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alibrarymouse's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-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? No
5.0
While this is a lot of heavy world building and like intense info-dumping at times, I also cried so hard at the end that it has to be a five star.
Like, okay. The writing is definitely standard Kristoff and it’s so engaging and beautiful that it’s easy to get sucked in. However, for as interesting and everything that it was to read, it was also so easy to put down at times because this is the set up to the rest of the trilogy and it definitely reads like one. I loved it, it was necessary, and it really did work to bring the reader to loving the characters in all their flawed glory. And they’re so flawed, but you love them anyway. Except Yoritomo. Screw that guy, he gets everything he deserves.
Okay, let’s get into this. The characters are so typical teen girl, and I love that for them. They’re excellently developed with motivations that make sense and, honestly, they’re easy to like. I wanted them to succeed. Some characters were a little iffy at the beginning, but the natural progression of the story does leave readers satisfied with redemption arcs and the deterioration of other characters’ morality. Do I have a want for Yukiko to fall in love with a certain character, yes? Do I have a fear it won’t happen? Also, yes.
But it’s amazing because the romance subplot was worked in beautifully. Every element that went into this story worked and got to live up to its fullest potential without taking anything away from other aspects. Was there a lot going on? Oh, definitely, but it all felt necessary and interesting.
So, why did this take me absolutely forever to read if I liked it so much? Honestly, I’m a slow reader and it was easy to put down, even though it’s absolutely worth every effort one could put into it.
Cry count: 3
I didn’t stop crying for the last like chapter of this book, so many tears were shed even though the amount of times cried were so few.
Spice: two instances, both fade to black, minor references.
I definitely recommend this for grimdark fantasy lovers, those interested in silkpunk, and pretty much everyone who doesn’t mind the trigger warnings because it ended up surprising me with how much I liked it.
Like, okay. The writing is definitely standard Kristoff and it’s so engaging and beautiful that it’s easy to get sucked in. However, for as interesting and everything that it was to read, it was also so easy to put down at times because this is the set up to the rest of the trilogy and it definitely reads like one. I loved it, it was necessary, and it really did work to bring the reader to loving the characters in all their flawed glory. And they’re so flawed, but you love them anyway. Except Yoritomo. Screw that guy, he gets everything he deserves.
Okay, let’s get into this. The characters are so typical teen girl, and I love that for them. They’re excellently developed with motivations that make sense and, honestly, they’re easy to like. I wanted them to succeed. Some characters were a little iffy at the beginning, but the natural progression of the story does leave readers satisfied with redemption arcs and the deterioration of other characters’ morality. Do I have a want for Yukiko to fall in love with a certain character, yes? Do I have a fear it won’t happen? Also, yes.
But it’s amazing because the romance subplot was worked in beautifully. Every element that went into this story worked and got to live up to its fullest potential without taking anything away from other aspects. Was there a lot going on? Oh, definitely, but it all felt necessary and interesting.
So, why did this take me absolutely forever to read if I liked it so much? Honestly, I’m a slow reader and it was easy to put down, even though it’s absolutely worth every effort one could put into it.
Cry count: 3
I didn’t stop crying for the last like chapter of this book, so many tears were shed even though the amount of times cried were so few.
Spice: two instances, both fade to black, minor references.
I definitely recommend this for grimdark fantasy lovers, those interested in silkpunk, and pretty much everyone who doesn’t mind the trigger warnings because it ended up surprising me with how much I liked it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Infidelity
Minor: Incest
halem13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and War
Moderate: Child death
rafacolog's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation