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booknerdbetty's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, and Death of parent
valenpolack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
5.0
This book is so good I'm speechless.
The character development, the world building, Ramson, everything wass just... *chef's kiss*
Can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.
P.S: Ramson is the newest love of my life and I'm not complaining.
The character development, the world building, Ramson, everything wass just... *chef's kiss*
Can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.
P.S: Ramson is the newest love of my life and I'm not complaining.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent
willow2709's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, and Kidnapping
Minor: Gore and Vomit
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
this seemed fun but it was honestly a chore to get through. It contained some promising elements, interesting tropes etc... The writing wasn't terrible but it still failed to deliver somehow? A few too many clichés, and some of the emotions didn't feel raw enough to me. Somehow I never connected enough to the mc to care about her grief and pain so it didn't struck any chords with me. I could easily call the plot twists as well so it didn't keep me on the edge of my seet. Maybe I'm just not the right audience for this (anymore)?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, and Murder
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
ashlightgrayson's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This story feels like an Anastasia retelling within a fantasy world. Princess Anastacya Mikhailov is on the run as she has been framed for her father's murder. The story has a pretty fast pace as we start off with her going in disguise to a prison. She is there to question Ramson, a convicted criminal who may have information about the potential culprit of her father's murder. To say that Ramson and Ana don't like each other is an understatement. However, they end up having to work together to escape the prison and make a deal that is mutually beneficial for them. The beginning of their relationship like this gave an easy way to kickstart the plot. You are given the information you need to understand what's going on and left to learn the rest as you go along with the story. I sometimes appreciate this form of storytelling more than having an info-dump, especially in young adult fiction. However, that is just up to preference.
There are different kinds of magic in this world called Affinities and those who have these abilities are often trafficked illegally for profit. This aspect of the world is supposed to be analogous to human trafficking in China according to the author (the author is Chinese). Her familiarity with the topic shows through the world-building. I felt like it was reasonably well done.
The main weakness I found in the story was Ana's character development. Her worldview often felt naive and sheltered. She has had a very privileged life and has not been exposed to the corruption present in the empire, but I feel that for her age she should be more self-aware of the political system her family was overseeing. There are women in positions of political power in the story, so her lack of access to this information secondary to her gender isn't really at play here. Her awareness of human trafficking within the empire also makes it harder for me to believe that she is surprised by other forms of corruption within the empire. This wasn't a detail terrible enough to ruin the story for me, but it did suspend my disbelief a bit.
Overall, I feel like this story has a lot of potential to be developed more in the second book. I'm looking forward to seeing the relationship between Ransom and Ana change as their priorities have changed after this first book.
There are different kinds of magic in this world called Affinities and those who have these abilities are often trafficked illegally for profit. This aspect of the world is supposed to be analogous to human trafficking in China according to the author (the author is Chinese). Her familiarity with the topic shows through the world-building. I felt like it was reasonably well done.
The main weakness I found in the story was Ana's character development. Her worldview often felt naive and sheltered. She has had a very privileged life and has not been exposed to the corruption present in the empire, but I feel that for her age she should be more self-aware of the political system her family was overseeing. There are women in positions of political power in the story, so her lack of access to this information secondary to her gender isn't really at play here. Her awareness of human trafficking within the empire also makes it harder for me to believe that she is surprised by other forms of corruption within the empire. This wasn't a detail terrible enough to ruin the story for me, but it did suspend my disbelief a bit.
Overall, I feel like this story has a lot of potential to be developed more in the second book. I'm looking forward to seeing the relationship between Ransom and Ana change as their priorities have changed after this first book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence
alizam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a pretty damn good Anastasia reimagining. It's like the Grisha trilogy, if the Grisha trilogy was... er... good. (sorry, Grisha fans, I did love Six of Crows, if that makes you feel better.) Goes a bit too fast in places, and the names of certain worldbuilt things, places, and animals are... amusingly mediocre. I mean, the revolution is literally called "redcloaks", come on.
It has the Impossibly Young Murderer trope in it, which is annoying, but I pretty much expect it at this point. I didn't care for Ramson because he reminded me of Kaz Brekker, but like,,, less interesting.
It has the Impossibly Young Murderer trope in it, which is annoying, but I pretty much expect it at this point. I didn't care for Ramson because he reminded me of Kaz Brekker, but like,,, less interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Torture and Trafficking
literarycavy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
veronikahvee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved this!! What a great debut *chef's kiss*
Love the writing and the characters. Also, the way the author tackled important themes. It was well done and poignant.
Overall I loved this take on the Anastacia legend.
I love Ana and Ramson to PIECES.Also Linn! I can't wait to read more of these three *w*
Ana and Ramson's being both morally grey on different ways and the way they work together was wonderful to read. As well as their banter! It was always great, great banter *Chef's kiss* but NO KISS!! THE SLOW BURN IS KILLING MEEE
Oh and the villain(s) were great too.
Love the writing and the characters. Also, the way the author tackled important themes. It was well done and poignant.
Overall I loved this take on the Anastacia legend.
I love Ana and Ramson to PIECES.
Ana and Ramson's being both morally grey on different ways and the way they work together was wonderful to read. As well as their banter! It was always great, great banter *Chef's kiss*
Oh and the villain(s) were great too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Blood, and Trafficking
wellreadsquid's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have a confession to make. I have a severe problem with most YA Fantasy that begins and ends with Bad Writing, Weak World Building, and Boring Characters. I’ve read more YA in the past two years than I care to admit and out of all of them, only two of them have managed not to disappoint me. Unfortunately, they were both contemporary YA. YA Fantasy tends to fail often with me, especially of those of the self-proclaimed high-fantasy variety. Whether it’s the lack of cohesive worldbuilding, the hyper-focus on flimsy fast-paced romance, or drudging plots. So, when something comes along that not only subverts my expectations but exceeds them…
Well, I just might want some sugar with my coffee!
Welcome to the Cerebral Hedonist, I’m your Scholarly Squid and I’m about to gush all over this review
Full Review @ The Cerebral Hedonist
Well, I just might want some sugar with my coffee!
Welcome to the Cerebral Hedonist, I’m your Scholarly Squid and I’m about to gush all over this review
Full Review @ The Cerebral Hedonist
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Trafficking