carolinereadssometimes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
luuley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexual harassment, Death, Violence, Abandonment, Grief, Child death, Sexual assault, Genocide, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and War
Minor: Rape and Suicide
ellieshay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.75
Overall I really loved this book.
It was a great YA fantasy, definitely one of my favorites, with true morally grey characters, strong character growth.
We follow Laia who's life is ripped out from under her in the first chapter. And follow her as she tries to spy to get information to those who can help save her brother.
We get a true understanding of her fears and real human reaction to such horrors that start the beginning of her story. In so many stories we have from the begin, the MC is straight up brave, witty and deals with the dark situations in epic ways. Laia was shown in such a great way. We sore her let fear control her, how she runs and feels guilt. How she isn't strong (from here point of view) and we watch as she grows from wanting to be saved to understanding that she must, relay on herself and become the brave MC we see in the end and we root for it!
We then also follow Elias who is training as a killer for the empire and how he truly hates and dismises the empire and the wrongness of what he is trained. We watch as he is prepping to flee from his post only to be thurst into trails where he is promised 'true freedom'. We follow as he graples with the mortality of what happens and his actions and reactions to the injustice. We watch him growing and dealing for living the people and life he has known for a life he wants and knows is morally better and see him accept his darkness and his morals as he makes his decisions.
Overall the two MC were both great character to follow and deal with their weaknesses, strengths and morals. The character development definitely was the main focus of the book, and it was building up the characters before there connections.
There was a very minor sub-plot of romance. It wasn't the focal point of the store. I'm sure it will growth and become more prominent as the books go on, but I just found it lacking. Felt more like a ow burn in that the MC's really didn't met or see each other till about half way through the book. There stories were told separately before they became connected, which I kind of liked.
<Spolier> chapter 38 was so cutel and unfair! This author is not afraid to kill so many characters! I tried while reading this part you really felt Elias pain and his faith break in this moment completely with the empire. </Spolier>
So over all the book and a bit of a slow start but once it started to come together and the characters got closer to there goals it really picked up and I couldn't put it down.
It was a great YA fantasy, definitely one of my favorites, with true morally grey characters, strong character growth.
We follow Laia who's life is ripped out from under her in the first chapter. And follow her as she tries to spy to get information to those who can help save her brother.
We get a true understanding of her fears and real human reaction to such horrors that start the beginning of her story. In so many stories we have from the begin, the MC is straight up brave, witty and deals with the dark situations in epic ways. Laia was shown in such a great way. We sore her let fear control her, how she runs and feels guilt. How she isn't strong (from here point of view) and we watch as she grows from wanting to be saved to understanding that she must, relay on herself and become the brave MC we see in the end and we root for it!
We then also follow Elias who is training as a killer for the empire and how he truly hates and dismises the empire and the wrongness of what he is trained. We watch as he is prepping to flee from his post only to be thurst into trails where he is promised 'true freedom'. We follow as he graples with the mortality of what happens and his actions and reactions to the injustice. We watch him growing and dealing for living the people and life he has known for a life he wants and knows is morally better and see him accept his darkness and his morals as he makes his decisions.
Overall the two MC were both great character to follow and deal with their weaknesses, strengths and morals. The character development definitely was the main focus of the book, and it was building up the characters before there connections.
There was a very minor sub-plot of romance. It wasn't the focal point of the store. I'm sure it will growth and become more prominent as the books go on, but I just found it lacking. Felt more like a ow burn in that the MC's really didn't met or see each other till about half way through the book. There stories were told separately before they became connected, which I kind of liked.
<Spolier> chapter 38 was so cutel and unfair! This author is not afraid to kill so many characters! I tried while reading this part you really felt Elias pain and his faith break in this moment completely with the empire. </Spolier>
So over all the book and a bit of a slow start but once it started to come together and the characters got closer to there goals it really picked up and I couldn't put it down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Rape
jennabenna's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.75
This was a good first book in the series. The world, main characters, and conflict are set up well. I found the slow pace if Laia's personal growth to be frustrating, and Elias to be a little too "perfect". I didnt love the dumb choices the characters (especially Laia) kept making. But I am optimistic for continued growth from the characters, so I cant wait to read the next two books now that the plot has really gotten going!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Slavery and Genocide
Minor: War, Rape, and Murder
bzliz's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Big note right up top: mind the trigger warnings! This is a brutal world and there is little reprieve from accepted (and encouraged) behaviors that many readers may find seriously triggering.
Laia’s brother Darin has been keeping secrets, including a sketchbook filled with things he shouldn’t have seen, and soldiers are coming for him. A Mask is also after the book which spells danger for the family; Masks are skilled hunters and killers who live life without emotions to stop them from their brutal tasks. Their grandparents become collateral damage and Darin is taken, giving Laia the chance to run. She does the only thing she can: tries to find the Resistance. She does and when they refuse to help her she is forced to reveal that her parents were their revered former leaders. She cuts a deal- the Resistance will help rescue Darin if she goes undercover as a slave to the Commandant in Blackcliff- the military Mask training school.
