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planetdaniel14's review
- 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
4.5
A raw look into PTSD, suicide, and self harm which can be quite graphic, however does not pull any punches in the story that it is telling.
I didn't particularly care for the Cora / Kaveh romance subplot which slows the middle of the book down somewhat (which is why I deducted half a star), but picks up when the focus is Cora and the Amygdaline or Kaveh and the Amygdaline as you get a glimpse into the culture clash and the potential for human reaction which comes to a head in the final part of the book.
The debates around how you would grant aliens personhood were genuinely thought-provoking as well as the looks into how we deal with our own emotions (the quote being most standout to me being "why do we dismiss how our parents taught us relationships as 'daddy issues')
While the ending left me melancholy, I am looking forward to Book 3 and where the themes take me next
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Xenophobia, War, Rape, and Mental illness
sandreline'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
5.0
Hey, don't skip the author's content note. Take it seriously and take care of yourself. This is a wildly different book than Axiom's End. It is about PTSD and suicidal ideation. It is a primary focus of the story. I love this series, I have read it before, and I still had to take a break halfway through.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content and Islamophobia
meremeth'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
Untreated PTSD is a debilitating experience, it turns you so disfunctional. It felt nice to read a character that is actually experiencing the effects of the serious trauma she went through in the first book. (Rare for sci fi!!)
Also, I genuinely felt politically challenged by this book. It guides you through some really interesting political thought.
I can't wait for the next book, I'm so desperate for more from this series. This one's a definite improvement on the first book, which makes sense as it was a debut!
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm
Moderate: Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, and Forced institutionalization
kanonkita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
That being said, maybe avoid the audiobook unless you really enjoy listening to tremulous female voices shouting "No no no" over and over again ever few minutes. The computerized sound effect that was put over the Amygdalans' voices in the audiobook could also be grating at times and made it difficult to hear them if there was any background noise while I was listening.
Overall, I would recommend it, but do pay attention to the content warning Ellis provides at the beginning of the novel.
Also, a note that I have not seen this book listed as LGBTQ+ in many places, which I can only chalk up to bi erasure. Cora is bisexual, and it seems unfair that this gets overlooked just because she has a heterosexual romance, especially given that it occurs alongside her very queer relationship with an alien who only uses he/him pronouns out of convenience.
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gun violence, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Gore, Suicide attempt, Islamophobia, Addiction, Death, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
seullywillikers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Gore, Islamophobia, Confinement, Deportation, Racism, and Addiction
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Infertility, and Eating disorder
_doze_'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
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Grief, Gore, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Antisemitism, Self harm, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual violence
moonspren'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
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Eating disorder, Grief, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
trinidad_gondi'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
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Vomit
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Addiction and Suicide
ling_prof'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
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Violence, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, Addiction, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, and Hate crime
Minor: Forced institutionalization
cfell'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
4.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Suicide, Police brutality, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Blood, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Genocide