anni_swanilda'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: Death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Gore, Murder, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Vomit, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Self harm
Minor: Sexual content, Child death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, War, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
ofbooksandechos'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
Graphic: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, and Physical abuse
Minor: Self harm and Animal death
additional cws: fictional racism, use of fictional racial slurs.mme_carton'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
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, War, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Slavery, Abandonment, and Confinement
abookstereotype1'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: Death of parent, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, and Physical abuse
tinysierra'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
4.0
-The author includes a list of trigger warnings at the beginning!
-Someone I follow compared this book to Raybearer, so no wonder I liked it!
Spoiler
Although in this book, you get to know the Champions and side characters more in depth than the side characters in Raybearer.Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Animal death
Minor: Vomit
maryannsophia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
But her characters are morally ambiguous and tortured. I got tired reading chapter after chapter of PTSD, trauma, anxiety, and distress without a real sense of hope.
Spoiler
The one bright spot is Malik's love for his sister, but even that is overshadowed by his drive to murder in order to save her. And Karina spends the majority of the book trying to resurrect her mother with necromancy, but is so upset when another character succeeds at exactly that with her sister. It appears necromancy and dark magic were only right if she herself did them.The characters' sense of right and wrong is very tied to their feelings.
Spoiler
Karina is okay with killing her husband as long as it's someone she doesn't have feelings for. But as soon as she gets close to Malik and Tunde, she decides not to kill each of them.Lastly, there is no clear bad guy, or good and evil. While there is a place for "No bad guy" in fiction, the forces in this book are tricksters out for their own agendas, manipulating and backstabbing as they see fit. If that's your cup of tea, then it's up to you.
As good as the wonderful cultural and folklore references are, I can't in good conscience recommen this book. As a third-culture kid who grew up in Africa, that's why I was drawn to this book. But it's tone and worldview are too bleak and disatisfying to justify recommending it.
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Violence
longhairzuko'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
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Self harm, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
queenie_ofthe_void'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
4.0
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
One of the things I really loved about starting this book was the page with potential trigger warnings. I'll include them below, but the fact they were just included as if it were normal was great to see.
Karina was instantly a delight. I love her snark and slow journey to responsibility. "Hire uglier stable boys." XD She's definitely a reluctant heiress and I found myself rooting for her in spite of her occasional childishness. I cannot wait to see what she does in the sequel.
Malik - oh, Malik. My heart hurts for him. Things go south so fast at the beginning of the story and he spends most of the book trapped and desperate. Despite that, he's for sure not helpless. ;) And the final challenge...well can't say anything because spoilers!
I spent most of this book being completely wrong and it was fantastic. ASOWAR will keep you guessing and screeching, so go read it!!
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Animal death
Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Self harm
tay_mackenziemac's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Animal death and Emotional abuse