queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer is book one in the Defy the Night series. This one was disappointing after reading and loving the Cursebreakers series. This one just felt boring and a bit long and slow.
We follow the povs of Tessa, a common girl who has apothecary skills and outlaw by night; and Corrick, the cruel King's Justice. Tessa has been working with a masked man to steal precious Moonflower petals, the only thing that can help cure the sickness ravaging Kandala, and make them into medicine for those too poor to supply their own. One night, when Tessa's partner Wes is captured as a smuggler, it throws her into a world she never meant to have a part in. We find out that Prince Corrick isn't all that he seems.
We get an enemies to lovers thing between Tessa and Corrick. That is mostly what the book focuses on, between all the political intrigue. I thought this book was too long for just having these two main characters. We don't really get to know anyone else. I really liked Quint, but we don't get much of him, though the little we do tells me he's definitely a sass master. I thought Tessa was a little too earnest and perfect? She really had no flaws, and it was all on her to emotionally fix Corrick, and get the kingdom back in order. It all just seemed too easy to me. Corrick and his brother King Harriston were secret softies.
The one thing I did like about this story was the morally gray theme. Tessa discovers that things are not all black and white. The king isn't a monster who wants all his peasants dead, and the rebels aren't perfect saints and can go too far. Other than that, it felt like something was missing. I just don't care enough about the characters or the plot to continue to the next book.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, and Death
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
raineedayreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Body horror, Classism, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Excrement
takarakei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- Robin Hood inspired
- court politics
- herbal medicine
- angsty romance
- revolution rumblings
- brotherhood
Protect my poor baby Corrick! I love him so much. I was just getting back into my YA Fantasy era when I first read this a year ago, and coming back to it made me love it even more!
1/5 🌶️
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Rape
Very brief mention of rape (off page no details)praaliine's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Child death
legalplanner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I found that at first I was ready to DNF this because it just felt like a lot to set it up for the "good stuff" and it felt like we were getting absolutely no where. As we started to move closer to Tessa I began to get entranced with what she was doing and the problems in the City.
There were a ton of characters introduced and I was very thankful for the character list and the map. I will say that even though a lot of this is setting up the world for the remainder of the series this was a very well paced book and made me want to keep reading even after it was over.
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Child death
forgettingtofly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
zozo_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse and Child death
librarianheaven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Torture, and Child death
Minor: Chronic illness
ka_ke's review against another edition
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Grief, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, and Terminal illness
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Child death, and Torture
Minor: Chronic illness