some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Review to come when harpercollins strike is over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Abandonment, War, Death, and Murder
Minor: Grief, Bullying, and Ableism
emily_mh's review
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I really liked the art style of this graphic novel, in particular the use of lighting and the extraordinary amount of detail in the illustrations. I loved the discussion it held on colonisation, both on its effects and on the narratives that fulfil it and what creates and sustains those narratives. I particularly liked the exploration of military and history as tools of colonialism; the illustration of how the military is romanticised so it can exploit vulnerable people as recruits was also excellent. However, I thought Aiza's character development from pro- to anti-colonisation was a little rapid, and the fact that . I think telling this story as series or even a duology would have provided the space for these developments occur without being rushed. Another criticism I had is that while the sense of the world I got from the art was strong, the worldbuilding was lacking in the actual narrative. Regardless of these two critiques, I did enjoy reading this story and following Aiza in her journey!
Spoiler
half the recruits changed their mind on colonisation after one discussion was downright unbelievable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, War, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Physical abuse, Death, Cursing, and Torture
Major: ethnic racism Minor: famine, capital punishmentrnbhargava's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
I really loved this book with its Middle East (Jordan I believe specifically) setting and the protagonist from an ethnicity that’s thought of as “the enemy”. The characters are nuanced and not all are what they seem. The characterizations are all spot on. The main fault with this book is that it kind of wraps up a bit too fast. At least there’s a tease for a potential sequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Death, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Violence, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Gore, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia
This book has all of these themes but does it all in a fairly most ages friendly way. Think of the sensibility of a show like “Avatar: The Last Airbender”
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