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elledanie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Medical content, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse and Abandonment
mrsalexisrjones'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
karlin0336's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing and Sexual content
xchloe_bxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lncolgate'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
Rebecca Ross has fantastic prose writing. Beautiful sentences -gorgeous imagery and metaphors. Draws out pure emotion while reading —never forced, never saccharine, never this is how you’re SUPPOSED to feel. You just feel all the characters emotions intensely.
The book reads as both fantasy and historical fiction. The fantasy is magical realism rather than traditional swords and sorcery or even steampunk. It’s effortless blend. The world feels so real and akin to our own. I can’t help but think of contemporary events going on and how people experiencing the effects of war directly would feel reading this.
Every main character is well developed. Hell even the bit characters you remember. There’s not too many and they’re all interconnected with Roman and Iris’s story.
The letters are so beautifully written. Man haven’t read a contemporary epistolary novel like that in a long time; honestly can’t remember if I’ve read one outside Dracula, Little Women, and Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. So much thought and care put into them. Again, it all feels so real-ironic given it’s a fantasy novel where I’m not normally looking for realism. Emotions and stories they tell one another are just pure, unfiltered.
The story is tragic, exciting, and full of emotion. I wolfed it down from start to finish. I couldn’t get enough. Felt like I didn’t want to stop to breathe at times. I forgive even the massive cliffhanger ending because this book is just that good. I feel Ross does close one arc—the relationship and romance between Iris and Roman. The start and the culmination of it. Now we have a trial—a quest. It’s an epic romance sure to endure the rest of time.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
casey_bloom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Aesthetic and Tropes:
- Dual POVs
- War - in the trenches
- Gods at war & magic
- Letters/pen pals
- Workplace rivals -> lovers
- He falls first
- Found family
The letters were my favourite part of the story as they were intimate and raw and showed how two people can form a connection through vulnerability, sharing their feelings of loss and grief with one another.
I adored the found family aspect of this story, the array of characters that we meet on Iris and Roman’s journey was special and I loved the bond they all formed.
My only negative is that I would have liked a bit more of an in depth explanation of the world building and magic system as I found it lacked depth at times.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
katiekaiser'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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit
kerryamchugh'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
julells's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting
micaelamariem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
And the cliffhanger plot twist ending??? I need more omg. I’m so nervous for these cinnamon roll characters and there are still so many questions I have about the war and the myths and the impeccable Worldbuilding. I need the sequel now.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism