4riareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Abandonment, Islamophobia, War, Grief, Homophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Slavery, Physical abuse, Bullying, Murder, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury
thaliareads's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Child death, and Confinement
Moderate: Death, Murder, Islamophobia, Homophobia, Slavery, Religious bigotry, War, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent
I want to start by prefacing that the author does not come off as homophobic, islamaphobic, or otherwise bigoted. These content warnings are present because of the time period and context of when the book takes place. Spoilers to clarify:Spoiler
In this book the two main characters are basically sold to the primary ruler of the region in exchange for more support fighting his battles. The region where this ruler presides is primarily Islamic and while one of the MCs finds it fascinating and comforting in their time of crisis, the other doesn't want to be forced from the religion they've grown up in and does come across as bigoted. In addition, due to the time period, women are seen as secondary citizens and really lack the respect of the men. This is a consistent recurring theme throughout the entire book where one of the MCs is denied equal treatment and denied the ability to follow her desired path in life. The next issue is that one of the MCs realizes that they're gay however, once again, due to the time period it wasn't safe for them to be open about who they are. While they do find solace in certain people who feel the same way they do, there's still an overwhelming sadness about the closeted nature with which the MC must live. Finally, as it is war time on and off throughout the book there are instances of torture, death, and murder throughout the entire plot, including one of the MCs accidentally killing a child during a conflict.reclusivebookslug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Now I have reread the first book and plan to finally finish reading the series. I'm older now and have more experience reading complex and dark books. It made me aware of my growth as a reader.
I consider this one of my favorite books. It is captivating, even when it is challenging or devastating or frustrating. I have thought about and loved this book even after reading it just once, years ago, and even without reading the rest of the series. I feel so deeply for both Lada and Radu, despite how deeply flawed they are, how different they are, and how often their interests are in opposition to each other. That's what continues to make it a challenging read - I want a happy ending for everyone, but I can't imagine a way that could happen in their circumstances.
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Death, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexism, War, and Islamophobia
Minor: Classism and Colonisation
andrikkk'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
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Blood, Sexism, Violence, War, Bullying, Gore, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Xenophobia, Cursing, Grief, Sexism, and Homophobia
elwirax's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death and Rape
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
sarahsbooklife's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Islamophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Trafficking
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
lapis's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore and Torture
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Islamophobia
Minor: Slavery and Medical content
Islamophobia: it's during the crusades and one of the characters views religion as a tool, but also thinks poorly of Islam. One of the other characters