barefootbetsy's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I loved this book!!! I finished this one and immediately ordered the next two in the series.
There is a huge cast of characters, which I was initially nervous about, but this author does such a great job of making each character complex/unique and includes little details about the character in every scene that I didn’t find it difficult to keep track at all.
The pacing in general and timing of suspenseful events was extremely well done — I didn’t want to put the book down and would’ve read it in one sitting if I didn’t absolutely have to do other things in my life.
I’m quite invested in the outcome at this point and am very excited to read the next installments!
There is a huge cast of characters, which I was initially nervous about, but this author does such a great job of making each character complex/unique and includes little details about the character in every scene that I didn’t find it difficult to keep track at all.
The pacing in general and timing of suspenseful events was extremely well done — I didn’t want to put the book down and would’ve read it in one sitting if I didn’t absolutely have to do other things in my life.
I’m quite invested in the outcome at this point and am very excited to read the next installments!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Racism, Blood, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying, Colonisation, Confinement, Eating disorder, Outing, Police brutality, Stalking, Kidnapping, and War
Minor: Slavery, Death, and Death of parent
snazel's review against another edition
5.0
Oh goodness this was such fun. (Also wild to realize there are so many plots interweaving and literally none of them are romance-related? And it seems so natural! Everyone is just driven by bonds of friendship or duty or family or work.) I was just going to read a few chapters last night and instead I was hunched over in bed till after midnight, punching the air at a climactic scene in a park.
Note that one or two big plots are drawn to a point of closure in this one, but it very much is a book two of several. Our biggest bads are NOT dealt with, and there are several relationships in shambles, and several people in desperate peril.
I NEEEEEEED book two.
Note that one or two big plots are drawn to a point of closure in this one, but it very much is a book two of several. Our biggest bads are NOT dealt with, and there are several relationships in shambles, and several people in desperate peril.
I NEEEEEEED book two.
ladrengiliel's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
just_a_black_boy's review against another edition
5.0
God is REAL and he gave us this absolute gem of a book. I read through it in one go and will feel forever blessed
friendofhayley's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I liked the story and I want to know what happens next. But also I feel like the majority of the characters (except the dark elves) were boring and just made the story slog. Won't be reading the next books.
sam_ash_smash's review against another edition
3.0
I was skeptical up until about 75% in, but City of Strife came together in the end. If I was ranking this book merely on queer representation - it would get 4 stars. Many of the characters are queer, and while that is great, in some cases, it felt forced. The setting of this book is a magical city that is pre-industrial in terms of technological and societal development. When characters use modern terms for their orientation (and also in general modern slang, mentioned of nerves and signals, electricity instead of lightening) it was jarring to me. For instance: "They never caught her after that day, and her occasional interest in men helped alleviate suspicions. Bisexuality had its advantages." It would have felt more natural to me if the second sentence had been left off. If the setting had been more technologically advanced, it would have been fine. However, some readers might be quite happy to have bisexuality actually mentioned by name. I think the readers who will get the most enjoyment out of City of Strife are the ones who value having representation and diversity in their literature more than quality.
That sounds harsh, but overall the writing was clumsy. Probably over-ambitious for the author. There were a lot of characters, several plot lines (I don't think I could call one of them the main plot) and a very slow build-up. I was not invested up until the end, and even then, I was only invested in one character. And that is not great. So many of the characters felt childish, their emotions flared hot and fast, they lacked foresight and insight into others. They didn't act and react realistically. It felt staged. I also felt that City of Strife would have worked better for me as a graphic novel. It had an over the top emotionality that I associate with a more visual media. I also think the setting would have been better represented visually. It's set in a city of towers, but I didn't really get a sense of that until towards the end when the bridges between the towers became important.
The grammar itself was also a bit off. But, the author's note at the end, indicates that French is her preferred language. It is my understanding that this book is indie, not self-published. I would have expected that an editor would have caught these oddities. Phrases like, "the design of his High Priest outfit allowed air to flow through", "The higher half also clung to her skin and revealed some cleavage" are not technically incorrect, but awkward and could have been improved with some simple tweaking. Sometimes the meaning of the sentence was changed by incorrect grammar. "Relieving warmth spread through her." was actually meant to mean something like "relief drove the cold from her body" but instead implies that the becoming warm caused the relief. I'm no writer and I'm definitely not an expert at grammar, so if I notice something, it should have been caught by an editor.
I am going to read the second book. Mostly because this one ends on a bit of cliffhanger, but also because I'm hoping the second book will carry through the feel of the last 25% of this one.
That sounds harsh, but overall the writing was clumsy. Probably over-ambitious for the author. There were a lot of characters, several plot lines (I don't think I could call one of them the main plot) and a very slow build-up. I was not invested up until the end, and even then, I was only invested in one character. And that is not great. So many of the characters felt childish, their emotions flared hot and fast, they lacked foresight and insight into others. They didn't act and react realistically. It felt staged. I also felt that City of Strife would have worked better for me as a graphic novel. It had an over the top emotionality that I associate with a more visual media. I also think the setting would have been better represented visually. It's set in a city of towers, but I didn't really get a sense of that until towards the end when the bridges between the towers became important.
The grammar itself was also a bit off. But, the author's note at the end, indicates that French is her preferred language. It is my understanding that this book is indie, not self-published. I would have expected that an editor would have caught these oddities. Phrases like, "the design of his High Priest outfit allowed air to flow through", "The higher half also clung to her skin and revealed some cleavage" are not technically incorrect, but awkward and could have been improved with some simple tweaking. Sometimes the meaning of the sentence was changed by incorrect grammar. "Relieving warmth spread through her." was actually meant to mean something like "relief drove the cold from her body" but instead implies that the becoming warm caused the relief. I'm no writer and I'm definitely not an expert at grammar, so if I notice something, it should have been caught by an editor.
I am going to read the second book. Mostly because this one ends on a bit of cliffhanger, but also because I'm hoping the second book will carry through the feel of the last 25% of this one.
pantaruja's review against another edition
2.0
A book about some good characters sacrificing for mediocre characters. I don’t want to give a star rating because mi BFF loves it a lot and I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but there were just two good things that I liked in this book. The first one being the diverse representation and the second the presence of Branwen, Cal and Varden.
The plot is non-existent at times and a mess at others. Absolutely nothing happens until maybe the 60% of the book. I supposed this was because the author wanted to make the characters presentations but, in my opinion, not even this was well done because I didn’t care for any of the main (except Varden). I hated the majority of them, especially that Navian or whatever horrible egoistical kid whom we had to like because everyone, ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, adored him and I was reading like “why is everyone sacrificing their safety for this absolutely shitty brat!?”. I wanted him to die when that thing happened, yes. And let’s not talk about the other horrible, egoistical serial killer Hasryan. Really one of the most self-centered characters I’ve ever read about. I cannot stand them. And the only hint of a plot we get is that everyone has to sacrifice their safety to protect/safe those two characters!!!! I would’ve liked the book if it was about Varden, Cal or Branwen. But it was not. They were just there so that people would treat them like shit, abuse them, take advantage of their goodness and then continue to abuse them without giving them gratitude and you know what? I’m not one that enjoys genuinely generous characters being abused to protect others characters’ safety. It didn’t even serve to develop the others characters’ personalities. I mean, they had none apart from being egoistical shits.
Another thing about the characters is that, coincidentally, the difference between the women and men was astounding. Not a single female character was important. I liked Branwen, but she was not important in the least and her aunt just serve to save that serial killer. And then what did we had? Let’s make a list:
• The racist egoistical brat.
• The racist cop.
• The racist teacher. Who also said a thing similar to “It was horrible to let that man sexually abuse her, especially because she didn’t like men”. Like… is this even a thing? It’s especially bad to sexually abuse women when they are lesbians!? Does that make it less horrible if a woman likes men!!!? DID I REALLY READ THAT IN A PUBLISHED BOOK!!!!? REALLY!!!!?
• The racist boss.
And that’s it for the women.
OK. There was not a good plot and the characters were in their majority horrible, but was there a good world building? I don’t think so. There was a really really really bad country where it was practiced slavery and everyone there was super bad people and another were there were good and bad nobles that had to resist the bads but money. That was it. Oh, and two Gods who made one fire and the other good luck. And there were elves. I’m sorry but that’s not enough for me when the rest is also lacking.
Well, BFF, I’m sorry I didn’t like it.
The plot is non-existent at times and a mess at others. Absolutely nothing happens until maybe the 60% of the book. I supposed this was because the author wanted to make the characters presentations but, in my opinion, not even this was well done because I didn’t care for any of the main (except Varden). I hated the majority of them, especially that Navian or whatever horrible egoistical kid whom we had to like because everyone, ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, adored him and I was reading like “why is everyone sacrificing their safety for this absolutely shitty brat!?”. I wanted him to die when that thing happened, yes. And let’s not talk about the other horrible, egoistical serial killer Hasryan. Really one of the most self-centered characters I’ve ever read about. I cannot stand them. And the only hint of a plot we get is that everyone has to sacrifice their safety to protect/safe those two characters!!!! I would’ve liked the book if it was about Varden, Cal or Branwen. But it was not. They were just there so that people would treat them like shit, abuse them, take advantage of their goodness and then continue to abuse them without giving them gratitude and you know what? I’m not one that enjoys genuinely generous characters being abused to protect others characters’ safety.
Spoiler
At the end I was expecting that shit Hasryan to kill the good lady Camilla because, of course, everyone deserved to die except him and Navian Nevian whatever without calling out their bullshit. Because he was imprisoned because of racism, right? Not that he was actually a serial killer…Another thing about the characters is that, coincidentally, the difference between the women and men was astounding. Not a single female character was important. I liked Branwen, but she was not important in the least and her aunt just serve to save that serial killer. And then what did we had? Let’s make a list:
• The racist egoistical brat.
• The racist cop.
• The racist teacher. Who also said a thing similar to “It was horrible to let that man sexually abuse her, especially because she didn’t like men”. Like… is this even a thing? It’s especially bad to sexually abuse women when they are lesbians!? Does that make it less horrible if a woman likes men!!!? DID I REALLY READ THAT IN A PUBLISHED BOOK!!!!? REALLY!!!!?
• The racist boss.
And that’s it for the women.
OK. There was not a good plot and the characters were in their majority horrible, but was there a good world building? I don’t think so. There was a really really really bad country where it was practiced slavery and everyone there was super bad people and another were there were good and bad nobles that had to resist the bads but money. That was it. Oh, and two Gods who made one fire and the other good luck. And there were elves. I’m sorry but that’s not enough for me when the rest is also lacking.
Well, BFF, I’m sorry I didn’t like it.
mad_taylh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
4.75
"What else did he have, if not himself? He refused to surrender it, to let anyone twist it.'
ohnevermindme's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
kaa's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderfully queer book laden with politics and conversations about power, privilege, and what it takes to be a good person - but also filled with action and danger. I was in a constant state of anxiety about the well-being of my favorite characters (which was most of them, actually), and the obstacles facing them often seemed overwhelming. The book ends without resolving most of this tension - but that's all right, because I already have the next book!