roget's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
1.0
This series would be so much stronger if space that was given to all the tone-ignorant quipping and pages of unnecessarily aggressive, uncomfortable exchanges were instead given to expanding the lore.
The real plot is crammed into info-dumps in dialogue—just like, lecture after lecture of some being or another backtracking like “Well, ACTUALLY…” and then re-explaining lore and ancient relationships that’d already been explained and re-explained half a dozen times but apparently incorrectly. The consort? Interesting plot line. I wish we’d have gotten more of that development.
The Malik-Poppy backstory reveal was absolutely undercut by the series’s penchant for throwing gossip girl-style shocking “twists” at us every five minutes, not to mention the tonally inconsistent suggestive and situationally abhorrent illicit comments. The series isn’t respectful to Kieren, either. He’s basically treated like Poppy’s arm candy this book, and Poppy’s character is shockingly undynamic given the many, many changes she’s been through. She’s still acting like the angry, impulsive, and brash kid who’s playing at power without really understanding it.
The pacing is weird.
Spoiler
It takes them over half the book to rescue Cas, then it’s a large chunk of just adult scenes—the most awkward of which occur in the house of a set of resistance people who take them in and offer shelter only to be melted by Isbeth once Poppy and Cas are done using their familial home as a love shack.As for the content…
Spoiler
There are numerous mature scenes, and if you’re not up for that, you’ll find yourself paging through them frustratedly and wading through neverending passages of violence as you wait for eons for an update about the more integral parts of the plot.I’m interested to know more about the primals and their clearly warped family tree. I want Poppy to return to Ileesium. I want to see more of those dynamics unfold. I wish the book would spend more time and nuance developing that and Poppy herself.
Kind of just reading to find out what happens and how it wraps up at this point, which is disheartening. I’m sure some people find this series fun or entertaining, but the issues have sort of spoiled it for me, at least.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, War, and Torture
fireinherveinzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
She kept saying she didn’t want to turn into her or become like a god who demolished cities and killed innocents . But acted really selfishly and like a brat at times .
I don’t see how much more this story can get dragged out for .
Graphic: Torture, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, War, Racism, Pedophilia, Death, Murder, Blood, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Body horror
arthur_ant18'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Murder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Confinement, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Gore
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Death of parent
kodafaith'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
I do find it funny how much hate JLA has gotten for something she literally has hinted at for the entire series and think people need to take a step back. There is absolutely no need to be horrible to an author just because you didn’t enjoy what happened, just don’t read the books!
Spoiler
I personally have been waiting for the joining to occur because you can’t tease me like that! And I thought that the relationship between Poppy and Kieran doesn’t feel like one of infidelity but more like a natural bond between them. I feel like if it was anyone else it wouldn’t feel okay but the way Cas and Kieran are together makes it feel okay. I don’t know where the relationship between all of them will go in the future but I imagine it will be similar to how it was before they joined. That they will all be close and playful but it will still be just Cas and Poppy and maybe Kieran will join sometimes but not just Poppy and Kieran. But I personally think that if all parties are okay with it, then there is nothing wrong with the relationships they form!I found this book great and I’m so excited to learn more about the histories and see how this war plays out. I can’t wait for more books to be out!
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Child death, Blood, Murder, Violence, War, and Confinement
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Physical abuse
dreareads_'s review
1.0
Here are some of my problems with it:
1)I would like to preface this by saying I don't care about the joining, I am not against it and if they had a polyamorous relationship thats fine BUT I cannot get over how JLA takes the ONLY black central character and makes him a DOORMAT for the whyte characters. Kieran has no personality other that protect and serve Poppy. Please, explain to me what are Kierans motives outside of serving Cas and Poppy??
2) Even when JLA tries to characterize the wolven as individuals, the fact that they are dependent on the whims of Poppy. It was creepy and a bad choice when it happened and a bad choice now.
3) There was a weird scene were Poppy FISTED Tawny's curly hair while holding her and honestly that was just such a weird thing to do. Gave me the creeps
4) Lord Stabbing isnt a personality trait. Please. Poppy stabbing people stopped being cute half ways through book two.
5) I remembered nothing of The Crown of Gilded Bones and if you think I am going to reread that mess you have another thing coming lol
Will definitely NOT read the next books.
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, War, Death, Sexual content, and Violence
_katrinareads_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Confinement, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Blood, Death, and Emotional abuse