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mj_86'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Gore, Violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death and Sexual content
abnerbee's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
porcupine_girl'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
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, and Sexual content
annamariem_reads'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? It's complicated
5.0
HOLY SHIIIIT this was so good I'm gonna COMBUST! I was truly on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this book. I didn't think it could be any better than The Final Strife but I was very much proven wrong! I shouldn't be shocked thought because it's Saara and she always gives us BANGER AFTER BANGER AFTER BANGER!
Hassa and Kwame were such a lovely and welcome surprise. Also! Even though Anoor and Sylah were separated for this book, it did not detract from the story at all. I was not bored once and I was not wishing that they would both be back in the Warden's Empire together. Anoor's character really took a turn during this book and honestly I don't know how to feel about her anymore. I don't like her but I don't hate her? I don't know what exactly it is but I have FEELINGS. Also wtf was that with Jond???? Now I like him again???? I hope him and Kara end up together so he can finally move on from Sylah. But like... Saara you are truly giving us whiplash with these characters!!! And thank gods for the addition of Rascal. Lil cutie angel kitten!!! Can I also say how much I love the Elders? They are so cool and I want to hang out with them for a day in Chrysalis. Also, Nayeli's story is wild and I am here for it. 100% am here to support women's wrongs and feminine rage!!!!
The reveals towards the end had me slack-jawed!!!! How could Saara leave us hanging like that? I need book 3 IMMEDIATELY.
Graphic: Addiction, Torture, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Grief
kendal_reads'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Alcohol
caseythereader'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
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content
kylosten's review
- 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: Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Moderate: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Animal death and Sexual assault
barda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The first book had some flaws, but I still broadly enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the worldbuilding. While this second book fixed my biggest pet peeve of rapidly switching POV's (this one had the more standard format of a chapter only having one character's POV), it felt like this one was actually more confusing than the first one, and that the author lost plot momentum from the first book.
The characters just weren't as likeable in this book. I still really enjoyed Hassa and she's easily a stand-out character, but Jond was just boring and Sylah was not in the book enough for me to judge her characterisation. Anoor, however, I was the most disappointed in. Like Sylah, it feels like she barely has any screen-time in this book, but most egregiously she seems to regress in all of her character development that she gained in the first book. I hate to criticise characters who make seemingly stupid mistakes, as oftentimes they'll be realistic mistakes that you might expect one to make, but Anoor keeps making mistakes over and over and doesn't seem to learn from the negative impacts of these. She's incompetent and seemingly regains her naivety that she grew out of in the first book. This makes the twist
The plot certainly had some interesting bits, particularly with the Academy and how the cultures of the mainland work. I did also broadly enjoy the plot reveals towards the end of the book; however, they were all suddenly shoved into the end of the book leaving little room for the characters to breathe, and many of the plot twists could have been revealed and solved earlier if characters simply communicated with each other (
Broadly, this book's usually interesting plot was dragged down by its characters and overall characterisation. I still might pick up the next one when it comes out as I think the mysteries that have been set up are worth reading, but I do hope that the author can figure out where they want their characters to go.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Cursing
bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
nefariousbee'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: Addiction, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Genocide, Infidelity, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent