNF this is I had nothing else to read.
I remember mostly enjoying Priory, so I thought I would try the author's other series. I regret doing so.
There is something...very icky about a white woman writing a narrative of other white people becoming slaves/having segregation, combined with, as I saw one other reviewer point out, the fact their "masters" were POC. Gross. One of the rare times I wish I could say "no" to there being a diverse cast.
Combine that with the whole "striped of a name and replaced with a number that is branded into her, where she and others like her have to work to survive until they die or are killed?" That sounds an awful lot like a historical event that maybe shouldn't be copied as a plot point by a Christian (or at least raised Christian) author. (She mentions this in response to an anon on her tumblr)
Added to this mess is the fact that her two love interest options are a human man who was an adult when she was like 6, or the man who OWNS her, invades her mind and manipulates the shit out of her, so we have some stunning love interest options here. But clearly it's okay because he calls her by her name and feeds her. The bar is in hell. And maybe it was just because I was so skeeved out but the options, but the romance was also just suddenly there?
Beyond that, the plot was really not that exciting, the writing was a bit too dense, with a lot of info dumping and a lot of jumping back and forth in time without clear distinction which drives me nuts. I had trouble tracking what was going on, there were several times I had to reread parts and figure out what was happening.
I will not be reading the rest of the series, and I may need to reread and reassess Priory as well.
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Death, Murder, Confinement, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Violence, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Gaslighting, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Police brutality
katievallin'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: Cursing, Violence, War, Physical abuse, Slavery, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Medical content, and Trafficking
Minor: Vomit, Torture, Addiction, and Death of parent
lisa00'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? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Violence, Murder, Torture, Eating disorder, Classism, Child death, Xenophobia, and Police brutality
Minor: Cannibalism
pagesandplanets's review
- 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: Police brutality, Violence, Murder, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Blood, Confinement, and Slavery
aseel_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Violence
bookishchef'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
3.25
Up until about 60-70% of this book, I was ready to give it five stars.
I absolutely loved it.
But then it slowly but steadily started shitting the bed.
Spoiler
1. The gold cord plot point thing came out of nowhere and was never really explained. It just seemed like a convenient plot device that did not feel like it belonged in the grim world the author has created.2. The rebound turned SA scene was completely unnecessary, and seemed like a weird attempt to bestow the main character with more trauma than she already had (and make her be pitied by Warden and the reader).
3. Loss of virginity being described as "an uppercut to the stomach". I hate this trope so much. No, having sex for the first time does not feel like dying. It might hurt (for many people it does not even do that). But it won't feel like being torn in half god dammit.
The average period cramp feels way way way worse unless you have a medical condition like vaginismus.
4. The main character falling in love with her captor/slave master does not sit quite right with me. Even if he treated her nicely, that is still a weird power inbalance that should never lead to a relationship.
5. Teenagers falling for century old creatures just makes me roll my eyes at this point. It weirds me out a bit, and it has been done so so so many times at this point.
Maybe I could deal with it if both characters seemed to be at the same level mentally, but Warden is practically a deity compared to Paige. Not immortal, but infinitely more intelligent and quite obviously so so so much older (and not to forget, her literal owner). From the way he behaves, to the way he speaks: it has middle aged man dating teenager vibes.
So yeah. This was a fun but very mixed bag. I ordered book 2 when I was about 60% into the book because I was sure I would love it at that point. But now that love has become a begrudging like.
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but some things cannot be unseen once you see them.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Classism, Cursing, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Torture
readandfindout's review against another edition
3.25
Themes: 2 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Physical abuse, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault and Gun violence
stwriter92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Death, War, Violence, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
Moderate: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
glenfleskie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler for end-is of book
Spoiler
I hate hate hate it when the main character 19 year old girl falls in love with her 200 year old 'master'. Talk about a power imbalance. c'mon, there are humans right there if you want a love interestalso minor quibble: it's Éirinn go Brách or Erin go Bragh, not Erie go brah.
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Police brutality and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use
eleanora'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Police brutality, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Murder