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slyveimaeve'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: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
erikagibson126's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Vomit, and War
risaleel'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
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, and Classism
squinnittowinit'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
4.5
Naomi Novik's story makes poignant remarks on prevalent real-world topics such as classism and privilege, through the lense of a magical society controlled by a fortunate (and greedy) few. She delivers genuine complex emotion as her characters grapple with their anger, their uncertainty, and at the end of the day, their humanity.
4.5 stars because I'm not sure if the author hired a sensitivity consultant or not; there were a couple small moments I didn't feel great about. Additionally, I wasn't sold on the design of the school in this book. Not the literal design, but more the way it was designed and how it's been handled since.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Classism
evbyrd'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
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
lucystolethesky'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: Child death, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
jaedia'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
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Grief
jupitermaybe'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: Death and Classism
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and War
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
ryyyaaan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
- El is a well rounded character who is easy for the reader to like despite her being disliked by other characters.
- The premise and plot is enjoyable and easy to get hooked into.
- The worldbuilding is fantastic. It’s woven into the text so well it never feels like slogging through pages and pages of lore.
- It’s funny at times without taking away from the atmosphere.
- A great stepping point between YA and adult fantasy
Negatives (nit-picking here, the book was great)
- I dislike El’s relationship with Orion towards the end.
It feels forced to me that she’s starting to have feelings for him already. Or, at all for that matter. They just don’t seem compatible to me. Also, small point, but El mentions wanting kids badly at one point, which feels so out of character for her. Maybe later depending on how she’s developed, but it just didn’t seem right to me.<\spoiler> - I desperately wish there was any queer rep at all
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Vomit, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
thequiltyreader'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
There was an attempt to address inequalities due I class which was good.
Overall a good read and I'll try the sequel.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism