al3xbug's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this is the type of book i think i'll be thinking about for a while- not because it was very good, but because a lot of the topics are unorthodox in contrast to mainstream books. they were definitely uncomfortable themes (forced pregnancy, calorie obsession, human trafficking). it was kinda fucked but also the complete opposite? nothing was resolved and the issues of the book were never expanded upon. the main plot point is pendt becoming happier. like... nothing else is focused on for long besides that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, War, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Eating disorder, Slavery, and Torture
thesummerstorms's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Confinement, Child abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Transphobia and Child death
Sexual violence is an approximate tag, as we don't have a content warning for reproductive coercion.booksthatburn's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a trans-affirming sci-fi book with a premise revolving around someone who has the ability to (in certain contexts) manipulate genetics. It's lovely to read something that doesn't try to "fix" the trans character, but finds other solutions for the in-universe problems caused by their chromosomal situation. It's similarly understanding and cathartic around issues including but not limited to neglect and food restriction. The tagline is "There's a fine line between survival and cruelty", and the overall arc is of someone who was raised under the claim of survival-driven scarcity, slowly, in a zone of love and abundance, untangling which parts of her upbringing were actually just cruel.
Major pieces of backstory and world-building are conveyed in a series of well-described but pretty dense infodumps, one at the very start and a few more sprinkled throughout the rest of the text. They felt a bit clunky but were sufficiently brief as to keep from being overwhelming. The overall effect works well and I love the main characters.
Major pieces of backstory and world-building are conveyed in a series of well-described but pretty dense infodumps, one at the very start and a few more sprinkled throughout the rest of the text. They felt a bit clunky but were sufficiently brief as to keep from being overwhelming. The overall effect works well and I love the main characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Sexism, Misogyny, Body horror, Medical content, Medical trauma, Trafficking, and Slavery
Minor: Child death and Death
From the book: “This book contains a scene of medical violence. Characters also obsess about food and count calories.”emjrey's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I quite enjoyed this. Its definitely YA. Good to see a content warning at the very beginning for EDs but probably need extras as deals with a number of very heavy topics .
Characters were likeable and they didn't feel too overdone. The story had enough world building to understand the plot and it felt like it was the first in a series.
It was written is a fairly light way considering how dark some of the themes were.
I enjoyed the first half more than the second. The second felt a bit disconnected from the first.
Characters were likeable and they didn't feel too overdone. The story had enough world building to understand the plot and it felt like it was the first in a series.
It was written is a fairly light way considering how dark some of the themes were.
I enjoyed the first half more than the second. The second felt a bit disconnected from the first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Trafficking
Calorie counting, forced insemination
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