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orchidd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture and Vomit
bookbrig's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
4.0
I received an ARC of this, and I'm excited to bring it to schools and discuss it with our teens. The writing is lush and beautiful, with mouthwatering descriptions of food and vibrant, tactile world building. There's mystery, danger, and twisting loyalties throughout. It's perhaps a dated readalike, but I think fans of Dhonielle Clayton's The Belles would love this as would readers looking for a fascinating magic system. As an adult reader, I wasn't the target audience for the often impulsive choices Ning makes, so the things that I didn't love probably won't be as much of an issue for our teen readers. One note, this ends on a major cliffhanger which is very rarely something I enjoy, and I didn't love it here. Still, highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Bullying and Terminal illness