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piprigsby'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: Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery and Stalking
sammymilfort'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: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Slavery, Torture, and Sexual harassment
mamatrauma'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and War
molliford'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Sexual assault
some_random_person_hi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book has reminded me of how bad I am at spotting plot twists (there is foreshadowing I just can't find them until hindsight kicks in). There isn't rlly an overarching plot throughout the book; it's more of a series of events and characters' reactions to them -> plot harder to follow than that of 1st book. Somehow has more fight scenes than prev books.
Love love love how the magic system & thus world got expanded. Treasured this series so much I was sort of procrastinating reading it so I could keep reading it for longer. This book sure is heavier than the first with how much more racism shows up & affects the plot + Bree's heritage gets explored. Also I just love when writers explore intergenerational trauma. I think Bree's character arc should have had the turning point during the climax instead of after so I felt like the character development could have been stronger.
Two main parts that I am rlly interested in: 1) love triangle & 2) legendborn cycle as ecoliterature
1) Before I read this, I thought that I'd end up shipping the 3 of them tgt as a throuple but now idk if I ship any of them w/ any of the others💀.
2) Aether as metaphor for western imprialism's extractivism that is unsustainable w/ a high price (planet dying just like Abatement) while root as metaphor for a more balanced way of interacting and living in nature.
There are sooooo many good quotes it's unbelievable. I'd like to specifically highlight
"'Think of the power you possess and the woman who gave it to you.' I used to think that woman was my mother, and, through her, you. Tried it her way, and it didn't work." "And why is that?" "Because you all didn't give me my power. I did"
"You said they ran so I wouldn't have to. But I think they ran so that one day I could choose. And today, I choose me."
"By burning away their roots, I am finally free to grow my own."
Has its flaws but it really is something special so 5 stars anyway. (Also I want to come back and see how long of a review I ended up writing lol)
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Colonisation
Police brutality is by magic police (or close enough) not actual police.spicycronereads'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? It's complicated
4.25
Bree’s story continues to evolve, and we see her grow in confidence, skill, and self-awareness. She struggles with being a Scion but starts to come into her own. Her connection to Selwyn also continues to evolve as they deal with events, with Nick still missing. Nick continues to be the perfect boyfriend, even from captivity.
Many of the things that I loved about the first book continue in this one: Bree dealing with the racial legacy of the order and UNC; the rich diversity of the characters and their relationships, the very cool magic system, and so forth. There were some jaw-dropping moments. And some laugh out loud moments. And some heart-pumping action moments. And some moments I couldn’t keep the tears from falling.
It was great to see Alice become more central to the narrative. There are some charming new characters, like Valechaz. and then there are some really horrible new characters that you want to punch in the face. Looking at you, Erebus.
The plot and storyline are a little bit looser in this one. We have the introduction of new villains with new motivations that kind of dilute the focus a little bit. I found myself confused about what was happening from time to time, and I don’t think that was the author’s intention. I’m hoping that in the next novel things tighten up a bit.
I decided to stop rating chili peppers on books like this that are clearly not meant to be spicy. So I am rating it with hearts instead. There is lots of pining and kissing in this one. Five out of five hearts. 💖💖💖💖💖
Overall it was a great read. 4.25 ⭐️ and 5 💖. I can’t wait for book 3, which I think is not coming until early next year 😭
Graphic: Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content and Torture
kiwij96'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
The friendships, the betrayals, the romance, the plot twists, the community, the grief. Everything was so wonderfully written with a great amount of depth for a story that was so action-packed. I genuinely didn't know what was going to happen next and I just couldn't put it down.
This is a YA that I would also highly recommend to adults.
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and Colonisation
staticz77's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism
lermaline'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Torture, Car accident, and Colonisation
Minor: Kidnapping and Fire/Fire injury
miles'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: Body horror, Confinement, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Car accident