Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - He Who Drowned the World

After the first book, I was really excited for this -- but it didn't hit me in quite the same way. The depression and hatred of several characters felt sort of gratuitous for me, and I started to skip over some of that POV. Many of the relationships almost hurt me to read. I just generally prefer lighter fare, I think. Great end plot though.

Alternated reading with audiobook narration (depending on library access lol, i think that also lowered my enjoyement). The narrator is quite good.

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alyssa_simard's review against another edition

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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? Yes

4.5

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blumoonie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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? Yes

5.0

I've had this book for a while, but I was waiting for the perfect time to read it. as I was reading, I wanted desperately to finish it (so I know how it ends and can revel in it), but also feared the concept of ending (I will never read this for the first time ever again). there are few books that make me feel these complex emotions just by thinking ‘I should really read that soon…’

I grew fonder of the characters who I was already attached to, and found a new liking for others as well. ‘liking’ perhaps isn't the best word… maybe ‘admiration' and ‘pity’. the plot unfolded in ways I could not have imagined, including:

- watching someone descend into madness from a perspective that feels far too personal and uncomfortable
- multiple resurrections, though none are truly what they seem at first
- the use of pain to blur the line between one's humanity and animal instincts

and so on, and so on. of course, themes of gender, diaspora and queerness are as important to this novel as they were in the first.

I love this series, and I loved this book- possibly even more than the first. I want to go back to when things were simpler and hurt less, but I can't help the urge to go forever fowards.

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denjuno's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? No

3.0

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jesshaleth's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

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? Yes

4.5

If there had been slightly fewer moments meriting a content warning it would've been 5 stars for me, so maybe it will be for you. But yeah - I think it ticked more content warnings than it didn't, so, at your own risk.

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