theintrovertsbooks'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
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Hate crime, Gore, Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Animal death, Alcohol, Grief, Abandonment, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Infidelity, Stalking, Misogyny, and Cannibalism
bzliz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Lou starts this book possessed by Nicholina and it takes the crew a while to realize it and devise a plan to exorcise her from Lou’s body. They’re still on the hunt to eliminate Morgane too so they’ve got a lot on their plate. Célie joins up with the crew with some much-needed money and civility that eases their journey more than once. Just when Lou is freed from her possession, Reid protects her from her mother by making Morgane forget her at the cost of his own memories of her and they have to find a way to stop Morgane while Lou and Reid find their way back together.
Ultimately, way too much of the book ends up with Lou possessed or Reid with memory loss and I don’t think it helped the story. There’s enough going on without those back to back hurdles. We also could have cut the mermaid plot line completely. I really like Célie’s addition to the crew and her desire to be more than what she was born into. Jean Luc is generally less likable but his inclusion showed that it isn’t impossible to change for the better. The final battle was pure chaos and so many characters that I barely remembered kept popping up which made it hard to focus on what was actually happening.
I did have a teary moment during the epilogue because
Spoiler
they saved a seat at the wedding for sweet baby Ansel and he got to see his friends be happy and healing and then he got to go be with his parents in the afterlife and it hurt my heart in the best way.Content warnings:
Blood, death, injury, violence (on page):
Spoiler
Lots of violence, injuries, etc because of the nature of the plot. Blood witches are involved so there is plenty of blood flowing.Fire/fire injury (on page):
Spoiler
Coco’s grief causes an unceasing hellfire that can’t be put out until she works through her grief. Lou and Reid are sentenced to burn to death and almost do but are rescued by their crew just in time.Confinement (on page):
Spoiler
Lou and Reid are kept in a cage following their failed attempt to infiltrate the city.Death of parent (on page):
Spoiler
Coco’s mother must die for her aunt to die; Morgane gets her comeuppance after a big speech about how she couldn’t really love Lou.Sexual content (on page):
Spoiler
Mostly fade to black scenes between Lou & Reid. Very mild.Grief (on page):
Spoiler
Everyone is still reeling from Ansel’s death but mostly Coco because her grief causes an unending hellfire that destroys parts of Cesarine.Alcohol (on page):
Spoiler
Scene of Lou, Reid, Jean Luc & Beau getting drunk together and playing truth or dare. They have hangovers after.Cannibalism (off page):
Spoiler
Discussion of La Voison and Nicholina eating human hearts.Torture (off page):
Spoiler
King Auguste definitely green-lights torture via rat even if it isn’t explicitly said.Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Confinement, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Torture
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Cursing, and Sexual content
Minor: Child death and Torture
what_karla_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Cursing, and Grief
karelidz'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? No
3.0
It doesnt have the same feeling as the first one did, like the novelty or momentum of it was just gone.
I think it could've easily been a duology and still have the same storyline, but for some reason its a trilogy instead.
It just kinda wasn't it for me.
I still kind of enjoyed my time reading it, but i even found myself trying to remember who certain characters were so... yeah, thats not a very good sign. The way this series progressed made me thankful that i didnt buy a physical copy of the second one because maybe i'll end up selling the first one.
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Violence, and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Grief, and Torture
kat1105'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
4.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Classism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Death, and Torture
lizgriffinwords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Did it deliver on all its promises and provide a satisfying conclusion? In my opinion, yes.
It’s slow and rambly at times, and the unnecessary sex scenes are eye-roll-inducing, but I recognize that it takes a lot of skill to make readers root for such a variety of characters, from the most crass and cantankerous to the prissy, holier-than-though types. The entire last 20% is an edge-of-your-seat, heart-in-your-throat roller coaster.
Content warnings: fire, death, near-drowning
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Torture
golden_like_dior'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
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Animal cruelty, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Genocide, Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Violence, War, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder
ncoletti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Torture
hobbitqueen31'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Torture