valpyre's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i finally finished this! i think i originally started it when i had first finished a natural history of dragons a while ago but eventually stalled out and only picked it back up again recently. honestly while i seriously admire brennan's intense worldbuilding and detail in this installment, i felt it hard to get through sometimes. i was personally daunted by the amount of lore in this fictional world -- constantly having unfamiliar names thrown at me made it hard to keep things straight and i always felt like i was missing some of the story because of it. i did really enjoy that brennan wrote a story about scholars who purposefully respected and learned indigenous practices, it was really refreshing to read about.
Moderate: Violence, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Colonisation and Pregnancy
kabrahams's review against another edition
2.5
*Book one spoilers*
Less dragons and more political intrigue than the first book, but still very fun. I loved seeing Lady Trent coming into her own after the tragic death of her husband and her struggle with motherhood as she prefers the life of a traveler and adventurer. Excited to continue the series.
Coming back the next day to lower my rating from 4.25 to 2.5. There were aspects of the story (colonialism and depictions of other races) that just weren't sitting right with me. Reading other reviews, I found that others shared my opinion. While well-written, this book left a bad taste in my mouth.
Less dragons and more political intrigue than the first book, but still very fun. I loved seeing Lady Trent coming into her own after the tragic death of her husband and her struggle with motherhood as she prefers the life of a traveler and adventurer. Excited to continue the series.
Coming back the next day to lower my rating from 4.25 to 2.5. There were aspects of the story (colonialism and depictions of other races) that just weren't sitting right with me. Reading other reviews, I found that others shared my opinion. While well-written, this book left a bad taste in my mouth.
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Racism, War, and Colonisation
jessthanthree's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, and Animal death
Minor: War
jenny_d's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
achingallover's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Colonisation, Grief, Classism, Blood, and Death
szuum's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Sexism
purplepentapus's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
Minor: Animal death
podanotherjessi's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book leans even more into the feminism of the work, with a little more focus on the role of women in society and how it compares to that of men. It also takes a stab at classism as well. I liked that this one felt distinct from "Europe but with dragons" as a setting because it meant that making up a new world had a purpose. There's been a lot of little hints at the anti-colonial messages, and I kind of hope we get that more solidly later or else it feels vaguely exploitative of these places she's visiting. Still, a fun read!
Moderate: Animal death
More...