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maddie_rae_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Every chapter there is something newly revealed and then twisted on its head! One of my favorite plot devises in stories with multiple groups is when something happens and one group knows while the other does and makes choices based on their limited knowledge. As a reader we know, but the characters don’t and it makes the story richer for me.
As we go through we discover a thicker and thicker plot, and the lines of good and evil are blurred in fantastic ways.
The ending is a massive cliffhanger and now I need to jump into book 2.
As we go through we discover a thicker and thicker plot, and the lines of good and evil are blurred in fantastic ways.
The ending is a massive cliffhanger and now I need to jump into book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
While the whole story is not graphic, the parts that are…ARE.essauthor's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.75
A lot of fun, but lost my interest for a minute at the introduction of a timey-whimy element. Still a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
chrisb913's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
This book gripped me in it's clutches from start to finish. Islington's use of mystery, action, and character work had me confused and second guessing who to even trust.
This is an very thick book and there is a lot of information on the world, magic system, and the characters but I felt Islington did a great job giving us just enough to keep us interested without info dumping constantly.
This is an very thick book and there is a lot of information on the world, magic system, and the characters but I felt Islington did a great job giving us just enough to keep us interested without info dumping constantly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
bloodyknight15's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Good political intrigue with complex magic system and a variety of well written, complex characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Torture
The magic users are subjugated through a pact that limits their abilities due to the transgressions of the magic users before them. They are treated horribly for having magic abilities and it is a big part of the plotmusebeliever's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- 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
2.5
I listened to the audiobook. For me, this hits the spot of an entertaining book that is very easy to follow without insulting my intelligence.
I enjoyed the plot, the tropes and the writing. I enjoyed the world-building. I am a sucker for the fantasy trope of millennial old civilizations coming back to haunt us.
I did roll my eyes on half a dozen occasions at how women are sometimes used in the book. Cue a woman's tragic demise to feed a man's very sad background story (×2). Cue women immediately disliking each other because they want the same man. 🙄 Asha is a cool character but she somehow has no women friends while the bromance be bromancing. The two other women characters that are interesting are only love interests. Sadly, not a drop of queerness has blessed this book.
Despite this, I really think this is a very well written YA book. I would continue the serie if I find the rest of the book series on sale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
sissizc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
goeagles91n's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm
1_800_fuck_off's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
in all its glory, this book should be a five-star read for me. the world-building, the story-telling, the plot, the writing style—all of it! amazing! i’d love to continue the series, and i will as soon as i find the time to go pick the rest of the books up, but i can’t shake off the feeling that there was something missing.
i think it had to do with the connections the characters shared with one another. something was lacking. i would read how they would feel, but i wasn’t able to connect with it. it didn't feel genuine, though i’m not sure why. perhaps because it appeared that a character would place less importance on a long-standing close friendship than on a recent romantic possibility? i have no idea. i still thought the characters were fantastic, though. they were all so charming in their own unique ways, and they all had such endearing traits.
the fact that the book's major plot twist was actually rather obvious toward the end of the book was another element that i felt was a little bit lacking. i'm not sure if that was the author's intention, but when it became clear thatcaeden was tal'kamar , i wasn't shocked, surprised, or even flabbergasted hehe.
additionally, even though the book kept me entertained as i read it, it never really enthralled me, and i'm not sure why. this book fulfills every mark i enjoy in a high fantasy book featuring cisgender, heterosexual protagonists. nonetheless, i’m eager to get into the next two novels in the series.
i think it had to do with the connections the characters shared with one another. something was lacking. i would read how they would feel, but i wasn’t able to connect with it. it didn't feel genuine, though i’m not sure why. perhaps because it appeared that a character would place less importance on a long-standing close friendship than on a recent romantic possibility? i have no idea. i still thought the characters were fantastic, though. they were all so charming in their own unique ways, and they all had such endearing traits.
the fact that the book's major plot twist was actually rather obvious toward the end of the book was another element that i felt was a little bit lacking. i'm not sure if that was the author's intention, but when it became clear that
additionally, even though the book kept me entertained as i read it, it never really enthralled me, and i'm not sure why. this book fulfills every mark i enjoy in a high fantasy book featuring cisgender, heterosexual protagonists. nonetheless, i’m eager to get into the next two novels in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
there’s too many to remember im sorry these are just the main ones i do rememberklambson's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
nerdkitten's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Genocide, Self harm, Vomit, and Stalking
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol