bergha1998'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
Found Family, LGBTQIA+, Romance Subplots
“He wished he didn’t know what he had lost. Maybe then every day wouldn’t feel like this. As if he had once known how to fly, but the skies had shaken him loose and left him with nothing but the memory of wings.”
“Fear grew in places unlit by knowledge.”
Graphic: Racism, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
leahcanread'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
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Antisemitism and Abandonment
nicoleterego's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Spoiler
If anything, his actions are always questionable (examples: not being able to recognize a trap twice, ignoring Tristan, rejecting Laila at the end when the book built up their romance repeatedly throughout the whole book; that was so annoying). There were also throw-away scenes like when he went to feed Goliat but ended up, once again, pining for Laila. We didn't even get to know what happened to Tristan's pet. I know it's just a pet, but it could've been nice if the characters eventually learned to like the spider just because of Tristan.Spoiler
That's why even if Tristan died at the end, I didn't really feel much. I never got to see how the characters grew to love him and what I should be sad about regarding his death. The dead birds also confused me. I think it should've been a big revelation, but then I don't know him that much, so it didn't have the impact the author expected to have on the readers (or maybe that's just me). There was no setup to his betrayal. Sophia has the greatest potential, but I don't understand what the author wants to achieve with her love triangle with Enrique and Hypnos. Why did she revert back to her old self just because she saw them kiss? Like??? Her infatuation for Enrique shouldn't be the only reason for her to grow as a character. Also, am I the only one who thinks she has neurodivergent traits?On the bright side, I really love the Filipino representation. It's refreshing to see my own nationality being represented. Add to the fact that I love Enrique's character (him and Sophia were my faves). I like what the author wants to convey, what they dream of writing about, and I'm so on board with it.
Moderate: Animal death and Abandonment
mitzee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Minor: Blood and Abandonment
lisa_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book however reminded me so much of some of my favourite books:
Spoiler
- a found family that reminded me a lot of Six of Crows (especially Kaz & Séverin!)
- a magical Order reminding me a lot of the Shadowhunters
- tattooed vows that reminded me of ACOTAR
- great unique gifts that reminded me of Raybearer
and somehow while reminding me of so many other books and series this book managed to stay unique.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait for the sequel. The only reason I'm not quite giving it 5 stars is the ending & Séverins behaviour in the end.. Careful: BIG SPOILERS AHEAD!
Spoiler
I generally really liked Séverin throughout the book but this just didn't stick right with me..
Also what happened to Tristan was so unexpected and super sad. I usually get emotional very easily while reading but I didn't cry this time. I was sad but not THAT sad. That is also one of the reasons I decided to not give the book 5 stars. It didn't manage to ruin me..
I guess I did like the characters but I wasn't really attached to any of them. I do like though that the other is not afraid of killing of her main characters.
Also I really liked Laila and I think her POV was also always the most interesting to me. I really hope she will stay kind even after what happened because in one of the last chapters we get to see the new her and I have to say I don't like it. She carries her hurt around like a blade and that is so unlike her.
What I probably enjoyed most about this book was the scenery. Paris 1889 but with magic and secret societies.
I still have a lot of questions about the magic system and general world building but I hope that will all be clearer to me when I read the sequels.
I also really enjoyed the Authors Note at the end. What the author said about the Exposition Universelle and "La Belle Epoque" was really interesting. I like that she said you cannot just take the good and ignore the bad and I think you can definitely see that in the book as well. It has the glamour but also the seriousness which you already know I love in my books :)
Graphic: Abandonment, Antisemitism, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Torture
rebeccaxpaige's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, and Gore
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Antisemitism, Colonisation, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
oliverreeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Torture
maryjames's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Sexual content, Antisemitism, and Racism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cultural appropriation, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail
starlessnights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, and Racism