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add_a_little_spook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Slavery and Kidnapping
Minor: Gaslighting
reggiethebird's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
So they killed a character towards the end of this book , killed the dog and I could tell it was meant to be an big emotional moment, but then I asked my self "What did this character do before this? Why does their death matter? Why did their action matter again?" And I couldn't really answer any of these. Then they killed more characters, and I just asked the same questions again, with the same lack of answers. I'm pretty sure the book would have ended roughly the same without the actions of our two main characters, or even our 5 or so side characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Torture
jayecard's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The world was really cool and well described, but sadly I felt that the characters were incredibly bland. There was a lot of detail when it came to places and environments that I loved, but when it came to characters' thoughts and feelings, it suddenly was incredibly simplistic. Tom, the main character, is just sorta there for most of the plot and does virtually nothing, nor does he have a lot of interesting thoughts or emotions about it all. It didn't help that the ending felt incredibly dissatisfying.
Bonus points for letting a major female character be way outside of beauty standards though. The fact that Hester's face is described without trying to pretty up her scars and disfigurements was something I genuinely appreciated.
Bonus points for letting a major female character be way outside of beauty standards though. The fact that Hester's face is described without trying to pretty up her scars and disfigurements was something I genuinely appreciated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Excrement
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Slavery
directorpurry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Trafficking, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Death of parent
paskendus's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I really hoped I would love this book, but it was just ok.
I enjoyed the world and it did feel well developed.
Everything else just was a bit meh. The story was predictable and there were so many plot conveniences I did not feel the stakes at all.
There were plenty of deaths and destruction but it left me indifferent because the characters felt flat and I did not connect with them or feel for them.
The writing was simple, it really felt like I was reading a middle grade, which is not bad, just an odd tone to have for a book with so many death scenes, that were described on page. The tense change between past tense and present tense in some chapters, kept pulling me out of the story. I understand it is a creative choice, but I did not vibe with it. Another thing that kept pulling me out of the story was - characters commenting on a character's scar without any good reason. Constantly. As if it decides a person's value.
I will probably continue with the series, because I want to know more about the world, but I do hope character work improves in the later books.
I enjoyed the world and it did feel well developed.
Everything else just was a bit meh. The story was predictable and there were so many plot conveniences I did not feel the stakes at all.
There were plenty of deaths and destruction but it left me indifferent because the characters felt flat and I did not connect with them or feel for them.
The writing was simple, it really felt like I was reading a middle grade, which is not bad, just an odd tone to have for a book with so many death scenes, that were described on page. The tense change between past tense and present tense in some chapters, kept pulling me out of the story. I understand it is a creative choice, but I did not vibe with it. Another thing that kept pulling me out of the story was - characters commenting on a character's scar without any good reason. Constantly. As if it decides a person's value.
I will probably continue with the series, because I want to know more about the world, but I do hope character work improves in the later books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying
lollalong's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Blood