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beebowbabe'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Sexual harassment
fraise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Gore, Misogyny, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and War
lynssss'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? No
3.25
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
elly29'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? Yes
4.25
I loved how Ani started: she tried to be what others wanted, and she failed. Then, she gets a chance to find out who she is, and goes from a state of low competency to high competency, eventually conquering fears and foes alike (though, with some human butchery and animal cruelty in the mix...). Sometimes, the story was so very difficult (ahem, all of Falada, all of Selia's unfair advantages). And that's what makes a great story.
Maybe this should be 5 stars.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual harassment
rwalker101's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have been trying for over a decade to speak into meaning how the tone of this book changes, and how that change in tone makes it a modern masterpiece. With this opening line, "She was born..." Hale opens up a fairytale. Ani's life is a fairytale, after all; gauzy and shimmery and perfect. She is a princess, surrounded by the gilded trappings of royalty, and she has an aunt to teach her of the wonders of magic. There is language in nature - in the wind, in the fire, on the tongues of creatures - and young Ani dreams of finding it all.
But then her aunt leaves, and Ani quickly comes to terms with the idea that her responsibilities as royalty will forever preclude her from living the peaceful, nature-speaking life she craves. But Hale doesn't change the tone. Not completely. Not yet. See, as Ani grows up and is forced to let go of her desires, Hale keeps the tone light and gauzy, still reminiscent of an old tale, but the camera focuses a little closer on Ani's point of view, making this world feel disconcerting, disconnected, dissociated. Ani is still living in a fairy tale, but it is no longer the fairy tale she wants, and it quickly becomes stifling, to both her and the reader.
But as Ani continues her journey, as she travels and faces hardship and makes new friends, we feel that scope slowly expanding. Ani starts looking beyond her own narrow sphere, seeing others for the first time in her life. She learns who to trust, falls in love, finds fulfilling work, makes friends, grows bolder. As these changes happen to Ani, we watch the tone grow to match it. No longer is this Ani's fairytale, this is Ani's story. She grows from disconnected puppet to woman before our eyes - and it's done so well through the tone alone that I find myself focusing on that over everything else almost every time.
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
rini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Death of parent