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tourmaline1703'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
The worldbuilding is beautiful and it's such an interesting concept. As it had been a while since I read the first book, it took me a while to remember everything but I got there eventually. We got to really dive deeper into the magic system, especially Bree's powers, of course, and got to understand how long rivalries and tensions had been around for. What of course makes me happiest, as a Welsh person, is the accuracy of the Welsh mythology, it is so pleasing to read.
The writing is wonderful, and the use of Old and Modern Welsh made me very happy. It felt like I was in on the characters' secrets because I could also understand what they were saying and the Welsh is written in beautifully. The start of the novel is written very cleverly as well with Bree's situation and I think the writing style reflected what she was going through very well.
The plot was well paced and I liked how that reflected the various obstacles characters were having to overcome. This novel isn't just characters on one mission and that's the sole plot, there are twists and obstacles in their way that keep the plot moving and changing. Despite this being a fantasy novel, the plot also deals with important modern issues such as racism and it discusses slavery a lot, which is incredibly important to discuss in the real world as well as its significance to the story.
I love the characters in this story and their dynamics with each other. It helped having a slightly smaller main cast of characters because we got to properly delve into their personalities and motives. It felt like there were actual risks as well, this isn't something where everyone constantly comes out unscathed, there are genuine risks. It is just fab.
Graphic: Racism and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
charliebites'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Grief, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Rape, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Blood, Vomit, and Abandonment
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 othersš.
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.shawnali's review against another edition
4.25
This is a series that deals with grief in a beautiful way, and doesn't make that statement that one should just get over their pain.
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Abandonment
imds's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
vaguely_pink'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: Racism and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Confinement, Rape, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
gabriella_'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
Tracy Deonn one-ups herself in this sequel book. This book further expands on characterizing her central cast while also giving other (more background) characters a chance in the limelight. She developed a core ensemble cast that feels compelling and stand-alone. This book made me cry, especially when
More random things I love about this book that didnāt seem to have a place for me to write them in this review:
- The rest of the cast - especially Selwyn - tugs at my heartstrings.
- Tracy Deonnās dream sequences are an amazing exploration of themes that are relevant later in the book and offer a refreshing way to engage with old magic.
- The descriptive settings!!
- The use of LANGUAGE. Ugh. CARIAD!
- The men in this book have a āwritten by a womanā charm. Well, the men that matter do, at least.
I love the way this author lays the groundwork for future plot twists - she has a gift for finding a way to keep the reader on their toes without insulting their intelligence AND while still making the twists believable. Some you can see coming - but thatās a credit to her foreshadowing.
I just want to keep gushing about this book because honestly it left me soooo hungry for the next book in this series!
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
siennakt30'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
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
smokeyphynix'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, and Abandonment
shaipanda'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
Truly one of the best series Iāve ever read and worth every bit of hype itās gotten and more imo :)
Is definitely a darker and more violent book/series at times tho so recommend checking trigger warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol