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sheyri's review
medium-paced
- 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
What story is this even trying to tell? Because it sure isn't the one set up in the prologue. That barely comes up again throughout the book.
There were some good scenes and the descriptions of grief and the horrors of battle towards the end were well done.
But overall I didn't enjoy it.
Overly info-dumpy, sometimes the same details again and again. I didn't care about any of the characters. The women especially felt flat; the "strong" ones are just bad-ass warriors but little else. There was so much going on, but at the same time, nothing was really happening, or at least the plot wasn't going anywhere. Some scenes are very Bollywood (which, fair, just not my kind of thing).
I also feel like the summary doesn't really describe the book. Yes, that's roughly what it is about, but it promises more than it delivers.And why is Mati in the summary? She barely shows up. Shishupal has way more page time and isn't mentioned at all.
There were some good scenes and the descriptions of grief and the horrors of battle towards the end were well done.
But overall I didn't enjoy it.
Overly info-dumpy, sometimes the same details again and again. I didn't care about any of the characters. The women especially felt flat; the "strong" ones are just bad-ass warriors but little else. There was so much going on, but at the same time, nothing was really happening, or at least the plot wasn't going anywhere. Some scenes are very Bollywood (which, fair, just not my kind of thing).
I also feel like the summary doesn't really describe the book. Yes, that's roughly what it is about, but it promises more than it delivers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Violence, War, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Cursing and Genocide
aseel_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
What an interesting and engaging high fantasy!! Was definitely confused at the start and got the details wrong/assigned them to the wrong sides, but by page 80, was all over it and was super intrigued by everyone's story and their connection to the grander picture. I have only read the story about the queen and her five husbands, so this was such a good retelling, but explaining a wider sphere of characters and influences. Keen for the next book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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