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charleyyyyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol
24hourpartymeeple's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism
krisalexcole'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
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia
Dismembermenttinyelfarcanist's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Maraheem is an underwater steampunk city populated by freckled ginger selkies. The class disparity is evident, and Rubem readily empathizes with the lower city's hardships. He finds an unlikely ally in Tavish, who uses his wealth to help the underprivileged.
Bryn built a queernormative and diverse world. Rubem is dark-skinned and gay, never fitting in any place and silencing his grief with alcohol. Tavish is an altruistic selkie princeling who happens to be plump, blind, and trans. From the moment they meet, their interactions are filled with bangxiety.
The alliance between these two men from different standings while fighting for their lives drives them to question the future they want.
An environmentalist tale of loneliness, connection, and love. Get it if you are looking for mental health and queer representation. There's a beautiful poem at the beginning of each chapter.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Grief, and Colonisation
Minor: Bullying, Torture, and Death of parent
queenpebbles'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: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying and Racism
dusksolace'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
lennie_reads'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
4.75
'I chose you because I know the way you feel inside, how you can get lost in that empty, echoing space within your own head. I chose you because I saw my sorrow in you, and that made me feel less alone.'
Rubem, a lonely depressed alcoholic, unwittingly acquires a parasitic entity which turns his life upside down.
We follow Rubem as he meets Tavish, a blind trans selkie, who is part of one of the 7 ruling families of an underwater steampunk city, Maraheem.
The two embark on a mission to remove the parasite from Rubem, but instead stumble upon the darker underbelly of the fuel industry along with civil unrest of the lower city and a brewing uprising.
I ADORE Rubem. He needs to be protected at All Costs. My soft lil baby. Obviously I absolutely love Tavish as well but Rubem just pulls on my heart strings ðŸ˜
This book has mlm romance, an underwater steampunk city, selkies, magic, dichotomy of upper and lower classes, depression rep, blindness rep, trans rep, gay rep, pan rep, nonbinary rep, murder mystery, mobility aids, allies to friends to lovers and lets not forget a very sassy parasite.
There's soo much to love about this book but apart from the characters some of my favourite aspects were that Rubem will always use they/them pronouns for someone he's just met until told otherwise. And also that, although this world has its problems and prejudices, transphobia and homophobia are not among them.
If any of these things appeal to you I definitely recommend picking this book up!
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism