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poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spine of the Dragon was a prose forward novel. It has heavy world building, short chapters, and a lot of POV's. It was my first Kevin J Anderson, and I might give him another shot, but I prefer a plot forward story.
I had trouble identifying what the plot was until I was more than halfway through the novel. The quick POV shifts made it hard to connect to any of the characters. As soon as I started to get comfortable with a character, I was ripped away to a different one in a different location in the world.
The way sex was used in the novel repeatedly was uncomfortable. It wasn't titillating, but it was rampant with sexual assault and rape. Consensual sex also occurred rarely, but even it seemed to be used for control. As expected, the female characters took the brunt of this, and it informed most of their decision-making.
The book is part of a series, and it does leave you in a place.
I had trouble identifying what the plot was until I was more than halfway through the novel. The quick POV shifts made it hard to connect to any of the characters. As soon as I started to get comfortable with a character, I was ripped away to a different one in a different location in the world.
The way sex was used in the novel repeatedly was uncomfortable. It wasn't titillating, but it was rampant with sexual assault and rape. Consensual sex also occurred rarely, but even it seemed to be used for control. As expected, the female characters took the brunt of this, and it informed most of their decision-making.
The book is part of a series, and it does leave you in a place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War
karireads's review against another edition
I feel like I should be really enjoying this. It's exactly my sort of thing. Rich world building. Complex plot. But...
I find myself looking at it the same way I did Wheel of Time: Is anything ever going to happen?
I suppose I would be more forgiving if the characters were engaging, but other than Empra Iluris I find them more outlines than characters. Good king, evil priest, devoted brother, and not much beyond that. More time with Iluris would be interesting, but not enough to keep pushing through.
I find myself looking at it the same way I did Wheel of Time: Is anything ever going to happen?
I suppose I would be more forgiving if the characters were engaging, but other than Empra Iluris I find them more outlines than characters. Good king, evil priest, devoted brother, and not much beyond that. More time with Iluris would be interesting, but not enough to keep pushing through.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual violence
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