Scan barcode
heyitscin'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
sankta_aleena'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
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War
diaries_of_a_realist'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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Torture and Blood
Minor: Torture and Violence
whiskersfromwithin'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
4.0
Graphic: Death and Blood
nebraskanwriter'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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, and Death of parent
bookphile'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
4.5
The cast of characters is interesting and diverse, and you get to fall in love with every single one of them as the story progresses. I can honestly say that I loved every single one of them.
There's a lot of discussion about war, the affects of war on the people, the treatment of refugees - even when they are ready to lay down their life for a country that continually rejects them. The price of peace and the cost of conquest and bloodshed.
It is a dark book, but it's not without glimpses of true heroism, even in the bleakest moments. I highly recommend it and I honestly think it's one of Lu's best.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, and Murder
fungivibes's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, and Torture
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Xenophobia, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent
quiggle's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, and Grief
kassidyreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, and Blood
olivialandryxo's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The prologue intrigued me, and there’s action and more intrigue immediately. I was emotionally invested before the first chapter ended. The whole book is intense and exciting, nerve-wracking and heartbreaking.
I loved the characters so much. Talin, Red, Adena, and Jeran are brilliant and complex, and I love the four of them. I especially love Talin and Red, who are both resilient and strong and in need of a hug. The former’s determination was admirable, and the latter is a warrior that’s soft on the inside, aka one of my favorite kinds of characters. I liked them individually and together, although there’s no romance; I’m referring to their friendship and how they work together.
Lu has always excelled at writing close-knit groups, and this was no exception. Talin, Adena, and Jeran have a great dynamic, and I enjoyed seeing Red slowly become part of their group despite everyone’s prejudices and doubts.
Lu is also phenomenal with world-building, as is evident in all three of her prior series and now this new one as well. Skyhunter’s story is set in a futuristic world full of ruins of the Early Ones’ civilization, now occupied mostly by the Federation, a cruel, power-hungry empire. The only free country on the continent is Mara, a small, struggling nation the Federation is eager to conquer. It was set up and explained so well, interesting and new and never confusing.
The world is intricate, full of things good and bad, and the worst is the Ghosts. The Federation poisons people with a substance that contorts and transforms them into unrecognizable beasts, then unleashes the feral creatures onto enemy territory.
I know for sure three things I’ll be doing:
- buying my own copy of this book
- recommending this book to everyone
- waiting eagerly for news of the sequel, and reading it as soon as it comes out
I’m excited and scared for the sequel. I want my babies to be okay, but I don’t think they will be. Lastly, I really hope that the sequel is as brilliant as this book, because so far I haven’t read a series conclusion from Lu that I truly loved. Fingers crossed Skyhunter 2 will be different, whenever it releases. Now go read Skyhunter, y’all!!
Representation:
- mute protagonist of color that communicates using sign language (I don’t think I’ve ever seen this in a book?!)
- some side characters of color
- two queer side characters (this isn’t evident until the last third of the book, and currently no romance has developed)
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Suicidal thoughts