delphinaris'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Blood, Murder, Bullying, Animal death, Alcohol, Infertility, Infidelity, Child death, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Xenophobia, War, Vomit, Violence, Transphobia, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Slavery, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Classism, Confinement, and Child abuse
This book is majorly fucked up; especially the scenes in the Fulcrum. Read at your own risk.the_bees_books'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Violence, Genocide, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Slavery, Classism, Xenophobia, War, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
stierwood'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? It's complicated
4.0
I didn’tunderstand the use of the 2nd person until about 2/3rds thru the book, and then thought it was rlly clever.
Characters were complex and loveable.
I have a history degree. That this book focuses on history, how it is told, and who writes it was so good to read and exceptionally well-done. The lore was sooo fleshed out.
A hard one to read in a slump. The world building was complex so thank gd for the appendix.
Dark, but never unnecessarily so.
Except every modern dystopian piece of media i have consumed recently has had cannibalism in it and my tummy hurts.
Graphic: Transphobia, Slavery, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, War, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Sexual harassment
heckgoshdang'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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Genocide
Moderate: Colonisation, Cannibalism, Gore, Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical content, Racial slurs, Classism, Mental illness, Blood, Murder, Racism, Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
galacticvampire's review
5.0
"Stupid, stupid woman. Death was always here. Death is you."
I was enamoured by the concept of The Fifth Season from the first time I heard about it years ago, added to overall praise for the series, I was coming with high expectations.
And it delivered. Everything and more.
The execution not only lives up to the concept, but surpasses it. The suspense isn't there to pull the rug from under your feet in a gotcha moment, it's carefully crafted into the story, where the reveals are satisfying and spark the need for more, even when you caught what the foreshadowing was trying to tell you.
The world is so rich and complex that the initial struggle to follow what was going on (including the recurrent second person pov) has an immense pay-off. The feeling of wonder didn't leave me for a second.
I'm very much on the transition from YA to Adult Fantasy, so the very real darkness and grittiness surrounding everything was unexpected, but I couldn't have picked a better book to make me fall in love with the genre.
This is a story about Pain. This is a story about Grief. This is a story about enduring them and surviving them, because you have no other option.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Grief, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Racial slurs, Abandonment, Sexual content, Rape, and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Racism, and Xenophobia
alexijai98's review
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Grief, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism, Hate crime, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual violence and Pedophilia
natalie_gumm'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Hate crime, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Classism, Racism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Body horror, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Rape, Medical content, Child death, and Pedophilia
ecmbeanie'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child abuse, Child death, Abandonment, Racism, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, and Physical abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
audino'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
5.0
Moderate: Slavery, Torture, Violence, Racism, and Sexual content
zaharya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The characterisation is brilliant! The world building is very unique, and delivered very well as it gradually expanded.
Definitely darker than I initially expected — I went in knowing basically nothing about it, so that’s not very difficult — but not in a way that felt like it was just for shock.
The writing itself is extremely good, and the second person POV is an interesting change from the usual third or first person — which are also included though.
Definitely picking up the second one right away.
Graphic: Violence and Racism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, and Slavery
Minor: Cannibalism and Sexual content