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annaluckylark's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Kidnapping and War
Minor: Misogyny, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
rcsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Nowhere near as good as the first book in the series. It's basically a retelling of Alladin and it's as problematic as the Disney version, plus loads of added fatphobia!
I did really enjoy how it wrapped up and tied into Howl though, and Tabitha screamed with excitement when Calcifer finally put in an appearance!
I did really enjoy how it wrapped up and tied into Howl though, and Tabitha screamed with excitement when Calcifer finally put in an appearance!
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Islamophobia and Kidnapping
Minor: War
matcha_pages's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: War
pocketspoon's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
The author clearly had fun turning arabian-nights-like tales on their heads a bit, and it is definitely fun and clever in some ways. However, there is a lot here that is really problematic, not least of all the general and persistent misogyny of the main character. I'm afraid that learning to love one smart, capable woman doesn't make him not sexist. In the very last pages he is giving away his (previously extensively fat-shamed) relatives as chattel to the villain. But it's okay, because he's handsome and actually wants them because they're not uncooperative like the kidnapped princesses, so they're into it?!
I also find it annoying that the Howl's Moving Castle characters all have babies in this book, as if that's the only possible progression of a young woman's life/story. You could explain some of this away as "satire, not endorsement" but this is a kids' book, and kids don't get sattire; they're going to see women being constantly compared to each other (and generally criticized and found wanting) by the male protagonist, who is pretty unlikeable and shitty, but is still somehow the hero of the story. He rides in and attaches himself to the escape plan the princesses were already working on, and then one of them has to agree to marry a slimeball just so he won't eat them out, and the men get all the credit for the rescue. And a bunch of other toxic stuff.
I also find it annoying that the Howl's Moving Castle characters all have babies in this book, as if that's the only possible progression of a young woman's life/story.
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, and War
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