Scan barcode
amielreadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Classism
Moderate: Biphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty
jamby4546's review
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
nutmegandpumpkin'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
Characters: 4.5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Descriptions: 4.5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Personal Enjoyment: 5/5
- - -
Beautifully written and gracefully takes on dark / heavy topics. The plot was captivating and the world building (it’s a Malaysian inspired fantasy) was really cool and was integrated into the story naturally.
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Infertility, and War
Although there is an abundance of trigger warnings and very heavy / dark topics within this book, they’re done with grace and class. They are not there for shock factor or anything like that. That being said, because of these triggers and topics, this book might not be right for everyone.spy_indeed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Minor: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
booksthatburn'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? Yes
4.0
This book deals repeatedly with the aftermath of sexual assault, and it definitely needed the cw from the start of the book (cw for sexual assault and violence). It may be a difficult read for survivors of violence (sexual or otherwise), but it does not dwell on those scenes. It does a good job of depicting the aftermath of trauma, and how not everyone has the same reaction, and it feels like a lot of care was taken in the text.
The social hierarchy is interesting (Moon Caste are visually mostly demon, Paper Caste are fully human, and Steel Caste are in-between). None of the groups are monoliths, the caste system at first seems to indicate both relative levels of status and oppression, but as the story continue and Lei learns more, she finds out that what matters more than people's skins are the whims of the Demon King. I like the slow unraveling of her assumptions, since they become nuanced as she gains information. It doesn't feel like an unreliable narrator, but one who is doing the best she can with whatever information she possesses.
The romance is tender and sweet, I'm very excited to see how it plays out in the next book. I'm very grateful that the most descriptive scenes were saved for the contact Lei wants with her (eventual) lover, rather than her forced contact with the Demon King (there is no romance for Lei there).
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Slavery, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Excrement, and Pregnancy