cadence99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Suicide attempt, Torture, Grief, Physical abuse, Child death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy
jenna_smuszkiewicz'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I think the worldbuilding was really good and now that we know the background of the main character and established the situation, I feel like the next books will be even better.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
chaoticweevil'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
4.75
Once it gets going, the plot really pulls you in and just absorbs you. It's easy to get invested in these characters and the world building and magic system is top-notch. And the world building continues throughout as you learn things along with the characters. If you like to get immersed in completely new worlds while following deeply personal individual journeys, definitely pick this up! I can't recommend it enough and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Grief, Death, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism
yourbookishbff'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
There really is no other book (I know of) that serves as a useful/direct comparison, but I do believe readers who love the Locked Tomb series (particularly for Muir's use of an unreliable narrator/second person POV in Harrow) and Legendborn (for Deonn's skillful use of fantasy to create a rich allegory for slavery and colonialism) will enjoy this.
And THE TWISTS. They were perfectly executed. Jemisin weaves clues in so subtly that you don't notice them for what they are until you've reached your first big reveal. I love an author who can pull off a well-deserved twist that all at once feels both obvious and unbelievable because they've laid the foundation so well. It's a pet peeve of mine when fantasy authors deliver a plot "twist" simply by omitting crucial information for the reader (looking at you SJM-House-of-Earth-and-Blood-and-House-of-Sky-and-Breath), and this, thankfully, is not that.
Highly recommend!
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Child abuse, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Slavery, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
Minor: Abandonment
codyboteler's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Some parts are written in second person…which I don’t hate? But I am still coming to terms with.
There was one twist that I found deeply satisfying, and then another that I found, eh, less satisfying. But it wasn’t something that made me stop reading, by any means. Really great intro to a trilogy.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death and Child abuse
dustjacket_fullofmonsters's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: Cannibalism
elizabeth_lepore'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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Injury/injury detail, Xenophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Hate crime, and Transphobia
city_girl_writer'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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Injury/injury detail, Sexual content, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Cannibalism
rtaire'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: Emotional abuse, Death, Grief, Slavery, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Child death, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Cannibalism
bookslumper's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, Police brutality, Confinement, Racial slurs, Torture, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Genocide