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whatkatyread87'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nonotyoshi'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
yarisbooksandbevs'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
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Infertility, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture
megthecatlady'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
5.0
The character development for Persephone in this book was so freaking good. The development of her relationship with Hades was also great to watch. I love that the author has continued to make the side characters have stories just as interesting as the main characters and that they each bring something to the table. I'm also really glad that Persephone has friends - I feel like that's so rare to get in romance novels because it's usually just the hero and heroine pining for each other with no time for anyone else. Or maybe that's just my lack of knowledge in the romantasy genre speaking. I love, love, love this series and this was probably my favorite book of the series so far - I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Death, Rape, and Death of parent
ninahuynh'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
4.0
- A few of the sex scenes are confusing, some of which I think could do without. As the amount of explicit scenes increase and how they arrive to it feel... sudden and might I say, cheap. I makes their relationship's foundation as sex. In some cases, it just feels out of place.
- I like how Scarlett St. Clair illustrates the deep trauma that comes with boundaries violation and sexual assault. I like that it wasn't just glossed over or simplified; everyone deals with trauma and heals from trauma differently.
- Who is Theo? Dunno if that's a typo in my ebook but could not find who Theo is. First scene with Theseus.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Child death, Torture, Vomit, Cannibalism, Abortion, and Pregnancy
jazzmarie22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent
rchulin1'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: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
savage_book_review'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall, I think it's the best paced and most enjoyable story of the series to date. I'm enjoying seeing Persephone grow into her powers and the slow expansion of the 'found family' (even if most of them are actually related in some way...), the twists and turns of the over-arching narrative and Hades just being Hades. And for the first time, I didn't get annoyed by Persephone's immaturity - her character has shifted in to something a little more befitting of the future Queen of the Underworld; she's still a little bit immature and naive in places, but the darker thread of her power coming to the surface and the development of her persona to match Hades, gaining satisfaction from the torture of the souls of those that wrong people makes her feel far more rounded.
That being said, there's a small part of my brain berating me for liking this. I think my main issue is that, while the trauma Persephone went through in the last book is addressed and it does affect her relationship with Hades, it only feels like it's addressed on a surface level and then discarded in favour of a quick recovery. Likewise, the sufferings of other characters are dismissed fairly quickly and one dimensionally - the author had a great opportunity to give us a deeper insight and context into Demeter's motives, but instead it's referred to in a single sentence and she's branded a hopeless case.
I also think the author has come to rely on the spicy scenes as a bit of a crutch. Persephone claims that she feels at her most powerful when in bed with Hades, and that could be illustrated so, so well to add layers to the story. But instead, it feels like the choice was quantity over quality, and for the most part Hades is the one in the position of power IMO. She can certainly write the scenes, I just think she needs to be more selective about placing them.
As before, I do like the way the author has seamlessly weaved in elements of various myths to expand the world, and reading some of her explanations in the Author's Notes really make these moments stand out. In particular, I like the twist in the character of Helen, the development of Apollo's character and acknowledgement of his past errors, and the continued back and forth between Aphrodite and Hephestus.
The writing is far from perfect and I would kill for more depth, but I couldn't help but enjoy this. Looking forward tonreading Hades' POV shortly!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Rape, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
sbauer2894'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
3.5
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
kitten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infertility, and Stalking