miggie_snyder's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I ended up LOVING this book. But it took me 200 pages to get involved in the plot. As with most fantasy books, there is a significant amount of world building at the beginning and I found the pacing was pretty slow up until around page 200. From that point on, I fell in love with this book and immediately began the sequel the next day. Highly recommend if you can make it through those first 200 pages.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual content
katiequack's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Minor: Rape
jjjreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Excrement, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Torture, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Slavery, Stalking, Suicide, Trafficking, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Rape
simone84's review
Wanted to love it, but found Sancia and especially Clef both bland and annoying as characters. There was a whole lot of telling instead of showing going on in the writing. Deleted it in a fit of ugh then later that day wanted to give it another go but had deleted it from my account. Sidenote having to repurchase a product you already own and literally have a record of in your account is such bullshit by Amazon.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Rape
fish_beholder's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
Mention of past sexual assaults and threat of sexual assaults to main character, no actual sexual violencepeacockqueen's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had a blast reading this book. This was the first heist book I’ve ever read, and though I don’t think it’s really my troop, I did enjoy it. The magic and world building was amazing and so fun learn about!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
mazomazli's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I’ve updated my review after rereading it to be 4.5 stars for a few reasons.
This is an amazing book with a very fun magic system of ‘scribed objects’ which takes ordinary objects and convinces them through engravings of different realities. An example would be convincing wood it is stone to create sturdier buildings and etc. I very much like the characters, I like the author’s writing, and I like the themes. I very much like how the author writes the sapphic relationship in this series.
The reason for the deductions is the following:
- the use of the g slur for Romani people - this was not directed at anyone in particular but used as a descriptor for nomads. I just want to put it out there so no one is caught off guard
- Robert Jackson Bennet has published fantastic essays years ago why authors should seriously reconsider adding that rape scene. Upon my reread, there was a sex scene witnessed by the MC that when you consider the power dynamics between the two and how little the woman is noted to not enjoy it, I’m very confident to say that it was rape. I would have rather not to have read the scene or the way the MC almost experiences SA. What was really important to me is that he made it known that when the offender does this shit, it’s not about lust or anything the victim is doing. It is so much about power. It’s really seen with the attempt on the MC as they find her unattractive but they could do it anyway just to enjoy a power trip.
One his essays:
https://www.robertjacksonbennett.com/three-things-that-shaped-how-i-think-about-writing-about-sexual-abuse
There is also a depiction of plantation slavery in the MC’s past and some of the horrors that people experienced.
To finish this all off after that difficult discussion, I would like to leave the love interest’s compliment to the MC: “Refreshingly uncontained”
This is an amazing book with a very fun magic system of ‘scribed objects’ which takes ordinary objects and convinces them through engravings of different realities. An example would be convincing wood it is stone to create sturdier buildings and etc. I very much like the characters, I like the author’s writing, and I like the themes. I very much like how the author writes the sapphic relationship in this series.
The reason for the deductions is the following:
- the use of the g slur for Romani people - this was not directed at anyone in particular but used as a descriptor for nomads. I just want to put it out there so no one is caught off guard
- Robert Jackson Bennet has published fantastic essays years ago why authors should seriously reconsider adding that rape scene. Upon my reread, there was a sex scene witnessed by the MC that when you consider the power dynamics between the two and how little the woman is noted to not enjoy it, I’m very confident to say that it was rape. I would have rather not to have read the scene or the way the MC almost experiences SA. What was really important to me is that he made it known that when the offender does this shit, it’s not about lust or anything the victim is doing. It is so much about power. It’s really seen with the attempt on the MC as they find her unattractive but they could do it anyway just to enjoy a power trip.
One his essays:
https://www.robertjacksonbennett.com/three-things-that-shaped-how-i-think-about-writing-about-sexual-abuse
There is also a depiction of plantation slavery in the MC’s past and some of the horrors that people experienced.
To finish this all off after that difficult discussion, I would like to leave the love interest’s compliment to the MC: “Refreshingly uncontained”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, and Torture
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