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wizardesquelesbian's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
I just can't stand the characters! Our mains had their moments where I was beginning to like them but every time I said "yes okay maybe this is where I begin to enjoy myself!" I was immediately met with just.... baffling decisions on everyone's part. from weird bad vibey descriptions of the "bad" aliens to fascinating displays of insensitivity, these characters managed to push every button to make me want to hit them with a snow shovel. there is maybe some promise here if you're able to get past the characters and some of the side charas seemed kinda interesting! and hey if you want a ML who gives head, the beefy alien man gives fantastic head! it just was very much not for me.
also ok so this is super ranty but it's haunting me - there is a throwaway line early on that implies that lesbians don't exist or, alternatively, that our FL is homophobic and that is so funny to me like. yeah sure aliens makes sense that tracks but there is absolutely no way the two girls clinging to eachother are together, nope! none at all lmfao - the narrator considers they could be friends or family and ok TECHNICALLY partners can be considered family but that is not what I think the author meant by that. in fated mates type stories it's always interesting to see how the author deals with gay people and it is always wild when they deal with us by just writing us out - maybe there are other gays out there in the series but the mate bond is reportedly strictly m/f (and there are no transfem aliens???) and I don't remember seeing gay folks mentioned at all. if it were just the throwaway line by itself I wouldn't have really thought much of it, but that plus the lack of even an acknowledgement of lgbtq+ folks in a story where two cultures are blending and acclimating to eachother and the reality of predetermined romantic bonds for a planet recovering from genocide very much is a central aspect of the story made me side eye the book. at the end of the day this is a story more concerned with steam than story so this had no bearing on my final rating! I just thought it was worth mentioning
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation