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juhrndz's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and Sexual harassment
small_alex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Ugh okay honestly I don't know how to rate this. It was well written, but mannnnn it did a lot of things I did NOT like. (Tw for this review bc the book has a lot of gross rapey stuff that I'm gonna talk about).
For starters, the manipulation of violence against women for the benefit of the men. Right off the bat, we learn that the older prince is rapey and gross, and everyone knows it, but no one does anything. Got it. That's established. Cool. I did NOT. NEED. A RAPE SCENE. FROM HIS POV??? Sure, it got interrupted, but like wtf man that was so gross and icky. Reading about the slave girl literally begging him to stop while he get off from her fear and brags about how much he loves breaking powerful women like that was NOT necessary, ESPECIALLY because his younger brother (aka the MMC) 'disapproved of his habits' so we're meant to like this guy just because he's not a rapist pedo like this brother. Like. That's why everyone loves him because he's 'good' in comparison to his brother. Except he's not actually good! He's superrrr racist, which sure, his character arc is dedicated to unlearning, BUT he only unlearns it because he falls for a different slave girl (the FMC), yet again showing that men ONLY care about women when those women have special value to them. Like. He literally was introduced with a whole rant about murdering scabs and how he saw them as LESS THAN HUMAN but I'm supposed to want him to get with the FMC because 'he's learning that he was wrong' like he already killed thousands of them???? It shouldn't take falling for one girl to understand BASIC empathy! And yes, I get that that's realistic and that's how the world is, but it irks me that the FMC isn't upset about this like she forgives him almost immediately! I WANT to want them to be together but at the same time she deserves to be with someone who she never had to prove her humanity to! AND, he LEAVES HER WITH HIS RAPIST BROTHER LIKE???????????? But then throws a hissy fit when his brother mentions how "she fights when I touch her" first of all, fuck you, but second of all, he gets all protective and possessive as if he wasn't the one who turned her over to that monster in the first place!! Like he simultaneously has such a victim complex and a savior complex and I hate it. In fact, his entire 'turning point' for shifting his racist mindset, like the final straw that made him change, was when one of his fellow soldier buddies started raping a random slave girl they found while out on a hunt. And all he could picture was the FMC's face. I think it was meant to be this empowering moment when he snapped and saved her but all I felt was disgust at how easily he was willing to overlook it otherwise.
My other main issue with this: I wanted his little sister to destroy it all. After everything her brother did to her, I wanted her to get her vengeance. Instead, she's the bad guy. And she has to be stopped. I'm not saying I agree with the insanity she was spewing, but after what she went through, yeah, I wanted her to win just to spite them all. But no, instead, she's defeated in a confusing and predictable "FMC finally embracing who she is so now she has the magic to destroy you" fight. AND THEN her younger brother had the audacity to try to be like "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, but no one will hurt you ever again" buddy it is too late for that! Way too late. AND he made it all about himself. IM sorry I couldnt protect you is not at all acknowledging what she went through! It's just making it about him and his incompetency. UGH. The older prince got off too easily. He died too quickly.
I also have a lot of thoughts regarding how religion was handled here. To summarize: Yes, the whole "the maker isn't responsible for man's selfish actions" argument is good, whatever, but like you can't shrug off ALL responsibility! "Trust the Maker" and all that like seriously?? The FMC went through so much shit because she was chosen or whatever! Is all of that pain not at least partially the maker's fault?? Like, they knew what was going to happen when they gave her that power, yeah?? But every 'good' character is faithful and devout and lowkey shames the FMC for not being religious like huh that's not at all manipulative...
Anyway, the reason I didn't give this a lower rating is because the writing, world-building, and character interactions are all pretty well done. Do I think mr. rapist pedo needed his own POV? Absolutely not. Honestly, I don't think most of those POVs were necessary besides the main 2. They were boring and slow, and they absolutely killed the atmosphere culminated in the other chapters. I never really like more than 2 POVs though, so maybe that's just me. I still don't entirely understand the magic system, but it got pretty infodumpy sometimes so maybe I just didn't retain the info. All in all, this is well written, I just did not like a lot of the core plot and character choices, hence the low rating. I don't think that men's character development should come at the expense of women, and that's 100% what this was the entire time.
For starters, the manipulation of violence against women for the benefit of the men. Right off the bat, we learn that the older prince is rapey and gross, and everyone knows it, but no one does anything. Got it. That's established. Cool. I did NOT. NEED. A RAPE SCENE. FROM HIS POV??? Sure, it got interrupted, but like wtf man that was so gross and icky. Reading about the slave girl literally begging him to stop while he get off from her fear and brags about how much he loves breaking powerful women like that was NOT necessary, ESPECIALLY because his younger brother (aka the MMC) 'disapproved of his habits' so we're meant to like this guy just because he's not a rapist pedo like this brother. Like. That's why everyone loves him because he's 'good' in comparison to his brother. Except he's not actually good! He's superrrr racist, which sure, his character arc is dedicated to unlearning, BUT he only unlearns it because he falls for a different slave girl (the FMC), yet again showing that men ONLY care about women when those women have special value to them. Like. He literally was introduced with a whole rant about murdering scabs and how he saw them as LESS THAN HUMAN but I'm supposed to want him to get with the FMC because 'he's learning that he was wrong' like he already killed thousands of them???? It shouldn't take falling for one girl to understand BASIC empathy! And yes, I get that that's realistic and that's how the world is, but it irks me that the FMC isn't upset about this like she forgives him almost immediately! I WANT to want them to be together but at the same time she deserves to be with someone who she never had to prove her humanity to! AND, he LEAVES HER WITH HIS RAPIST BROTHER LIKE???????????? But then throws a hissy fit when his brother mentions how "she fights when I touch her" first of all, fuck you, but second of all, he gets all protective and possessive as if he wasn't the one who turned her over to that monster in the first place!! Like he simultaneously has such a victim complex and a savior complex and I hate it. In fact, his entire 'turning point' for shifting his racist mindset, like the final straw that made him change, was when one of his fellow soldier buddies started raping a random slave girl they found while out on a hunt. And all he could picture was the FMC's face. I think it was meant to be this empowering moment when he snapped and saved her but all I felt was disgust at how easily he was willing to overlook it otherwise.
I also have a lot of thoughts regarding how religion was handled here. To summarize: Yes, the whole "the maker isn't responsible for man's selfish actions" argument is good, whatever, but like you can't shrug off ALL responsibility! "Trust the Maker" and all that like seriously?? The FMC went through so much shit because she was chosen or whatever! Is all of that pain not at least partially the maker's fault?? Like, they knew what was going to happen when they gave her that power, yeah?? But every 'good' character is faithful and devout and lowkey shames the FMC for not being religious like huh that's not at all manipulative...
Anyway, the reason I didn't give this a lower rating is because the writing, world-building, and character interactions are all pretty well done. Do I think mr. rapist pedo needed his own POV? Absolutely not. Honestly, I don't think most of those POVs were necessary besides the main 2. They were boring and slow, and they absolutely killed the atmosphere culminated in the other chapters. I never really like more than 2 POVs though, so maybe that's just me. I still don't entirely understand the magic system, but it got pretty infodumpy sometimes so maybe I just didn't retain the info. All in all, this is well written, I just did not like a lot of the core plot and character choices, hence the low rating. I don't think that men's character development should come at the expense of women, and that's 100% what this was the entire time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Colonisation
maddiereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery
jeaven's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I’m overlooking that this used the trope where the brown people are enslaved because their people did something heinous in the past.
I enjoyed Sable/Imari and witnessing her grow and accept her powers and not lose her toughness once the guy comes into the picture. I’m glad Jerek finally realized that people were people no matter what race but it took a bit.
The plot twists came and went and I only saw them coming a little before they happened instead of miles before and everyone who needed to die for the sake of my anger issues and sense of justice did. Over all a solid read with a need for trigger warnings.
I enjoyed Sable/Imari and witnessing her grow and accept her powers and not lose her toughness once the guy comes into the picture. I’m glad Jerek finally realized that people were people no matter what race but it took a bit.
The plot twists came and went and I only saw them coming a little before they happened instead of miles before and everyone who needed to die for the sake of my anger issues and sense of justice did. Over all a solid read with a need for trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Blood, and Excrement
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, and Murder