The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
yomireads's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
The plot itself initially presents itself as a generic: "kill the evil monsters and become heros" archetype, but takes the questions a critical reader might take issue with, and makes it the key component to this compelling narrative. It does present as a little frustrating to have these questions that feel almost like plot-holes (don't worry, they're not) and have the protagonist lagging behind the reader as what feels like blatantly obvious suppression of truth. Truly, the reveal by the end shouldn't have taken so long to uncover.
There are a few things I could nit pick about, but I'm holding out hope that much of my feeling of unresolved or unconfronted problems in the narrative will be addressed in the sequel.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Violence, and Abandonment
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Child death, Genocide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, and War
gotem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Unsettlingly gory at parts, and strikingly vague in others. This would work well for someone who reads with a heavy focus on action and dialogue. Please do mind the trigger warnings.
Graphic: Slavery, Sexism, Vomit, Trafficking, Body horror, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Child abuse, Torture, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Rape, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
martereadsbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Sexism, Trafficking, War, Blood, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, and Kidnapping
nomackenzie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Vomit and Rape
yulecogs's review against another edition
2.25
Graphic: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, War, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Slavery
captainoliimar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Violence, Vomit, Classism, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, War, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Blood, Child death, Kidnapping, and Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic relationship
chellcake's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexism, Body horror, Gore, Blood, Torture, Religious bigotry, Child death, War, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Physical abuse, Grief, Vomit, Self harm, Bullying, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Cursing, Colonisation, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Grief, Pedophilia, Rape, Confinement, Drug use, and Trafficking
flare_ice8's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Vomit, and War
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
- 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
"Are we girls, or are we demons? Are we going to die, or are we going to survive?"
"We who are dead salute you!"
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna is her debut nice, and what a debut it was! This book was glorious, yet brutal. I could not out it down.
We follow Deka, a mixed race black girl living in the Northern Provinces, where racism toward dark skinned people is rampant. Not only does Deka suffer from this ostracism, she is also found to be impure--meaning she bleeds gold instead of red--marking her for immediate execution. Deka goes through trauma after trauma as the villagers try in vain to kill her until an emissary from the Emperor comes to collect her for the Emperor's special army.
Deka trains with other "impure" girls and learns her new abilities, although she soon realizes she's different from the rest of the girls.
We get an excellent found family trope, chosen one trope, and even a slow burn romance. This book does not center in the romance, it's barely a blip. The importance is placed on the friendship Deka has with Britta. We get wonderful diverse characters with flaws. We even have a sapphic side character.
This story is full of struggle, betrayal, and long game outcomes. Although I figured out the twist fairly early, it didn't feel wasted. We also get fantastic feminist messages about the oppression of women born out of men's desire for power and control. Just like in real life, however, we can't lump all the men into one group. We get to see men being true allies and deferring when appropriate.
We get a magical animal pet sidekick! #TeamIxa forever. The world building in this was great, I loved all the fantastical creatures and their varied intelligences. I can't wait to see what Forna has in-store for us in the next book! Did you it's going to become a tv show?! It's going to be beautiful.
Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, Gore, Torture, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual violence