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dododenise's review
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
nefariousbee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I'm always down for some anti-military critique. the second half was too rushed for its own good tho, it didn't hit as much as it could. it's a good story. too bad it didn't get more pages to unravel the change in everyone's minds more slowly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Blood, and Colonisation
peachylite's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
apple_atcha_reading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A compelling and wonderful story with beautiful artwork.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, and War
rainbowrocky's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Beautiful art with warm, saturated colors and a story that deals with themes of militarism, colonialism, and xenophobia. Steeped in an underrepresented historical culture. It's pretty simple, handling the themes by subverting what one would expect from this kind of story, particularly by being critical of the empire. Though I wish the characters had more dimension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
claudiashelf's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-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? Yes
4.25
❝ Most of you will die on a field you've never seen before, surrounded by strangers. What will all this talk of history and empire mean to you then? Is your life worth more than platitudes? ❞
I came across an enthralling young adult graphic novel that expertly delves into the captivating allure of empire, the intricate dynamics of marginalised people, the relentless pursuit of power, and the themes of camaraderie, cooperation, and valiant female protagonists wielding swords.
This book’s visual design is truly breathtaking; the exquisite artwork and the gripping storyline absolutely spellbound me. It successfully has left an enduring impression on me, and I find myself continually drawn back to its profound narrative. It presents a beautifully straightforward yet powerful message that lingers long after turning the final page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and War
goodthingsread's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
This was a delightful read. The art was interesting, a sort of polished unpolished style full of energy and movement. The story of Aiza and Doruk also kept my interest and was fun to read through. I do wish I could have gotten more about all the other characters, including Hende. It seems to be a standalone novel, and graphic novels don't always allow for <i>the most</i> background on characters since you're limited to the cells and making things cohesive in a visual manner. But I do wish I could get a little bit more about the other characters' motivations. There's precious little for Sahar and Basem has the most background, but a lot of that I got from reading into what was there, not what the book elaborated on.
I would prefer this as a series, because the ending does feel a little bit off, like the beat of the story was established and then we suddenly went to a half-step.
In hindsight, I might have rated this more of a 3.5, but I can see from other reviews and from the writer and artist's own notes that this kind of representation means a lot, so it's easy to round up rather than down. It is nice to have a different look and culture to the characters rather than the same old English inspired knights.
I would prefer this as a series, because the ending does feel a little bit off, like the beat of the story was established and then we suddenly went to a half-step.
In hindsight, I might have rated this more of a 3.5, but I can see from other reviews and from the writer and artist's own notes that this kind of representation means a lot, so it's easy to round up rather than down. It is nice to have a different look and culture to the characters rather than the same old English inspired knights.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Violence
gl00p's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
chloebaboey's review against another edition
adventurous
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and War