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inkyinsanity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
cinda_lu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
The one one glaring issue I had with this book was
The writing itself had an undercurrent of patriarchy which was also unpleasant. But I found Lessa to be an admirable protagonist despite that.
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Rape
jess_justmaybeperfect'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexism, and Sexual assault
shellbow's review against another edition
Particularly, the way women are written. Most every woman we meet is being abused physically/mentally, if not sexually. And there is not really any sympathy extended towards these women. They're seen as vapid, shallow, useless, and more often than not ugly (as if this is a mark of their character). The one exception, of course, is our protagonist Lessa - a classic "not like other girls".
One such passage that really sticks out to me is when Lessa and the other girls taken for the searching (against their will) are dropped into an arena to potentially bond with the new dragon queen. Lessa "....regarded them curiously, contemptuous of their tears, although her heart was probably beating no less rapidly than theirs...Her contempt of their bleating made her aware of her own temerity...Let them be afraid."
Two of these girls were then mutilated. In my mind, their fear was justified.
The prose itself was also confusing at times, and there seemed to be some context to the dialogue I couldn't understand. I chalked this up to a style of the times it was written. I could have been able to push past that, if the blatant misogynistic tones were easier for me to stomach. It was for those reasons I ultimately decided to DNF.
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
caffeinated_magpie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault
kschauer18's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: War
keelirae113's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Kidnapping, and Grief
jackiepreston's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism and Injury/Injury detail
uranaishi'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? No
3.75
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Infidelity, Rape, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
wishbea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The early chapters did an excellent job teaching me about the politics and world itself. But the more I saw of F'lar and Lessa the more I disliked them, I was initially rooting for them to learn to trust each other but F'lar loses all his charisma as he is clearly abusing Lessa to the point where she appears to have a panic attack about returning to him.
Lessa seems like she might've been considered a strong female character at the time of release, but she, like all of the characters including F'lar, ends up being reduced to being a purely arrogant character. The sexism she has to deal with is dreadful and there are only 3 other female characters in this book I could name, so Lessa gets points for rebelling against her treatment.
The dragons are great and the threat of the "Threads" and the main problem of the Weyr seemed like it wouldn't be solved within the very first book..However, it is! In the space of 30 pages Lessa solves the incredibly complex problem with absolutely no issues convincing anyone!
On top of that, since the main hook and problem of this book has been solved I don't see any reason to read the following book. Surely now
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, and Pregnancy