melissaslibraryy'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: Blood, Classism, Death, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Violence, and War
monicalaurette'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? No
4.0
“You will find a way to make a life you love.”
“Freedom has a price. People who want easy & pretty stay in their cages.”
Spoiler
the fact that not only was it a forced marriage, but forced polygamy at that was a unique concept; having each wife serve a different purpose also helped to give a level of control over them that neither could connect with the other, just what was the same.Spoiler
I wanted to punch BOTH Mateo and Sota, I just didn’t like either of them and I don’t trust themSpoiler
the amount of double-agent-ness between both Carmen & Jasmin was crazy to me because how many more women within the rich and healthy are spies for La Voz?Spoiler
I straight up thought Dani was going to die at the end, like she’s be able to kiss a girl and feel love and then die by FIRE, I was ready to mourn</spoilerSpoiler
After when Carmen did, and all the Dani was dragged through, I don’t know if I’d trust ever again or help either side to do anythingGraphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Classism, Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Police brutality
Minor: Abandonment, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Torture
missh3ll'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
3.25
Graphic: Classism, Sexism, Murder, Alcohol, Violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
criticalgayze's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My biggest hurdle was that the book relied so much on two of my least favorite things in YA literature: indecisive teenage angst and the unearned "perfect chosen one" trope. Think of it like a Divergent or an Eragon in that it has a narrator who seems to just be the very best at what she has to do, and she constantly repeats this fact, so it is not lost on the audience. However, also like those texts, all we ever seem to see is the MC messing up, which leaves you confused on how she was ever the "best." It does not help that there is little exposition, so we do not get to see her go through a "training phase" montage.
Furthermore, it feels like much of what is here is underwritten. The novel will go long stretches where tensions are very low while the MC is snooping around only to be ratcheted up with little warning. Meanwhile, our MC is taking part in a same sex love affair with her husband's other wife with little real explanation as to the social politics of such a thing. On top of that, the greater context is lacking nuance, so the reader is unsure whether this is an urban fantasy or a dystopia as there is no sense of temporal and global placement of the events despite modern technology and use of intermittent Latinx culture and the Spanish language.
This book is not bad for what it is supposed to be. Unfortunately, that product is also just not for me.
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Minor: Dysphoria and Sexual content
averyrembish'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
4.0
Moderate: Violence, Bullying, Car accident, Alcohol, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood, Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, and Death of parent