seanml's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Well, I don't know. It's been a strange series. Mercedes really was just doing her thing. She wanted her magical kingdoms, her magic horses that you can talk to, a bizarre love triangle, and a sudden dive into some very dark places with no euphemisms. She presents the events of the book to you in complete earnest - yet the series is still written like a YA series for 12 year olds! Also I'm glad I didn't read the blurb on the back because the stuff that it talks about happens over halfway through the book. It's like if the New Testament had a blurb on the back starting with "The prophet is put to death!" All I can say is that 1980s fantasy - before the appearance of the big series that would become beloved new classics, but after the standard set 50 years earlier by Tolkien - is a wild place to be. 6.5/10.
Graphic: Grief, Sexual assault, Torture, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and War
Minor: Gore and Vomit
bibliophile1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, and War
I listed a lot of trigger warnings because these themes/scenes do exist in this book. However, the focus is always on how the main character feels emotionally about what’s going on, so the physical descriptions of these events are mentioned but are glossed over; no really in-depth details. The author wants you to know the heroine is suffering, but the overall theme is about overcoming adversity and belief in something greater than oneself.
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