sr_marshrat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Kidnapping, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Xenophobia, Classism, Gore, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts
mordshunger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This pairs really terribly well with all the news of Texan heat records being broken, 30+ days with temperatures over 100° Fahrenheit etc etc etc.
The future is now, and water rights are human rights.
Graphic: Violence and Deadnaming
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racial slurs
rockin_robyn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Death, Violence, Torture, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
ricksilva's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story focuses on three characters: Angel, a "water knife" doing the dirty work of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Maria, a refugee from Texas making money selling water alongside a streetfood vendor, and Lucy, a news reporter whose friend just turned up dead.
The Maguffin of the story, an ancient water rights document, is a bit dubious, but the action and pacing are intense, and the worldbuilding is inspired. There are some places where the story gets predictable. There are characters that you just know are going to get killed; it's only a matter of when. But there were still enough surprises to keep it interesting.
I liked the ongoing interplay between trust and distrust among the main characters.
There is a lot of brutal material here, including some fairly graphic torture, and the future it presents is pretty bleak. But it's also carefully thought out and frighteningly believable.
Graphic: Torture and Violence
ndyl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Torture, and Blood
carissa230's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.25
Maria is from Texas. The worst state for water access. Maria has fled to Phoenix. Phoenix is doing terrible, but better than Texas. Maria is running from The Vet. The man that runs Phoenix and takes the money that people are able to collect. She hustles for survival, but she's not desperate enough to sell her body...yet.
Lucy is a journalist. Lucy has documented the downfall of Phoenix. Most recently a friend of hers is brutally murdered and she makes it her mission to find out why. Lucy has seen the worst aspects of Phoenix and yet she stays to ensure the information she is allowed to release gets out to people.
When the three lives converge nothing will ever be the same. Angel and Lucy work together to see her friend was killed and find what he had that was so valuable. Maria just tries to survive and keep herself safe.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Body horror
hazel_georgene's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Sexual content
jrubi35's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Cursing, Sexual content, Excrement, Blood, Death, Violence, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Drug use
crlpedigo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence
ineffablebob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence