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violinknitter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I know I borrowed this from the library some time ago and returned it without finishing it. I thought that I started it & abandoned it, but I actually must’ve gotten distracted and not read even two whole pages. This time I fell right into the story and finished in a day.
I absolutely loved Dora. She has so much heart and care.
I see why people call this Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle. I don’t completely agree, since the story has none of the madcap shenanigans of a Diana Wynne Jones plot, but the spunk of both of the main love interests definitely is reminiscent of Howl & Sophie.
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical trauma, and War
chichisode's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Medical content, Trafficking, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
kbairbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ourhandsfull's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I would like to caution sensitive readers about the bonus short story at the end, The Lord Sorcier. It does not have the same cozy tone as the book and centers around a war battles, including severe injuries, combat surgery and loss of limb. It’s graphic without sufficient story payoff. I wish I had skipped it.
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kartoffel_00's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I would have liked to give this a 4 but the plot of this book towards the end was very, very lazy.
The strong points were how it didn't shy away from the real and cruel history even at the end. The epilogue for one, was what saved the book for me but not enough to excuse how the middle and last part were written.
Final Rating - 3.75/5
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Medical trauma, Murder, and War
All the warnings happen to an moderate extent. They're not graphic enough to be triggering but still present in the book based on the history and setting.friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's very interesting how much society at those times affected one. It’s all about
the ^unsaid^, be very careful of what you do and what other people think of you out of worry for your reputation. Get a husband in time. Be polite, neat and pretty. Do not dare atract attention with anything other than light flirting, politeness and charm, do not dare be different, rumors about you will affect you and your family.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Slavery, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury