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pidgepodge'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: Body horror, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Xenophobia, and Classism
Minor: Slavery
skylarkblue1's review
2.0
This book was so very long, and so very slow and dry. I thought I was enjoying it still though because, well, I kept reading, but after needing to renew it twice at the library and the finale kinda just being.. nothing big I realised that I just don't really care for this aha..
The characters were ok, the world was quite neat as well. The writing though I think just really didn't mesh well with me. I also have no idea what the title is referring to considering what the ending is lol. I think this book really could have been so much shorter and like nothing would have been lost. We don't need super long books, this is a pretty big issue with a lot of the long books I've read, they just seem really padded and not well edited.
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Racism, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
xvicesx's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think I'll need to read the second book to make up my mind about the series.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Slavery
aseel_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
drjoannehill'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
5.0
Moderate: Genocide, Violence, Kidnapping, and War
Minor: Slavery and Injury/Injury detail
aed2655'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? No
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
bakeybeans'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
Immediately after finishing the book I feel it’s 5*.
The plot is steady and things are revealed at a good pace to keep it engaging but nothing is revealed too soon. The way the characters search and find answers feels natural. I didn’t really experience a lull in the story. There were parts that felt like context for the characters but later in the story you realise it was foreshadowing or helps answer a question.
The pace definitely speeds up through the story, but reflects the story and as the urgency the characters face in the story increases the pace matches.
I liked the use of common phrases throughout the book which felt out of place at first but as you learn more I felt it fed into the theme of history repeating and civilisations rising and falling, leaving lasting memories despite the source being unknown.
The switching narratives helps develop the theme of history and knowledge twisting throughout history. I found the narratives blended well, with one sometimes offering answers to the other. The narratives also felt distinct to me, I felt the self-assuredness in Livira . With the pace of her opening chapters being slower but speeding up as her thirst for answers and knowledge increased. Opposed to the more cautious and careful approach from Evar.
It feels like a story written by someone who loves books, stories and libraries. The plot follows the characters but there is an underlying thread of this running throughout.
It made me think about how much I love books and how important they are.
Not only as we read them but what they will teach the people who come long after us. It made me appreciate books/libraries as portals to the past and possible futures. It created a feeling that books are special and the words within them hold a universe within the story.
Is it a perfect book, no. No one book ever could be. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and ordered the sequel when I realised how close I was to the end as I’m not ready to let the story finish.
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
dkamada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
peregrinwho's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Everything I thought was set up for a specific pay-off later was indeed paid off. It gave me so much joy to see the story unwinding to those points and being able to scream, "yes! I was right!" as characters solved the mysteries. A satisfying story with a fun journey. I laughed, I cried, I sat staring at the wall contemplating some of the author's words like a nexus point as the world turned around me. Can't wait to follow these characters into the next book💜.
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery and War
theaceofpages'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? No
3.5
A library seems like a great place to hunker down with all that's going on in the outside world. Especially one this large and magical.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: War
Minor: Racism and Classism