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juliapatt2007's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Sexual content
bootsmom3'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
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death and Sexual content
maple_dove'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
4.75
For one thing, the double-life aspect. I'm a sucker for double lives. I absolutely adored the worldbuilding too.
I did have some qualms. For example, I didn't like that the reveal of the Hunter's identity was revealed so quickly in one chapter.
Reviewers have probably complained about how they couldn't take Zafira or Nasir seriously as the Hunter or Prince of Death. However (if this is the case) I think they're missing the point. I believe that was the author's intention. Zafira and Nasir may have these intimidating roles and personas, but what this book shows is that those personas do not tell the full story of who they actually are.
Favorite Quotes:
Paranoia had a way of visiting when he was least desired.
Darkness had seized his mind, whispers and half-crazed screams echoing in his ears when his fingers passed over the inscriptions in the ancient tongue. It was a darkness wrought with pain, a darkness that could never end.
It was a darkness that despaired in itself.
Maybe the tiny lions were merely ornaments, a display of pride for the victory over a man who defied men, only to be slain by women.
In this moment, we are two souls, marooned.
That was life, wasn't it? A collection of moments, a menagerie of people. Everyone stranded everywhere, always. ⭐️
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual content, Suicide, and Alcohol
Verbal abuse (graphic)charmingreads's review against another edition
4.0
age rating: 15+
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child death
ssuummeerrn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
With that being said, I read Act 3 in 1 day! The ending was super exciting! It had many plot twists, and everyone knows that I love plot twists more than anything! The long explanation at the beginning was totally worth it for that last 100 pages!!
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and War
readingelli'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual content
internalnonsense's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is written with a lot of passion, I think, but it is very overwritten. Initially, I didn't mind, and even learned a few creative uses for the term 'feathered'. By the end, I was lost in the purple. There is so much consistent intensity that the characters become hard to engage with or take seriously. If you start at 10, you can only go up to 11 and so on. Considering the story follows angsty teenagers, this isn't necessarily bad, but I can't say I enjoyed it.
Act One starts strong, setting the stage of a well-realized, if a little simplistic, fantasy world, where the characters have clear motivations, strengths, and flaws. There's a lot of potential for conflict to get you excited. Act Two begins to stumble, letting the plot loosen in favor of character angst and banter. It sets a poor stage for Act Three, where a lot of things happen, but without any solid sense of direction or momentum. It is mostly held together by the emotional toils of the two main characters. If you're thoroughly invested in them, the final arc of the book will probably land. If you're more like me and getting lost in the 'now this is happening', it starts to become tedious.
Overall, it's a good story if you're carried by the epic feelings, not so much if you're invested in tight writing.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
cloudedsun'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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content