queenpebbles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Domestic abuse, Violence, Infidelity, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, Slavery, and War
hkraftcheck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Death
Minor: Violence, Blood, Grief, Slavery, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
strawberrypinch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Slavery, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Fatphobia, and Grief
tessan91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Slavery, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Murder and Suicide
apollo1gcw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse
niyou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse
lizziepurpleserenity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I love the setting, it made a really nice change to read a book set in an east Asian-inspired world that is really well realised. I liked Mara, at first, it was purely due to the fact that she is the protagonist that drew me into a bigger story and world that otherwise might have bored me. (I do like some political intrigue but this entire story is basically based around that, and could have been dull for me personally.) I also liked the characters of the Acoma that surrounded her (Lujan, Papewaio, Keyoke, Nacoya). I also got very excited at the introduction of the
Spoiler
cho-jaThe prose is quite compelling (though the chapters are a little too long for my liking, it was in danger of feeling like it was dragging in places, and long chapters don't help with that).
Where it began to fall down for me was nearly halfway through,
Spoiler
from her marriage to Bunto onwards. I hated him and everything he did, I hated the fact that Mara had to marry and go through that in order to bear a son (and I question whether she really needed to as swiftly and unwisely as she did), and what's more then have her son's father murdered in order to keep her (or house of Acoma) powerful position in the Council, I basically hated everything about that.When that part was over, I was sucked back in again, but then it all goes horribly downhill again
Spoiler
from the seduction of Bruli.Spoiler
"You must judge carefully how far to push Bruli. He may become too impassioned to stop, and having Pape kill him for attempted rape would do the Acoma great harm at this point." As if it's Mara who has the choice and control over that??And, Nacoya again:
Spoiler
"The rest of us live at the whim of our lords or husbands or fathers, and what you have just practiced [the seduction of Bruli] is the mightiest weapon at our command."It's mainly all this ^^ that led to a drop in rating from 4.5 or even 5 to 3.5 stars for me, unfortunately, because it spoilt a book I was otherwise quite enjoying. The ending was satisfying, but I'm not sure whether I will continue with this trilogy, I'm too afraid there'll be more of the same!
ETA (same day) - Having chatted with my friend about this who gave me the book, I may be misinterpreting the stuff I found difficult (above) - that this is the point, how the society is in this world and that Mara (as she's a woman) has to fight to try and do things differently. I will be continuing with the trilogy to find out what she manages to achieve next and how the issues are addressed going forward. I did enjoy a lot about this book so I'm hoping to enjoy books 2 & 3 more perhaps!
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Rape
Minor: Grief