2treads's review
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I am a Premee fan. This is my 3rd read of hers and I am just always intrigued by the aay she crafts her stories. She tends to write in a shorter form and I think that works for her. It intensifies the story and how her readers engage with the themes and topics she explores.
In a futuristic, yet dystopic world, where no surprise, wealth grants supreme power and immunity, a courtesan is granted her wish to punish the ones who used and broke her. The world surrounding our characters isn't fleshed out wholly in the narrative, but enough detail is given for the reader to be fine moving from lace to place.
What is important is each character, although told from the perspective of Jewel, her connection to Win and Nero is sufficient for is to be able to understand their friendship.and position in the House where they work. I could feel the disdain and contempt held for those who are sex workers, the power that the clients so carelessly world over them, as if they are no longer of value because credits have been exchanged to indulge in their bodies and other talents.
Mohamed does a great job of presenting a story that is quite familiar in tone and place, giving us a character who has through her death taken back her power, is seeking vengeance, and freedom for those like her, who are scorned and abused; to the narrator who although aware of where and what her station garners her, still wants some semblance of safety in the familiar, who understands the hierarchy of the world, but believes she has no influence to enact change.
A lot is done in so little a package.
In a futuristic, yet dystopic world, where no surprise, wealth grants supreme power and immunity, a courtesan is granted her wish to punish the ones who used and broke her. The world surrounding our characters isn't fleshed out wholly in the narrative, but enough detail is given for the reader to be fine moving from lace to place.
What is important is each character, although told from the perspective of Jewel, her connection to Win and Nero is sufficient for is to be able to understand their friendship.and position in the House where they work. I could feel the disdain and contempt held for those who are sex workers, the power that the clients so carelessly world over them, as if they are no longer of value because credits have been exchanged to indulge in their bodies and other talents.
Mohamed does a great job of presenting a story that is quite familiar in tone and place, giving us a character who has through her death taken back her power, is seeking vengeance, and freedom for those like her, who are scorned and abused; to the narrator who although aware of where and what her station garners her, still wants some semblance of safety in the familiar, who understands the hierarchy of the world, but believes she has no influence to enact change.
A lot is done in so little a package.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Blood and Body horror
theoldestbennetsister's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Loved this, wow. Wonderfully written with a simmering, electric anger throughout, including the jabs of dark humor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, and Sexism
bookwyrmknits's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a bit of an odd story. It's set in a dystopian world where (it seems) the water has risen but also gotten contaminated, and lots of animals have mutated. (Though we see very little of that.) The main noticeable change is that society is even more money-focused than it is now, and the laws have changed so that only those with money get any kind of justice.
The main premise of a murdered courtesan coming back to life to take revenge on her murderer has probably been done before; in this particular case our narrator is not the dead girl herself, but one of her friends. The question of how she comes back to life is never answered, nor is it clear if or when she will ever die again. Instead, the focus of the story is what "morality" means in this society where money is literally everything, where those without money or jobs can be killed in a "cull" without any other reason at all.
While I liked the way this was told (a kind of blend of dialogue and almost stream-of-consciousness monologue) it took a little while for me to figure out much about the characters. I'm still not sure what most of them looked like... but that's okay. Other than some obvious parts—like one character who has wing implants, or the dead girl's skin being white and bloodless—it doesn't really matter what these characters look like.
This would probably not be a book for everyone; some people won't be able to get into the writing style, or will want more answers than this book provides. It's a neat story, however, and it's a nice change to see a narrator who isn't the brave hero but instead is someone who's just trying to find a way to get by.
The main premise of a murdered courtesan coming back to life to take revenge on her murderer has probably been done before; in this particular case our narrator is not the dead girl herself, but one of her friends. The question of how she comes back to life is never answered, nor is it clear if or when she will ever die again. Instead, the focus of the story is what "morality" means in this society where money is literally everything, where those without money or jobs can be killed in a "cull" without any other reason at all.
While I liked the way this was told (a kind of blend of dialogue and almost stream-of-consciousness monologue) it took a little while for me to figure out much about the characters. I'm still not sure what most of them looked like... but that's okay. Other than some obvious parts—like one character who has wing implants, or the dead girl's skin being white and bloodless—it doesn't really matter what these characters look like.
This would probably not be a book for everyone; some people won't be able to get into the writing style, or will want more answers than this book provides. It's a neat story, however, and it's a nice change to see a narrator who isn't the brave hero but instead is someone who's just trying to find a way to get by.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Physical abuse
Minor: Blood
maryellen's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Slavery, Death, Murder, Classism, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, and Grief
booksthatburn's review
It’s hazy and dream-like in a way that made it hard to hang on to what’s happening. The premise is interesting, but I expected a mystery, not an existentialist meditation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Cursing, Blood, Grief, Violence, Medical trauma, and Death
Minor: Murder and Sexual content
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