thebookaddict'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
🇬🇧: What an emotional rollercoaster. I felt all the emotions in this book! First of all, the land building is really great! I immediately got a picture of everything and then the characters... each one is a good addition to the book. All the personalities are so different and yet fit so well into the story. This makes everything fall into place immediately, you really get those "ohwww that's why he did this" moments. Real chef's kisses. I totally get the hype... I can't wait to read iron flame! I need to know where this story continues.
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Cursing, Physical abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Medical content, and Violence
Moderate: Child death
banscout'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: War, Xenophobia, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Vomit and Panic attacks/disorders
abicaro17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Medical content, Gore, Murder, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, Sexism, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
megcarrick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Bullying, Death, Animal death, Gore, Grief, Violence, War, Abandonment, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Toxic friendship
sauvageloup'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? It's complicated
4.0
pros:
- it's pretty unputdownable, constantly keeping the tension high and the ball rolling. very good writing and pacing in that sense as there was never a dull bit.
- the different scenes were written well too, the fighting, dialogue, reflection and romance were all solid.
- I likes the setting, the dragons, the politics and worldbuilding, but the characters were the strong point. xaden and violet were both compelling and conflicted in their own ways.
- especially liked the flashing out of the side characters. I was definitely emotional when
Spoiler
Amber's dragon grieved and Liam died.- I hear from my friend witty Eds that Violet's was written well and it's great to see more disability representation, since its sadly lacking. great that she wasnt magically cured of it, and was supported by others throughout the story even as others tried to take her out.
- focus on sibling relationships was cool top, great to see mira and violets positive sisterhood and rhiannon and her sister.
- a fair number of twists were unpredictable, like
Spoiler
getting 2 dragons, xaden taking her to the rebuilt city and brennan being alive- I also liked that the characters were 20y/o plus, and the women were called that, not girls.
- inclusion of queer side characters was great to see too, including rhiannon and Heaton, neither of which faced any discrimination for it.
cons:
- it was all very classic YA tropes with an adult bent. Dane and xaden were immediately obviously love interests (twilight)
Spoiler
though I'm glad Dane was revealed as shitty pretty fast.Spoiler
the best dragon and the best magic and the hot unavailable older man, whilst being a tiny little pixie girl with silver hair. and enemies to lovers of course- though called clever, violet does have some dim moments for sure,
Spoiler
like she really didnt expect xaden to be part of a rebellion at all?? honestly.- also didny like the last chapter being xadens POV. it sounded the exact same to violets which was disappointing and was unneeded. he was better just through violets eyes.
- overall, I would have liked some more real failures for violet, and less cliches. plus some more real violence rather than the squeamish stuff. go big or go home for the morally grey characters is what I say.
but it still gets a four because it was very gripping, I did like xaden and violet and their chemistry, plus the side characters and the dragons.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Murder, War, Bullying, Gore, Violence, Ableism, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Medical content
falchionm'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
4.5
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Bullying, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, War, and Injury/Injury detail
moodreadererin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Death of parent, War, Bullying, Blood, Gaslighting, Death, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Body shaming
Moderate: Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Medical content
amirez1043'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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, War, Blood, Body horror, Death, Xenophobia, Ableism, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
bitternortherner'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
I'm not even sure if I consider my only complaint a complaint; there is an attempt at LGBTQ representation, and it really fell short- it's a side note of a passing conversation. I would never require all authors to represent identities they are unfamiliar with, that's how you get offensive stereotypes streamlined, right?
While full of feminine power, this story is straight AF.
I listened to this via libro.fm and the narrator was absolutely phenomenal. Her voice is so dynamic and each character has a different, unique, recognizable lilt. She also actually sped up the reading pace during stressful battles, slowed down during introspective bits, and evokes so much emotion. Rebecca Soler deserves a damn award for this reading. I finished all 20 hrs and 45 minutes in a two day period. The final chapter is read by Teddy Hamilton, and while he did a good job, it was jarring for the switch to happen, and I wasn't a big fan of his intonation and representation of our heroine.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Panic attacks/disorders
roseyposeyreads'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: Chronic illness, Violence, Death, Grief, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail