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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 didn’t 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 Deonn’s 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 “written by a woman” 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 that’s 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
awkwardimagination'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 amount of pain and trauma every single character has gone through in this book is absurd. Just bc the first one had more deaths doesn't make this one any better.
Because this is the second book all the characters are coming into their own more and becoming more loveable.
I'm still not onboard the Sel and Bree train, I wish they would be platonic like Will and Bree, but they are well written I'll give them that.
I'm looking forward to the next book, I need to know how this turns out.
Graphic: Kidnapping and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Colonisation
pip10's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Sexism, Alcohol, and War
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
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 I’ve ever read and worth every bit of hype it’s 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
abookwormspov's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
willow_heartfilia'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: Confinement, Death, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Rape and Slavery
Regarding the slavery and rape content warnings, if you read the first book then you should know thatsaltylane'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
4.25
It’s rough listening to some scenes, especially because the reader is excellent at inflecting intense emotions in their voice acting. There are heartbreaking moments, as well as moments that will leave you mentally yelling at the very-much-flawed characters when they make questionable decisions.
The author has a good method of fleshing out characters in a way that makes them very three-dimensional and making their interconnected relationships really show in the best and worst ways. The twist endings and plot points are also ones that make sense and aren’t there only to mess with the reader expectations. The end of this book especially makes me want to know the answers to the many questions left by the last words. If there’s not an additional book in the series, the ending still works, even with threads hanging in uncertain directions.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Transphobia, Vomit, and Pregnancy
mimo_'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
i am shaking and crying
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Rape
martin27'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
The world building is incredible and the different real world inspirations are balanced so well. And Deonn is especially good at writing hooks that keep you reading just one more page, just one more chapter… until you’re halfway through the book in one sitting. The twists are wonderful.
Most of all, Bree is just such a wonderful protagonist. It’s impossible not to root for her (pun not intended). She’s a complex character with a lot of hopes, dreams, and fears, and she’s… well, as Valec likes to call her, a powerhouse. It’s so satisfying to see Bree call out hypocrisy and to push back when others want to make her choices for her. She’s a joy to read about, and I’m very patiently awaiting the next book in the series (well, sort of patiently).
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Torture, Medical content, and War
Minor: Vomit
Tagged “torture” because that is specifically what it’s called in the book, but it’s more similar to magical gaslighting, I guess. Tagged “medical content” because while most of the healing in the book is magical, the guy doing the healing is also a med student and usually describes what’s going on