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indigo_fox's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
I didn't fall in love with this book immediately but I'm glad I stuck it out. It took a few (I think 3 or 4) chapters to get into the groove of this book. Once I started to learn more about the world things started to get interesting. The author does a great job with worldbuilding. I love the inclusion of myths, stories, traditions, and food. The food part especially speaks to me since it is such a huge part of culture. Its neat to see the staples of each section of the world.
The characters were great. Their personalities stood out in a way that gave them life. There was a range of personalities too, which seemed very realistic in a group of randos banding together to defeat a great evil.
I love the way this story is structured. It takes on various POVs and it is fun to see how everything connects in the end.
The characters were great. Their personalities stood out in a way that gave them life. There was a range of personalities too, which seemed very realistic in a group of randos banding together to defeat a great evil.
I love the way this story is structured. It takes on various POVs and it is fun to see how everything connects in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
lisavandonselaar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
_melrosereads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- 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? No
3.0
So first of all kudos to the author, this book would have absolutely been a labour of love to put together.
This book tried really hard to break out from alot of stereotypes typical in high fantasy and overall it was successful.
For starters the villain is the dragons themselves - also know as Wyrms - interesting concept, never read a book from that perspective before.
LGBTQIA representation is in this book but really this is a story of love and the complex relationships of past lovers,
Present lovers, future lovers, and love between friends.
I enjoyed this book but Im sad to say I didn’t love it. I question if it had been a duology I would have enjoyed it more?
Also whilst I loved Ead, I found it really hard to see what was so great about Sabran - I just didn’t connect with her so much. I think if I did that would have been higher rating from me personally.
This book tried really hard to break out from alot of stereotypes typical in high fantasy and overall it was successful.
For starters the villain is the dragons themselves - also know as Wyrms - interesting concept, never read a book from that perspective before.
LGBTQIA representation is in this book but really this is a story of love and the complex relationships of past lovers,
Present lovers, future lovers, and love between friends.
I enjoyed this book but Im sad to say I didn’t love it. I question if it had been a duology I would have enjoyed it more?
Also whilst I loved Ead, I found it really hard to see what was so great about Sabran - I just didn’t connect with her so much. I think if I did that would have been higher rating from me personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
hardcover_hazel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- 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
It’s been 84 years… but I’ve finally finished this book!! This TOME 😂
Going into felt overwhelming - it’s so long, and there’s a million places and characters thrown at you. It is high fantasy after all. And Ms. Shannon definitely knew my weakness (names). Literally ask the people I love how many times a day I say “I forgot the name but” and continue to describe something so obvious 😂
But somehow, the Mother gifted me with enough brainpower to not only remember people (after writing down 7 names) but places too (after writing down 5) and less than a hundred pages in I was remembering everyone and everything and knew exactly what was going on and I was HOOKED.
So, go into it with a mindset of this is your textbook and you’ll be fine 😂
We have dragons, we have magic, we have pirates, we have politics, we have cultures, we have religions, we have POC, we have sapphics, we have gays, we have queers. In a whole ass fantasy world!
And what a world it is.
I understand why this is compared to Game of Thrones. Because I’d be winter if this got turned into a series (coming)
4.5 stars because this was an entire 800 book leading up to this massive battle… that was over in 30 pages. And also because of throwing so many names at me at first that I actually had to write them down without even knowing there was a whole ass glossary of them at the back 😂
Going into felt overwhelming - it’s so long, and there’s a million places and characters thrown at you. It is high fantasy after all. And Ms. Shannon definitely knew my weakness (names). Literally ask the people I love how many times a day I say “I forgot the name but” and continue to describe something so obvious 😂
But somehow, the Mother gifted me with enough brainpower to not only remember people (after writing down 7 names) but places too (after writing down 5) and less than a hundred pages in I was remembering everyone and everything and knew exactly what was going on and I was HOOKED.
So, go into it with a mindset of this is your textbook and you’ll be fine 😂
We have dragons, we have magic, we have pirates, we have politics, we have cultures, we have religions, we have POC, we have sapphics, we have gays, we have queers. In a whole ass fantasy world!
And what a world it is.
I understand why this is compared to Game of Thrones. Because I’d be winter if this got turned into a series (coming)
4.5 stars because this was an entire 800 book leading up to this massive battle… that was over in 30 pages. And also because of throwing so many names at me at first that I actually had to write them down without even knowing there was a whole ass glossary of them at the back 😂
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
periodblood's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I'm extremely relieved to have read this book and finish it. It's wonderfully written and contains many elements I value while reading. I really love many of the characters and love the reflection of their personality. One of my greatest joys is learning about the history and customs of the worlds I read, which is greatly reflected in this book.
Ead and Sabran's relationship has become deeply engraved in my mind and I will forever love them. They're greatly represented.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Cursing, Infertility, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest and Sexual content
teresaelj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
This may be the best fantasy I have ever read. Hands down. I was never big on reading a high fantasy- especially high fantasy written by men, so this was a stretch for me. I mean this book is everything; political, romantic, queer, passed the bechdel test multiple times, has incredibly fleshed out religions and societies all while not being hard to follow or too convoluted, beautifully created friendships, so many twists and turns; i can’t recommend this enough. There were so many moments I didn’t see coming and so many moments I held my breath. It should be studied - this is such an intensely written book. Shannon should be praised more than she is. Not only do you love our narrators but you learn to love other characters ; and that love is earned. There is true sacrifice and flaws and agh, it’s so beautiful. If I could rate this 10 stars I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Miscarriage
saskiahill's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
Minor: Sexual content
mirandaleighhhh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
asdfghjkllllll
I'll start by saying I liked this book. I did! In the end, there were many characters that I loved, the conflicts were page-turners, and the world was interesting. And who doesn't love a tender, sapphic love story?
Was this the best book I have ever read? ...no, and I think it was a little overhyped, which could be my own fault since I owned this for about 3 years before cracking it open.
I felt that there were not enough dragons - we only get to truly meet one, and those moments are fleeting! I think that it was an admirable feat to fit an epic fantasy into a single novel. I don't feel like there were plot holes necessarily, and it all tied up in the end....but almost too easily?
I think my biggest qualms include the fact that we were kept in Virtudom for entirely too long, leaving us less time to explore and understand the world at large, spending so much time with Niclays though he is ultimately unimportant, and how little time we get with Tane, arguably the most important and yet isolated character in the whole book!
Again, I really like it. I would have given it 3.5 stars but bumped it up a bit since I'm still thinking about it.
I think it would have been better if the first 400 pages were one book, and then the next 200 +additional details, and the final the last 200 +additional details, or a hefty duology. There is so much more I want to know. I am disappointed that the companion novel is a prequel, and I don't know that I will read it.
I'll start by saying I liked this book. I did! In the end, there were many characters that I loved, the conflicts were page-turners, and the world was interesting. And who doesn't love a tender, sapphic love story?
Was this the best book I have ever read? ...no, and I think it was a little overhyped, which could be my own fault since I owned this for about 3 years before cracking it open.
I felt that there were not enough dragons - we only get to truly meet one, and those moments are fleeting! I think that it was an admirable feat to fit an epic fantasy into a single novel. I don't feel like there were plot holes necessarily, and it all tied up in the end....but almost too easily?
I think my biggest qualms include the fact that we were kept in Virtudom for entirely too long, leaving us less time to explore and understand the world at large, spending so much time with Niclays though he is ultimately unimportant, and how little time we get with Tane, arguably the most important and yet isolated character in the whole book!
Again, I really like it. I would have given it 3.5 stars but bumped it up a bit since I'm still thinking about it.
I think it would have been better if the first 400 pages were one book, and then the next 200 +additional details, and the final the last 200 +additional details, or a hefty duology. There is so much more I want to know. I am disappointed that the companion novel is a prequel, and I don't know that I will read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Miscarriage
goldenrodgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I listened to the audiobook for a lot of this and I do not recommend it. The narrator tries to give everyone a voice but many of the characters end up with odd accents like a southern drawl
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Addiction and Alcohol
celesteskies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail