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bambiisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, and Kidnapping
eleek0609's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy
miranda_leigh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood
savage_book_review's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
I really wanted to try and do the tandem read with 'Tower of Dawn' via audiobook, but I don't have the patience to try and set up all of the bookmarks, nor have I figured out a way to make it work smoothly, so I'm reading then one at a time this go round... I'm interested to see what difference it makes to the flow of the overall narrative, at any rate! And nervous about having to now wait another 22+ hours before getting to the resolution of the climax of this book...
Despite the different story threads happening contemporaneously, they are woven together so well that it all still forms a cohesive narrative and it doesn't feel disjointed. Likewise, while I'm not sure that each thread receives equal page time, they are all well thought out and the whole thing feels very balanced.
The book serves a dual purpose - it absolutely moves the overall series plot along apace with a great story in itself, giving you a great mix of action, adventure, romance and jeopardy. But equally it's clearly another case of a book serving to move all of the players into the right places at the right times to make sure they're ready for the grand finale. You are rewarded with a lot of payoffs from earlier books in the series, and with the development of newer characters and so it is certainly not lacking in elements to pull you in and keep you reading, but there is a small part of me that keeps saying 'just get on with it already!'
There are a few moments that I found harder to follow via the audio, for example Elena's story and the events that laid the foundations for the current predicament. I get it, but it's not a particularly straightforward backstory (IMO) and, once again, because it takes so much longer to listen to than to read, it just didn't make as much sense. On the other hand, I think I spotted an error in the text that I would probably not have picked up on when reading the physical book. Although it's a throwaway comment, it contains quite a big spoiler for later in the book (although saying that, you're 100% expecting it by this point if you're familiar with the Maasverse).
On to 'Tower of Dawn'!
Despite the different story threads happening contemporaneously, they are woven together so well that it all still forms a cohesive narrative and it doesn't feel disjointed. Likewise, while I'm not sure that each thread receives equal page time, they are all well thought out and the whole thing feels very balanced.
The book serves a dual purpose - it absolutely moves the overall series plot along apace with a great story in itself, giving you a great mix of action, adventure, romance and jeopardy. But equally it's clearly another case of a book serving to move all of the players into the right places at the right times to make sure they're ready for the grand finale. You are rewarded with a lot of payoffs from earlier books in the series, and with the development of newer characters and so it is certainly not lacking in elements to pull you in and keep you reading, but there is a small part of me that keeps saying 'just get on with it already!'
There are a few moments that I found harder to follow via the audio, for example Elena's story and the events that laid the foundations for the current predicament. I get it, but it's not a particularly straightforward backstory (IMO) and, once again, because it takes so much longer to listen to than to read, it just didn't make as much sense. On the other hand, I think I spotted an error in the text that I would probably not have picked up on when reading the physical book. Although it's a throwaway comment, it contains quite a big spoiler for later in the book (although saying that, you're 100% expecting it by this point if you're familiar with the Maasverse).
On to 'Tower of Dawn'!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
Minor: Infertility, Sexual assault, Slavery, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol
scarlett_f's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit and Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
merrow's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
3.75
A very good and exciting book, that’s generally let down a bit by the ending. The characters are very engaging and the book does a good job of strongly connecting the reader to each.
Aelin’s level of planning was probably my main gripe with the body of the story - always either 10 steps ahead or 10 steps behind, sometimes in the space of two chapters. The end was just cruel and miserable however and significantly dulled my excitement for the final book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
irene2160's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is nothing like ACOTAR. Like ACOTAR is so much tamer than this.
And every time you think that there is a flaw in the plot or some plot hole etc. SJM proves you wrong and makes you cry whilst she does it.
I feel bad for anyone who doesn't make it past the first book in the series. The idea that they never get to this book and get to read how everything is coming together ughhh
SJM must have written Aelin as herself because the way she hides things from the reader and reveals them at the perfect point in the book is just insane.
Poor Aelin, poor Rowan omg poor everyone I actually can't.
Also, I did NOT see Lysandra pretending to be Aelin from a mile away.
The ending with the silent assassins and the note that Aelin sent to the Ashryvers is just so typical of Aelin that you can't help but laugh despite what she's currently going through.
And when she's getting whipped on the beach omg....
And Manon's thoughts of hoping Aelin survives this just so she can then die at the time she's supposed to... It's giving Harry Potter but higher stakes and much more brutal.
FINDING OUT THAT MAEVE MANIPULATED ROWAN INTO THINKING LYRIA WAS HIS MATE...
Maeve making Aelin bow on the sand...
F*cking Lorcan man - I thought he had finally semi-redeemed himself but nope!!
Poor Fenrys...
I get why Aelin doesn't tell anyone her plans because she's afraid they'll try to stop her or she's worried they won't go to plan but the way that she only tells Lysandra about the fact that she's going to have to die and that she wants Lysandra to pretend to be her... and have Aedion's kids and pretend that they're hers and Rowans... that's dark man. Like imagine being Rowan and having to live pretending his mate is alive but it's actually Lysandra, and omg and not even consulting with Aedion - Has this flirting between Lysandra and Aedion not been true this whole time?
When Aedion realises all the people that Aelin has called debts back from to save Terrasen after he had shouted at her...
And I was so happy to finally see Rowan show off his power/skill to then have him just kneeling on the beach once Aelin was taken is just so heart breaking...
And the fact that they had gotten married two days prior...
I get why everyone is saying that SJM needs to leave poor Aelin alone and hope she doesn't come back in any other books because if she gets through this man...
Considering there's a whole other book it's pretty obvious that Rowan gets Aelin out but omg the reunion if they do
And then it's all just for Aelin to die anyways ://///
I think I got a little too into this review and could definitely talk about this for a good hour or more
5 starts - Nothing less for an SJM book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Kidnapping
barbarianmissy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Wowza. Ok. Ok. Ok.
I gotta wait till tomorrow to finish Tower of Dawn cause I need to process the fucking shit show (said as a term of endearment) that went on in the Empire of Storms.
AELIN GALATHYNIUS YOU COME BACK RIGHT THIS INSTANT SO HELP ME GAWD!
This book had some stellar moments. Wyvern attack on the capital, Manon attacking her mean Grandma, Elide and Lorcan on the run, Lysandra kicking ass in Skulls bay, Aelin blasting all those ILKEN SHITS outta the sky, finding out what Elena did, and the END!!!!! Crazy stuff, man.
Sadly, the gang is unfortunately splitting up AGAIN *sigh* and all of my fav ships are SINKING!!!! 👎
Rowan’s Queen got shipped away in the bad box by the bitchiest UPS worker ever known to man. Elides pissed at Lorcan, and rightfully so (I am too, I have a very strong love/hate relationship with this dude). Aedion is being a man baby about Lysandra doing what she was told to do by THEIR QUEEN. Dorian and Manon are still rockin though 🤘good for those lil emos!
Something cool I realized in this book though was that each of the mains have one of those jerkface gods kind of pulling the strands of their fates together which is neat! Like Hellas with Lorcan, Annieth with Elide, and Mala with Aelin and Rowan.
Im very stressed. I’ll finish tower of Dawn tomorrow. I need a nap.
I gotta wait till tomorrow to finish Tower of Dawn cause I need to process the fucking shit show (said as a term of endearment) that went on in the Empire of Storms.
AELIN GALATHYNIUS YOU COME BACK RIGHT THIS INSTANT SO HELP ME GAWD!
This book had some stellar moments. Wyvern attack on the capital, Manon attacking her mean Grandma, Elide and Lorcan on the run, Lysandra kicking ass in Skulls bay, Aelin blasting all those ILKEN SHITS outta the sky, finding out what Elena did, and the END!!!!! Crazy stuff, man.
Sadly, the gang is unfortunately splitting up AGAIN *sigh* and all of my fav ships are SINKING!!!! 👎
Rowan’s Queen got shipped away in the bad box by the bitchiest UPS worker ever known to man. Elides pissed at Lorcan, and rightfully so (I am too, I have a very strong love/hate relationship with this dude). Aedion is being a man baby about Lysandra doing what she was told to do by THEIR QUEEN. Dorian and Manon are still rockin though 🤘good for those lil emos!
Something cool I realized in this book though was that each of the mains have one of those jerkface gods kind of pulling the strands of their fates together which is neat! Like Hellas with Lorcan, Annieth with Elide, and Mala with Aelin and Rowan.
Im very stressed. I’ll finish tower of Dawn tomorrow. I need a nap.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
mrsalexisrjones's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Aelin knows who she is and what she has to do. Now is the time to gather the troops because war is coming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Grief, and War
Minor: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Death of parent
spatterson7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Confinement, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Alcohol