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fromjuliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I felt pretty mid about this series and the finale really secured that for me. It was a little disappointing in some ways but I'm glad I finished the trilogy.
My thoughts below are kind of more overall across the trilogy I guess as a whole.
**SPOILERS BELOW**
look, this entire series is around gladiator matches, assassination attempts, murder attempts. There is the main character and her 6-8 friends, and somehow ALL of them survive?? Only the people trying to carry out the assassinations or murders and the big bads die. Just very... unrealistic to me. There is a lot of plot armour. Like, a lot. The magic even fully plays into it for keeping the main character alive and well. She pretty much survives unscathed.
I also would have liked so much more of the side characters. I think that's the downside of making a series first person with only one character. Maybe just not my favourite? But we didn't get Paloma morphing until halfway through this final book - there are 3 characters who are morphs, only 2 of them morph in one scene each and one never morphs. The power felt kind of pointless. I would have loved more about Paloma in general, about her connection to Xenia - which I saw coming from book 1 - more of Sullivan, and DEFINITELY more about the interesting relationship between Serilda and Cho. And those two are just badass and awesome characters and should have had more spotlight anyways.
There are so many great side characters throughout the series, especially books 2 and 3 that I think could have been a lot more integral and interesting.
The pacing was actually really good. And overall I really liked the characters. It's a solid series, it just had some issues for me personally.
My thoughts below are kind of more overall across the trilogy I guess as a whole.
**SPOILERS BELOW**
look, this entire series is around gladiator matches, assassination attempts, murder attempts. There is the main character and her 6-8 friends, and somehow ALL of them survive?? Only the people trying to carry out the assassinations or murders and the big bads die. Just very... unrealistic to me. There is a lot of plot armour. Like, a lot. The magic even fully plays into it for keeping the main character alive and well. She pretty much survives unscathed.
I also would have liked so much more of the side characters. I think that's the downside of making a series first person with only one character. Maybe just not my favourite? But we didn't get Paloma morphing until halfway through this final book - there are 3 characters who are morphs, only 2 of them morph in one scene each and one never morphs. The power felt kind of pointless. I would have loved more about Paloma in general, about her connection to Xenia - which I saw coming from book 1 - more of Sullivan, and DEFINITELY more about the interesting relationship between Serilda and Cho. And those two are just badass and awesome characters and should have had more spotlight anyways.
There are so many great side characters throughout the series, especially books 2 and 3 that I think could have been a lot more integral and interesting.
The pacing was actually really good. And overall I really liked the characters. It's a solid series, it just had some issues for me personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Alcohol
Animal death is a fictional animal; toxic relationship is a familial relationshipwickedgrumpy's review against another edition
medium-paced
1.75
I might have finished this out of spite. It was so repetitive. Some phrases that were used again and again for example: hot, jalapeno rage, rosy love, tradition (curtsies, dancing, gladiator fights), assassination attempts/unpleasantness, my friends, phantom music, the proper herbs, etc.
The foreshadowing was so obvious that everything was predictable.. I don't know that I would read from this author again. Their writing style (and worldbuilding, and magic system, etc.) is not to my taste even though the premise of the series was strong enough initially. I had hoped as the books progressed the issues I had would either become non-issue or be resolved but instead they multiplied.
The foreshadowing was so obvious that everything was predictable.. I don't know that I would read from this author again. Their writing style (and worldbuilding, and magic system, etc.) is not to my taste even though the premise of the series was strong enough initially. I had hoped as the books progressed the issues I had would either become non-issue or be resolved but instead they multiplied.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism