jessthanthree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Torture, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Slavery, Child abuse, and Violence
Minor: Confinement, Animal death, Body horror, Pedophilia, Classism, Cannibalism, Dysphoria, and Rape
pollyflorence's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Physical abuse
pclairx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Gaslighting, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cannibalism and Bullying
mrsmowrey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Sexual content, and Child death
Moderate: Genocide, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Racial slurs, and Racism
Definitely one of the best books I have read in years.reebeee'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
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Child death, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Bullying
Minor: Dysphoria, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism
racheldoesthings'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
3.75
Graphic: Child death and Child abuse
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Abandonment and Physical abuse
maeverose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
First, I think if you’re going to include something as sensitive as sexual assault and rape, especially happening to children, it needs to have an important reason to be there. In this book I felt that those things in particular were there purely for shock value. It really wasn’t necessary and it bothered me.
Second, the way the trans character Tonkee is represented I found to be offensive. Not only is she frequently described as being smelly and unclean when no one else is, but there’s also this line in a scene when she’s taking a bath in front of Essun:
“You’re a little surprised to see a penis somewhere amid this process, but, well, not like any comm’s going to make her a Breeder.”
That’s essentially saying ‘oh she’s trans.. but whatever she’s ugly anyway.’ Like??? That’s what your mind to jumps to after finding out someone is trans? Really? Also just the fact that the two trans characters in the book (one isn’t even named) are introduced as being trans by describing their genitals, which is just invasive and could even be read as fetishy. I really don’t understand the people praising this book for having trans characters… Tonkee isn’t even a main or important character hardly, and Essun seems to see her as an annoyance the entire time.
I don’t know if the offensive way Tonkee was represented was intentional or not, but it really doesn’t sit well with me and kind of ruined my experience of the book, which sucks because it is a really good story besides that.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Racial slurs, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Transphobia
Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Slavery, Vomit, Sexual content, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Blood, Body shaming, Fire/Fire injury, and Eating disorder
Minor: Cannibalism and Pregnancy
the_greywarren's review against another edition
- 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
The story follows three people: Damaya, a girl with great gifts that the world hates her for; Syenite, a powerful student who wants nothing more than to prove her worth; and Essun, a mother looking for revenge.
Knowing nothing about this book is the best way to go into it. I only knew that it had good representation and was well written, so I suggested it for my book club, and boy was it amazing.
It is masterfully written, the story ties together in such a gorgeous way, and even though it's confusing at first, the payoff at the end is more than worth pushing through this confusion.
Immediately after finishing it I had to go back and read the prologue, and it was so satisfying.
This review is all over the place, but just read this book okay??
Oh and check trigger warnings, for the love of god.
Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
rayofgdsunshine'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Sexual content, Trafficking, Bullying, and Racism