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sydneyluxford's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
jessieslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Cursing and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, and Kidnapping
omfgeleanor'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: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, and Abandonment
li_reading's review against another edition
5.0
I will say, I do think the new edition is an improvement to the original.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Misogyny
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Hate crime, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Mass/school shootings
rachrreads'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I am unsure how I feel about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading from these characters POVs— well except for Callum’s. I hated how malicious Callum was, especially considering he was an empath. Libby, while annoying, was the most relatable for me. Parisa is a queen. Nico is charming and a bundle of energy. Tristan was intriguing and his powers are still a mystery to me. Reina was the much needed calm center for the group.
I found the explanation of the magic to be lacking. The word medeian is used in contrast to witch, but it is not clearly explained what the difference is. I think medeian is just a highly skilled and/or trained wizard and a witch is just a common person with magic and no training, but not sure.
I do not fully understand the plot and what happened at the end either. Every time I thought I understood what was going on, the next chapter confused me even more. I am intrigued to see where Olivie Blake goes with this though, so I am tempted to read book 2.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping
sunsetcity'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: Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
angela005's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death and Terminal illness
boglord's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicide, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship
silver_lining_in_a_book's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Every decade, six medeians are invited to compete for a place in the Alexandrian Society. They are the best of the best, masters of their craft. They must study, train and fight under the same roof for a year, five will go on to study for a second year, one will not. It is up to them to decide who is eliminated.
I do not have the words to describe how this book made me feel. The story was so different from anything I could have imagined, but Olivie Blake really delivered when it comes to the characters and the atmosphere. The latter was mainly as a result of her beautifully crafted prose, which really reflected the elitist academic setting and transported the reader right into the centre of all the action and tension within the Library of Alexandria.
When it comes to the prior, I think the author must have worked some sort of magic of her own. All of the characters were so deeply flawed and quite a number of them were undeniably twisted, but she somehow managed to make me care for all of them. Most of all, to my surprise, I found myself adoring the most depraved character in this book - Callum Nova. I don't know why I cared for him so much, but I loved his power and I loved the way he observed other characters from afar without much care for their opinion of him. I have never read from a character like him before, which - considering the number of dark academia literature published every year - is quite an achievement!
The reason I emphasise the characters in this novel is that they are truly the foundation for what Blake has crafted here. The novel has a plot, but it gently simmers in the background as the characters and their dynamics (not to mention all their discussions about physics, psychology and human morality) take centre stage. The plot really only picks up right at the end, but that is exactly I type of book that I enjoy, so I can't complain. I absolutely adored this and cannot wait to see where the author takes this story next! (I just hope that we get to see a little more of Callum!)
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism