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jaimc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Confinement, Rape, Sexual violence, and Medical content
aseel_reads'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
4.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
no_good_wyfe's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence
Minor: Cannibalism
cosell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence
blackbirdexe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
a_bow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Abortion
theirgracegrace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Cursing, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Abortion, Death of parent, and War
There is one particular scene where the main character's teeth are made to dance in her mouth and one of them is removed. It is very reminiscent of the "imagining my teeth falling out" dream but can be quite disturbing. There is also a character in the city which has a "curse-child", which is described like a marionette or puppet that chokes and harms her.kimberlynann'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: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
toadie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence
h_s_bloom'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
4.5
- Characters: ✬✬✬✬✬
- Plot: ✬✬✬✬✬
- Pacing: ✬✬✬✬
- Writing Style: ✬✬✬✬✬
- Diversity: ✬✬✬
This was my first book of 2024 and it was such a great way to kick off the year!
Summary: Marra is the third daughter to a royal family within a comparatively small kingdom which controls a major harbor/trade route. When Marra's eldest sister, Damia, dies shortly after being married off to the prince in a powerful neighboring kingdom, the middle sister, Kania, is sent off to replace her thereby ensuring the safety of the smaller kingdom. Fearing the possibility of Kania failing to produce a male heir, Marra is sent to a nunnery for safe-keeping. Marra is content with life as a nun, busying herself with embroidery and other tasks perhaps not suited to a princess. Upon the birth of Kania's first child, a daughter, Marra learns the truth of Kania's predicament and vows to save her.
Marra is such a lovable and engaging character with such a fun voice and I appreciate that she is a bit older than your typical MC at 30 years old. She really is such a joy to follow along with throughout her adventures giving her honest and bemused commentary along the way. The author does a great job with balancing humor throughout the story despite the serious nature of Marra's quest (Spoiler :
This book is very much what it promises itself to be in that it is ripe with fairy tale vibes but in the brothers grimm kind of way. There are occasions in which the pacing just seems a little off in that some storylines read as side-quests for lack of a better term. There also it a bit of time-jumping in the beginning of the book which I don't really agree needed to be there. I think Kingfisher may have been trying to grab the readers with a dark and spooky intro where Marra is creating Bone Dog, but I honestly think I would have preferred this book be a bit more chronological. That being said, I was never bored! The writing style is incredibly atmospheric and engaging, I wanted to keep reading all the way up until the end!
Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence