Scan barcode
imds'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Colonisation
mbjem_'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? Yes
3.5
The world building is interesting, unique, and compelling enough to be worth reading more about on its own. While I'm not totally endeared to the main characters yet, I did like several of the side characters quite a lot. Hopefully, the sequel will show some real growth for the main characters and make them more likable. At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic about the future and the next books!
Graphic: Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
tinytrashqueen'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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death and Panic attacks/disorders
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the world and the characters. I need to know what will happen with everyone.
Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
bloodmaarked'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
4.0
✧ full review on my tumblr ✧
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
cdoubet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
silver_violet'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
4.5
Moderate: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
erebus53's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
As far as the world and mood is concerned, I quite liked the setting but I felt like there are are other authors who have done it better and developed it more. Rather than this I would prefer to be reading Tomi Adeyemi, Jordan Ifueko or Shannon Chakraborty, and I've been really itching to nail down exactly what it is that is rubbing me the wrong way.
The setting doesn't feel realistic, in that I can't conceive of a world where a Princess who is heir to a throne is left so clueless about matters of State without expecting some kind of Regent/caregiver contingency. Nobody is going to just NOT train their replacement. The logical outcome would be turmoil and a power-vacuum that would be filled at first by the council or advisor with the most heft. The politics is too simple to be realistic(ish), and not nuanced enough to come across as clever.
I think what it comes down to, is the whole plot feels slippery. There is magic, but how the magic works is not explained. Characters appear to go from passive magical sense to being inexplicably brilliant at their magical craft in the blink of an eye for no apparent reason. There is no sense of build and reward. It's hard to attach significance things when you can't tell what is dangerous, or impressive. It's impossible to build a character when you don't know what they value, or when what they say they value isn't carried out by their actions. In a plot where there is the promise of magical necromancy, it's hard to feel like killing off a character is necessarily permanent, so fearing for someone gets difficult.
It seems like most of the characters in this story are impulsive. They don't plan so much as decide to do a thing! and then get surprised when something stops them or they have to turn on a dime. The main characters are a hot mess, and and don't grow much during the story. It's like we are told how they feel about something that happens, rather than being able to intuit it, and follow their reactions in a natural way. The plot appears to lead the story more than the characters, and the whole thing seems thematically barren. Bigotry and exploitation is bad, magic is forbidden, but these seem like things to say rather than be used as points to guide the narrative.
Being led through this story feels like I'm only getting half the information I need, and there is little sense of anticipation. Perhaps I am bringing my own baggage with me, as this is a similar feeling to how I get when living with ADHD people who are continually fluctuating. The only gap in this call of unpredictable inconstancy, is the inevitable betrayal that turned out to be absolutely no surprise to me. Such trope, much wow.
I so wanted to love this, but instead here lies the autopsy of a story... and from its entrails I read: "not likely to seek the sequel in a hurry".
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Racism and Police brutality
Minor: Racial slurs and Sexual content
caseythereader'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
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
toy_masterpiece'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: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder