Scan barcode
kingrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Mare is this reluctant leader, she didn’t choose this path and she sure as hell hates being in the position to lead. She struggles with the role and makes mistakes and struggles to control her anger and hatred which has led her to be ruthless and cold. These traits are important when going up against Maven, so the fear is her going too far and losing herself. Mare’s not a likeable person and that’s not a requirement to be a good story, in fact I started this series because I wanted to read a morally grey and slightly unlikeable main character, Aveyard just hasn’t quite gotten to a point with Mare that she’s a complex character who does questionable things for the greater good.
I think I’ll continue the series, because Aveyard does do a pretty good cliffhanger. I like gritty political fantasies that really get into the violence and the crimes an oppressive and tyrannical government commits. This is in no way a romance. There’s no romance at all. It’s not even a subplot and really there’s no love interest that is all that likeable right now.
I will say the slow pacing and kind of filler information about the world and recruitment of the new bloods is something I’d expect from a middle of the series book, not the second book in the series. The first is supposed to be the foundation and world building, the second book is meant to be exciting and filled with twists and turns. But that’s just my opinion. When you have a 4 book series I feel like books 1 and 3 can be just exciting enough but filled with information, but books 2 and 4 are where the really crazy and fun things should. Just saying.
I think this series could’ve been better if it contained multiple POVs to give more dimension to the other characters as we’re only viewing them from Mare’s POV and she’s currently absorbed with her actions. I’m not sure if I’m giving Aveyard more credit than what’s due if the confusing fighting scenes are meant to mimic actual confusion during battle which Mare as a first person POV would be processing it or when two significant people die and it’s a “what the fuck just happened” moment because it was mentioned out of the blue and quickly with little explanation, or if it’s genuinely bad writing? I guess I’ll find out in the next 2 (2.5?) books. I hated that one of these people died and got a little teary eyed (but not full on tears thanks to Mare’s numbness/indifferences to it) but I’m happy the other is dead.
I’d say this is probably a 3.25 or 3.5/5 stars.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
anniereads221's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
rosenau's review against another edition
- 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
1.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
shashaybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
This book was torturous.
I hate Mare like I've never hated any YA protagonist. She is absolutely insufferable and the fact that we have to read the entire series through her perspective is mind-bogglingly horrendous. I swear this book is bad enough to put me in a slump. Much of this book is also extremely repetitive, recruiting and recruiting and we don't even delve that deep into the other characters. They're all literally plot tools.
This is the worst character building I've ever seen in a fantasy world. Especially one that is so hyped up as this one. The characters are so incredibly unremarkable, not charming in the least and I just, seriously, want to cry right now. The plot in Red Queen was at least good and that made up for it, but this one?
God help us all. It's seriously going to put me in a reading slump.
I'm an incredibly empathetic reader and yet, I cannot justify Mare's actions and intentions in the least. The only reason I finished this book was because I am a completionist. And that is the only reason I will read the third book. Also because I don't want to waste my money.
Oh, and the writing in here is an absolute mess. Every ending of a paragraph is some dramatic declaration or vague metaphor. The writing is just not it. Just telling and telling, barely any showing. God, how did I survive that I don't even know.
If you're looking for a good fantasy series, turn away from this one. You'll thank me later.
Graphic: Gore
readwithde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I honestly can't believe all that happened in this book; the writing is so immersive, but also very tight -- so much is conveyed in concise and simple lines. Every page packed a punch; every new chapter came with new conflict, new missions, new obstacles, but it never felt overdone or like too much was happening. The tension and pacing kept me obsessed and invested.
I was expecting someone to die, but my guess was wrong.
I am so excited for the rest of this series; I am completely hooked!
Graphic: Racism and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and War
llsugarspicell's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
trulydevious's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, and Kidnapping
slythormione's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and War
madsmcw_reads'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I didn't like this one as much of the first. It was quite a bit more slow placed than the first and we spent a loooooot of time just reading about Mare trying to wade through her thoughts. And the big action scenes felt very tactically placed and not always organic to the story.
There were parts of this that felt very typical YA dystopian/fantasy story plot points. And honestly this gave me big Breaking Dawn vibes with how they were going all over the place to hunt out people to help their cause.
While there were things I didn't like, I was still so capivated by the story. I love Cal and Mare, and I NEED to see more of them. The cliffhanger in this one was absolutely insane and I need to start the next one asap. I loved learning more about this world and trying to fit all of the pieces together, old and new.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Murder
taymariereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder