Scan barcode
sadhbhprice's review
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Torture, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
katrinarose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I put "bad guys" and "good guys" in quotes because it was abundantly clear who is meant to be good and bad, there is no moral grayness here whatsoever. The bad guys are so incredibly bad that they weren't even scary, because I was rolling my eyes at their mustache-twirling, over the top antics. The author heavily relied on shock factor for her character development and world building. Why make a morally gray character when you can just have her beat a 10 year old to death (not a spoiler, it happens in the beginning)? Why make an complex political background when you can just have the entire story take place at a school that raises children to be murderers/torturers/rapists?
All the characters are extremely flat, which made it annoying to be in their heads because they only had 1-2 topics of thought each. And we had the pleasure of having not one but TWO unbelievable love triangles, one for each main character we were stuck with! There was absolutely no grounds for their interest in each other besides some eye contact (with the exception of one side of one love triangle).
I haven't even gotten to the plot yet, but there's not much to say besides it was predictable and boring. Then again, it's hard to have a good plot with no world-building or character development to build on. The main plot was meant to be about Laia spying in the school and Elias going through trials to become emperor, but the trials were all pretty short and unsurprising, and Laia's spying attempts left much to be desired.
I imagine the remaining books will expand on the love triangles and the world will expand too. I went into this book planning on reading the entire series, but for my sanity, I will not be continuing. I gave it 2 instead of 1 stars just because it was readable and that's a somewhat redeemable quality. Also, as annoying as Laia was, it was nice to have a heroine in YA fantasy who was not a bad-ass, fearless assassin from the jump. If I had read this 10 years ago I probably would have eaten it up.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Gore, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, and Pregnancy
emilywemily6'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, and Pregnancy
theresamothinmyroom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol
mikasana'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
4.5
Honestly, the storytelling was perfect. I got really attached to Laia and Elias and their character arcs. And the villains?? Black hearted killers who couldn’t have been written any better (
The weight and finality of all the injustices this world festered really just slapped you in the face over and over as the pages went by. The tension from it burned me and had me fully entranced just hoping some good would prevail.
However, if you are looking at this first book expecting romance, look away. The two main characters don’t truly get to know each other in this book and spend much of their time apart. In fact most of the “romance” that exists is spent on
This actually would have been a lower rating due to how irritated I was by the
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and War
amre23'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
4.5
The Dual POVs made the story progress faster. Was nice to see when the 2 main characters weren't interacting how their actions and inactions impacted each other.
At times could truly feel her worry and anxiety through the pages.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Self harm, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
risten'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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Self harm, Sexual content, Vomit, Stalking, Abortion, and Alcohol
theintrovertsbooks'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
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Cursing, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
kitsunasaur'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
Graphic: Sexual assault and Slavery
Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Child death, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
_alyssar_'s review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail