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angelmoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Self harm, Child death, Sexual content, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Eating disorder, Bullying, and Blood
beccam22's review
5.0
This book is about female friendship, the indescribable love of childhood friendship and the darker side of knowing someone so truly that you know every way to hurt them the most.
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Self harm, Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Classism, Dysphoria, Pedophilia, and Eating disorder
sarah_bookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
karapillar's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Murder
Minor: Incest, Gun violence, Drug use, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Alcohol, and Vomit
liv_easton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Onto the good things!
For a book about magic, illusions, and belief, Chokshi has perfect writing. Her characters are successful storytellers because she works so deftly, and she really does make an enchanting world throughout the novel. I also wouldn't just call this purple prose, because I think she maneuvers the reader through the story so well—to choose the ending she did and have me satisfied with our main characters is no easy feat, but it really did have the fairy tale *and all ends as it was meant to* feeling about it. I think she could've gone for a more horror-focused character arc if she wanted, but if there's one thing to take away from this it's that Chokshi loves fairy tales, and I think she told the tale she wanted to beautifully. In conclusion: I recommend if you're in the mood for a dreamy, mildly horrific, over-written story.
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Abandonment, Death, and Pedophilia
Minor: Child abuse, Self harm, and Child death
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Violence
booksbutmakeitgay's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Classism, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
scarlett_f's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Animal death, Grief, Gun violence, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, and Stalking
With a flower bride comes flowery language.horizonous'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Death, Infidelity, and Self harm
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse
blackcatkai's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this was so beautifully written and really did feel like a faerie tale. it is very much a slower gothic read so definitely set expectations accordingly. its a story that deals with a few very heavy topics so heed any content warnings beforehand, as well. i really enjoyed the way chokshi interwove two main stories together with a common thread tying them together. you feel a lot for azure if no one else and really root for her against all odds. the bridegroom is a very interesting perspective to read from, especially as his sections are more in the now while azures are in the past until they both crash together in the end.
now some people will probably see the twist coming before you actually get to the reveal, but i dont think that necessarily takes away from the story as a whole. IS there magic? is it all just a ruse? ultimately its left a bit open-ended for the reader to decide and i really liked where it went in the end, it really got quite the roller coaster of emotions out of me. will definitely read more of chokshi's adult work going forward, shes a master!
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Abandonment, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, and Medical content
Minor: Ableism