dazzle_spider_reader_1212'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
Minor: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Death, Self harm, Murder, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Medical content, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Gun violence, Blood, and Animal cruelty
madamenovelist'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Religious bigotry, Racism, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Blood, War, Sexual harassment, Torture, Slavery, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Gore, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Vomit, Xenophobia, Violence, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Gun violence, Death of parent, Cursing, Colonisation, Classism, and Child death
laurenkimoto's review
- 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: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Animal death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Grief, War, Vomit, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Hate crime, Racism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Slavery, Sexual content, and Murder
nu_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
We get to see more of Ali’s relationship with the marid, Nahri’s past and ancestry, and finding out that Manizeh is more tortured and cunning than I originally thought her out to be. And of course the ending (and alternative epilogue) for Dara was fitting for his arc, respecting the character he has become during the series. I thought his arc was especially heart wrenching and also eye opening.
So many themes covered in this series. Occupation. Transactional love. Survival. Generational promises, debts, and vengeance. I tried to absorb all of it, and I feel myself coming out of this story slightly changed. I’ve thought about my own relationship with culture and see more clearly the cycles of violence and and new beginnings that keeps civilizations falling and rising, weakening and strengthening, since the dawn of time until the end.
The characters really did feel like living people—complicated, tortured, hopeful, merciful, vengeful people. I don’t know if I’d be able to find another series like this that marries elements of older YA/new adult fantasy with the care that Chakraborty crafted the characters.
This series is definitely on the slow to medium paced family. In many places the pace quickens appropriately with the turn of events, which I felt mimicked how events might happen in the real world. It’s full of politicking as it is magic, but if you’re exclusively into fast paced stories with a singular hero, this might not be for you. Give the series a chance and you’ll be blown away by the incredible world building, politics and magic and all.
I want to reread this series and annotate all the instances of foreshadowing. It felt like many plot points were expertly hinted at, some easily identifiable and others more concealed that it leaves you wondering how you missed the obvious detail. Easily one of the best series I’ve read.
Moderate: Death, War, Child death, Sexual violence, and Violence
okays1331's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Swoon. Sob. Laugh. Sob and sob some more. I am undone by the finale to the Daevabad trilogy. I care so much about these beautiful, terrible, broken Djinn. The writing conveys a depth of emotion that is impossible not to feel myself alongside the characters.
This book is so long (nearly 30 hours in audiobook), and it is a testament to Chakraborty's storytelling that I never wanted to put it down a single moment. Thank goodness a snow storm came along to lock me in the house with this story for a few days.
From the first book, the trilogy grew layering and deepening the mythology from the beginning of the first book which felt like a simple (albeit gorgeous) fairytale (that is right up until the end) to this finale full of rich details and history. It was all done effortlessly. Sometimes, in other high fantasy books, it can feel like the reader is trapped in pages of background reading before the story happens at all, but not here. The author builds it naturally into the story, so suddenly, I realized I could navigate Daevabad's complex politics and history with relative ease. That is until the next revelation shook up what I thought I knew. And wow, the way the history was unveiled made it increasingly hard to find the "right" side or make easy monsters of the antagonists. Even more so when Dara, one of the first people we meet and love in the whole series stands on wrong side of every story.
The author writes about grief, love, faith, forgiveness, and loyalty so beautifully and respectfully. The pain is wrenching and my heart hurts. The bonds are forged here. The characters through tragedy and bloodshed realize what is truly important to them. What they would kill and die for.
Some of my favorite moments that will stick with me.
-Ali finding himself in prayer and grief beside humans worshipping in Egypt taking comfort from reaching out to the same creator.
-Dara talking about death and the afterlife with his grieving enemy.
-Ali and Nahri finding space to be themselves and trust each other with their pain and fear.
-
Spoiler
Nahri performing surgery on Ali's heart with barely any magic after confessing their love for each other.-Family learning to love and accept each other.
Spoiler
“You’re not the only one who’s had to pretend to be different while people with power insult the parts of you you never get to wear openly. I wish that you had trusted me, but more than that, I wish I had behaved in a way that would have encouraged you to trust me.” Jamshid-
Spoiler
Jamshid kissing Muntadhir's fingers in the midst of his panic attack reminding him that Muntadhir woke him this way after Jamshid was shot "You said you were so afraid of hurting me that you knew not where else to touch".-
Spoiler
At the release of Manizeh's command, Dara transforming from the fearsome Afshin of legend into a broken and desperate man falling to his knees to beg forgiveness for the things he has done and pleading with Nahri to surrender so that he will not have to hurt her or watch her die.-
Spoiler
Ali sharing space and history with his Marid grandfather making the Marid no longer monsters, but another of the incredibly complex beings that share the magical world.BUT all the characters are sassy as hell. It's so funny to hear them teasing each other or pulling one over on a powerful elder. Even Ali has grown a true sense of humor probably learning it from all his time with Nahri. Charkraborty knows exactly when to give us this little taste of laughter and love.
“ An excellent omen. Just really promising all around."
"
Spoiler
AlizaydGraphic: Blood, Death, Genocide, Medical content, Murder, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
ltrueblood's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Gun violence