spaghettii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Physical abuse, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, War, Cursing, Infertility, and Torture
dealfea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Blood, Animal death, Trafficking, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexism, Confinement, Classism, and Bullying
books_in_the_head's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Classism, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
annick's review against another edition
0.25
World building was meh. The book is far too longer for the amount of plot and character interactions. The first person narrative isn’t working for me either. And there is also the lazy use of perceived ugliness/beauty as a measure of villain.
Sail and Digby were part of the brief interlude that I enjoyed.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, and Death
filipa_maia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I do appreciate this other side of the story. This is not King Midas' story (the one that everyone knows), it's someone else's... someone very important that stays in the shadows. Also, I very much enjoyed all this mystery around Auren, there is an aura of secrets involving her that kept me very focus till the end. Solving this mystery is exactly one of the things that is going to make me read the second book.
On a less positive note, this book is very hard to read: maybe I was distracted or maybe the trigger warnings weren't enough... I almost quit reading this book. Several times. I understand that women weren't seen as people, especially these women being King Midas' harem... but there is a less brutal way of describing some scenes. Honestly, the excessive use of some words were not to emphasise the narrative, but just to trigger the reader.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Colonisation, Grief, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Slavery, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Infidelity, War, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
missgarceau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
I couldn’t put this down from start to finish.
Although it felt somewhat predictable, I found myself not anticipating major plot twists.
This is not a “happy” retelling, and deals with dark & difficult topics. Please be advised.
However, I found the world, characters, and plot absolutely riveting.
This ends on a cliffhanger, is an unfinished series, but the final book is scheduled to be released this year.
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Blood, War, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Murder, Hate crime, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Body shaming, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Hate crime, Infidelity, Cursing, Deportation, Gore, Alcohol, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
midnacine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Sexual content, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cursing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Trafficking, Animal death, War, and Death of parent
micaelamariem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Gore, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Alcohol, Classism, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Infertility, Colonisation, and Death of parent
rosecoloredbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Body shaming, Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Classism
michellecalderon's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Classism, Death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault