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starccato's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
The first chapter of this duology finale has a heist, an explosion, and banter. Aka all the things I loved in the first book condensed into a beautiful moment. It was the first of many signs that this series was going to end on the same fierce, fun terms that it began with. So what makes this series so easy to recommend? It's about consent and freedom from tyranny as human rights. It's about a fabulous found family with a sense of home that curls off the page like smoke from a welcoming hearth fire. It's about battles in space, impossible missions, and a resistance that would give its last breath to defeat an all-consuming, ever-grasping empire. It's queer as hell (among the seven leads: a trans woman, non-binary person, sapphic relationship, ace woman, and a bi man are specifically out on the page). Basically, it's about humanity.
The message is powerful and thoughtful, but it's the characters that made me feel some type of way. I genuinely couldn't choose a most or least favorite of the seven because all of their POVs have that spark of life that gets under your skin. They all suffered, they all carry guilt and hope, and they all fight tooth and nail to take down an empire and to protect each other. I love how there's some light romance, but it's really the found family bonds that tie the story together. You could point to any combination of the team and identify special moments they've had, major turning points in their relationship, or a meaningful connection they share. I (obviously) love a romance as much as the next person if not more, but it felt like a warm hug to read a book that prioritizes the other ways we attach ourselves to one another, with no less value or dedication.
Omg how I cried at a few points. I knew on some level that it would be a rough journey given the scale of the task before our intrepid team. But that didn't make it less painful at times or nerve-wracking. There's undercover work on an alien planet, a mass prison break, and one final, explosive mission against an emperor and an autonomous AI. So I would describe my stress level as 10/10 because I love them all so much and was freaked out about the odds.
Science fiction fans should definitely get their hands on this now complete series. Even for those who are intimidated by the genre, I recommend this as an approachable, character-driven series with all the action and wit one could wish for. Thanks to DAW for my copy to read and review.
The message is powerful and thoughtful, but it's the characters that made me feel some type of way. I genuinely couldn't choose a most or least favorite of the seven because all of their POVs have that spark of life that gets under your skin. They all suffered, they all carry guilt and hope, and they all fight tooth and nail to take down an empire and to protect each other. I love how there's some light romance, but it's really the found family bonds that tie the story together. You could point to any combination of the team and identify special moments they've had, major turning points in their relationship, or a meaningful connection they share. I (obviously) love a romance as much as the next person if not more, but it felt like a warm hug to read a book that prioritizes the other ways we attach ourselves to one another, with no less value or dedication.
Omg how I cried at a few points. I knew on some level that it would be a rough journey given the scale of the task before our intrepid team. But that didn't make it less painful at times or nerve-wracking. There's undercover work on an alien planet, a mass prison break, and one final, explosive mission against an emperor and an autonomous AI. So I would describe my stress level as 10/10 because I love them all so much and was freaked out about the odds.
Science fiction fans should definitely get their hands on this now complete series. Even for those who are intimidated by the genre, I recommend this as an approachable, character-driven series with all the action and wit one could wish for. Thanks to DAW for my copy to read and review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
ghosthermione's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.5
I got this book through Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Thanks!
I will start by saying I did thoroughly enjoy this book. It took me a bit to get back into it, but after a while I just could. Not. Stop. Reading. I had to know what happened next. There were also a lot of "wtf" revelations and semi cliffhangers that really made the pacing of this book work for me.
Overall it was very satisfying, and without spoiling, I can say that I was quite happy with the ending. Moving, emotional, but satisfying. I also liked that the book took the time to get to its conclusion, with a few wrap up chapters. A rushed wrap-up often leaves me with a bittersweet taste so I was glad this wasn't the case here, after such a saga!
I'm also happy with its exploration of genders and sexualities, going further than the previous books. Some depth was also added to some characters in the process and I really appreciated that.
I did feel like a bit more time could've been spent on some of the characters and their decisions. I still don't understand why Ariadne did... at all, at any point in the book. There's some half reasons given but I did not see the logic in them (yes even for a traumatised, probably neurodivergent kid), I missed that sense that, well, what the character did made sense to her at least. I also felt like some of the plotting was a bit rushed, or not as tight as it could've been. Some of the moves felt... too easy. Clearly the authors knew where they wanted to take this story, and so they did. But it didn't have the same feeling of consequences or unavoidability of some of the first book's twists, it felt more deliberately author-led than actions coming from the characters or because they had to.
I also enjoyed focusing more on Cato, Nyx and Rhea, but I did feel like we lost a bit of the in-depth understanding of Eris. She was very much central to the first book, and here her own chapters are focused a lot on the other characters. Obviously her main plot point around her identity has been dealt with so it makes sense.
I'm also ambivalent about Cato's storyline because it does add so much more depth to him and answers some big questions, but I don't think it was taken to its logical conclusion and so it's left a bit in suspension at the end, or like that thread was just conveniently forgotten.
If it sounds like I've a lot of criticisms, it's mainly because I'm really invested in the story and its characters. Overall though, it's still a very strong conclusion to the duology, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. It just didn't hit quite as much for me as the first one did, perhaps because I had a few months to think about what to expect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Slavery
Moderate: Death and Genocide
Minor: Transphobia
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