jackeline_cruz_'s review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Car accident, Murder, War, and Violence
kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cursing and Blood
littletiramisu'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: Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: War
Minor: Mass/school shootings
ctara2123'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
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Gun violence, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent and Car accident
Minor: Mass/school shootings
amelianotthepilot'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? Yes
4.0
The plot follows two high schoolers on different sides of ‘the seam’. They live in a dystopian mega city called Verity that is plagued with monsters. The south is governed by a militaristic ruling family that utilizes monsters to defend while the north is ruled by a business man who utilizes the monsters and has people pay him to keep them ‘safe’. The monsters are Malachai: evil vampire-like creatures that like to kill, have really tough skin, and a bone breast plate, Corosai: evil hive mind creatures that are mostly shadow and can be destroyed with light to the face, and Sunai: a siren-like creature that reap evil human souls only but without them starves and goes off like a bomb before continuing. Our main characters August, a Sunai from the South side who is adopted into the military ruling family, and Kate, the daughter of the businessman ruler of the North side, meet in a precarious arranged situation and end up on an adventure together.
My main confusion was over August, the Sunai, who isn’t really explained. The reader slowly pieces his situation together which is meant to be mysterious but just ends up confusing. He has tally mark tattoos that mark how many days since he’s last gone off like bomb, and these magically appear and disappear. He needs to ‘eat’ evil human souls in an unspecified ‘often’ and if not he grows physically and mentally ill. He has this adoptive family situation that isn’t fully explained but his two ‘siblings’ are also adoptive Sunai, and no other known ones exist.
I really enjoyed the story but it is clearly one of VE Scwab’s earlier stories and has a lot of loose threads. It’s cool to see how she’s grown as an author. I recommend the book but I’d read a world building explanation first.
Graphic: Blood, Dysphoria, Islamophobia, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Car accident, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gore, Kidnapping, Confinement, Grief, and Gun violence
nabecker13's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Torture, Car accident, Confinement, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, Kidnapping, and Violence
balamaqab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Torture and Murder
Minor: Car accident and Forced institutionalization
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Grief, Gore, and Torture
Minor: Mass/school shootings
jennastopreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, Violence, Torture, Death of parent, Murder, and Vomit
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, and Car accident
marine2907's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Medical content, Car accident, Death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Cursing, Hate crime, Murder, Violence, and Gun violence