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oxfordcommas91'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
3.0
This was a fine book but it is definitely what I’d consider a romance focus with a light dusting of fantasy/magic elements. The fantasy elements are not explored or explained in any sort of depth. Though this is YA, it doesn’t compare to series like Shadow & Bone that gives you a vivid fantasy world with a true magic system. The focus is nearly wholly on the two main characters - both young journalists living in the capital or a fictional country at war. While war rages through their lands, it has not yet come to the capital and many believe it won’t. Their lives and interactions are the focus of this book, with a side quest/plot of the magical war that is apparently tearing society apart at the seams.
My issues with this book is that there are so many things that are really skipped over in service of the romance and to great detriment to the rest of the plot. While I commend the author for her creative way of introducing information (and doing it slowly) via letters, there simply is not enough to understand why the war is raging and what the rest of society is up to (we get a limited handful of side characters, most of which don’t drive the plot forward much).
There are more than a few plot holes - and it’s frustrating to get intrigued by a topic being introduced only to jump immediately to something else happening.
I will give props where deserved - I think the author does a nice job of conveying the brutality of war to a YA audience and setting up a compelling concept - who wouldn’t be intrigued by the concept of a world where the gods were at war and humans were being recruited to fight on their behalf?
I’m intrigued enough by the last ¼ of the book and the cliffhanger ending (which I’m mad about for other reasons but we don’t have time to get into that) that I will likely pick up the second book and hope that Ross treats us to a more developed fantasy world where her characters can truly shine.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Bullying and Sexism
taranottahra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Violence and Classism
isabelle8794's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gore, and Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Cursing, and Death of parent
spazzcats'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: War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
ladybug12793'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
3.75
Decent read with good plot and pretty writing. Some grammatical errors, though. Hated the ending. Made no logical sense. IYKYK
0-0.25 🌶️ closed door
Graphic: Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death
emerentina's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse and Kidnapping
victoriascotta'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
4.5
Graphic: Child death and War
Moderate: Death of parent
mrsalexisrjones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
casey_bloom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Aesthetic and Tropes:
- Dual POVs
- War - in the trenches
- Gods at war & magic
- Letters/pen pals
- Workplace rivals -> lovers
- He falls first
- Found family
The letters were my favourite part of the story as they were intimate and raw and showed how two people can form a connection through vulnerability, sharing their feelings of loss and grief with one another.
I adored the found family aspect of this story, the array of characters that we meet on Iris and Roman’s journey was special and I loved the bond they all formed.
My only negative is that I would have liked a bit more of an in depth explanation of the world building and magic system as I found it lacked depth at times.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
kennedyasdfghjkl'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
Graphic: Gun violence and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, and Death of parent