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emily44's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Blood
soulpromise'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and War
guessgreenleaf'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
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ashylibrarian'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, and Blood
Minor: Torture and Death of parent
artmuseam'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, and War
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Genocide, and Classism
daretodream03'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Xenophobia, and Vomit
fictionaladventures's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
frantically's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and Blood
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
jennaem27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and War
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Bullying and Child abuse
literarypenguin'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
The plot of this book held me, talking about war and racism throughout this world. The Federation is bent on taking over the continent and spreading their legacy to all parts. They want to run their experiments on people and let those experiments fight for them to take cities that do not comply with them. They really think that what they are doing is right while the city of Mara is a city holding on to it's independence from the Federation trying to fight off swarms of Ghosts, mutated creatures that when they bite humans they turn into them.
The characters are great in this book my favorite was Talin, a refugee that came to the city of Mara with her mother after her village was destroyed and her father killed. Because of this incident she becomes mute unable to speak. I love how the other characters use sign language to communicate with her and they even weave it into the Strikers and how they do things on the battle field. That was very clever! Her other friends Jaren and Adena were amazing and their bond as Striker and Shield was so close and lovely. These group of characters all have a struggle in the world that bonds them together. Talin faces racism every day by not being trusted by the other Marans but she keeps her chin up and head held high, Jaren is abused by his father and brother but has a sweet and gentle heart despite this. Adena tries to make her brother proud of her and tries to advance her inventions and Red deals with his trauma after the Federation tortures and experiments on him.
The world was great and I loved learning about the Ghosts, Strikers, and Shields. It was a harsh environment to live in torn up by war and survival which our characters had to learn how to survive in. The Ancient Ones were fascinating and I hope that we learn more about them in the next book.
I highly recommend this book and I can't wait until I can pick up the next one!
Graphic: Death, Blood, and War