Inside the school, Elias is planning to desert even though he knows his capture would be his death. He’s convinced not to go by an Augur, who foretells that he will only find freedom by remaining and following the path ahead. He embarks on the Trials- a prophecied event to select a new emperor when the old line falls.
Laia starts with little confidence, convinced her cowardice condemned her brother. She also tends to see things in black and white: the Resistance is good and everyone at Blackcliff is the worst kind of bad. She comes to learn there’s exceptions to every rule and I loved her journey. Elias is a highly trained killer who is ready to give it all up for a chance at freedom. His journey teaches him what humanity still lives inside him despite his mother’s best efforts.
This was hard for me to get into but once I was halfway, it flew by. The sheer amount of violence and threats of sexual violence were almost overwhelming. There were a few points I was frustrated that information wasn’t being shared between Laia and Elias but she wasn’t in a place to trust yet and I don’t know what he would have done with the information.
Now that I’ve made an investment in the world, I’m looking forward to the next book and their continued growth.
Laia’s brother Darin has been keeping secrets, including a sketchbook filled with things he shouldn’t have seen, and soldiers are coming for him. A Mask is also after the book which spells danger for the family; Masks are skilled hunters and killers who live life without emotions to stop them from their brutal tasks. Their grandparents become collateral damage and Darin is taken, giving Laia the chance to run. She does the only thing she can: tries to find the Resistance. She does and when they refuse to help her she is forced to reveal that her parents were their revered former leaders. She cuts a deal- the Resistance will help rescue Darin if she goes undercover as a slave to the Commandant in Blackcliff- the military Mask training school.
Inside the school, Elias is planning to desert even though he knows his capture would be his death. He’s convinced not to go by an Augur, who foretells that he will only find freedom by remaining and following the path ahead. He embarks on the Trials- a prophecied event to select a new emperor when the old line falls.
Laia starts with little confidence, convinced her cowardice condemned her brother. She also tends to see things in black and white: the Resistance is good and everyone at Blackcliff is the worst kind of bad. She comes to learn there’s exceptions to every rule and I loved her journey. Elias is a highly trained killer who is ready to give it all up for a chance at freedom. His journey teaches him what humanity still lives inside him despite his mother’s best efforts.
This was hard for me to get into but once I was halfway, it flew by. The sheer amount of violence and threats of sexual violence were almost overwhelming. There were a few points I was frustrated that information wasn’t being shared between Laia and Elias but she wasn’t in a place to trust yet and I don’t know what he would have done with the information.
Now that I’ve made an investment in the world, I’m looking forward to the next book and their continued growth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Slavery
bellanr34's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Moderate: Rape and Violence
manda_ruthie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The characters go through tremendous violence and yet have no trauma response. They just kinda keep going along and acting the same way they did before. That's not very believable and therefore distracting. It seemed like the violence was overdone.
The plot was not easily predictable and the author set up some things for future books that I'm interested to see play out. I'll definitely be finishing the series.
The plot was not easily predictable and the author set up some things for future books that I'm interested to see play out. I'll definitely be finishing the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Blood, Torture, and Sexual violence
thebookesquire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
I love Sabaa Tahir she is such a fantastic writer. Her two main strengths are her plot work and her character development.
This book does fall into common pitfalls of many fantasy YA novels - the beginning was uninteresting to me because (1) a lot of info dumping was happening without the readers having any real stakes / caring for any of the characters & (2) the YA dialogue and inner dialogue was just cringeworthy to me.
However, once you’re past the 20% mark this book truly transforms. The characters are interesting with vivid depth and you grow to love them dearly. The plot keeps you guessing until the very last page because she does a phenomenal job of tying in the plot with world building elements that are unknown to the reader but logically track given all the stepping stones she’s placed.
This is one of those books where you don’t know how much you’ve enjoyed it until you finish it and it haunts you. Literally sitting, staring at a wall, wondering how the heck you’re supposed to get back to real life.
Well done Tahir, but I can’t say I’m surprised after reading the masterpiece that is All My Rage. Well done.
This book does fall into common pitfalls of many fantasy YA novels - the beginning was uninteresting to me because (1) a lot of info dumping was happening without the readers having any real stakes / caring for any of the characters & (2) the YA dialogue and inner dialogue was just cringeworthy to me.
However, once you’re past the 20% mark this book truly transforms. The characters are interesting with vivid depth and you grow to love them dearly. The plot keeps you guessing until the very last page because she does a phenomenal job of tying in the plot with world building elements that are unknown to the reader but logically track given all the stepping stones she’s placed.
This is one of those books where you don’t know how much you’ve enjoyed it until you finish it and it haunts you. Literally sitting, staring at a wall, wondering how the heck you’re supposed to get back to real life.
Well done Tahir, but I can’t say I’m surprised after reading the masterpiece that is All My Rage. Well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
kingsfoilexpert's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
savyhigs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall enjoyable, didn’t blow me away but I may continue the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Rape