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blacksphinx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Gore, Hate crime, Murder, Violence, Grief, Genocide, and Death
Moderate: War, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Suicide
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Kidnapping
roseleebooks's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Overall I enjoyed this book. I read through it very quickly wanting to know what happened next!
Things that were done well were the pacing and the setup for the ending. There are multiple plot threads to pick up in the next book which could be frustrating for some readers. The key theme of dealing with past trauma and identity after being separated from the foundations of that identity was intriguingly explored throughout.Also, establishing that the MC was an unreliable narrator partway through the story opens up a lot of possibilities going into the next portion of the series.
There were several things that were problematic here with the FMCs relationship with the MMC,including power imbalance and đźš© behaviors from the MMC. Other reviews have commented on the colonizer/colonized aspect of it as well, which is off-putting. If the MMC goes full villain in the next book this would make much more sense to me, I'd like to assume the author has purposely laid this unsettling foundation. The love story was secondary to the main plot but the banter is where some of the twists and info reveals occurred
Overall the writing was fairly smooth, the story moved along at a fast pace, and I found myself rethinking things that I took at face value initially about the characters and setting throughout as new information was revealed. I'll definitely be picking up the next book to see what happens next. This may change my review here depending on how some of the above issues are handled.
Things that were done well were the pacing and the setup for the ending. There are multiple plot threads to pick up in the next book which could be frustrating for some readers. The key theme of dealing with past trauma and identity after being separated from the foundations of that identity was intriguingly explored throughout.
There were several things that were problematic here with the FMCs relationship with the MMC,
Overall the writing was fairly smooth, the story moved along at a fast pace, and I found myself rethinking things that I took at face value initially about the characters and setting throughout as new information was revealed. I'll definitely be picking up the next book to see what happens next. This may change my review here depending on how some of the above issues are handled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, Xenophobia, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Mental illness, and Suicide
kbairbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
A huge thank you to the author, and publisher, for giving me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you love N. Caceres and Chelsea Abdullah then you will LOVE Sara Hashem. This book was dark, cruel, and angry. But it was also a beautiful discovery that love is worthwhile, an incredible tale of friendship, and the most delicious slow burn I’ve come across in a while. The authors voice was so strong, the descriptions were so rich, and the world was so fleshed out. And Arin? UGH. YES. Everything about his, please and thank you. And that ending? PHEW!! I blew through it like my eyes were on fire and finishing the book was the fire extinguisher. SO GOOD. I can’t wait for book two!
If you love N. Caceres and Chelsea Abdullah then you will LOVE Sara Hashem. This book was dark, cruel, and angry. But it was also a beautiful discovery that love is worthwhile, an incredible tale of friendship, and the most delicious slow burn I’ve come across in a while. The authors voice was so strong, the descriptions were so rich, and the world was so fleshed out. And Arin? UGH. YES. Everything about his, please and thank you. And that ending? PHEW!! I blew through it like my eyes were on fire and finishing the book was the fire extinguisher. SO GOOD. I can’t wait for book two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, War, Blood, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Drug use, and Misogyny
fms2000's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
the Jasad Heir was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and not only did it live up to every expectation, but it also went far beyond. this book wrecked me and consumed me—Hashem’s story ideas, writing, and storytelling is absolutely incredible. I’m so in love with Sylvia and Arin—both together and as individual characters—they were written to perfection with a perfect sprinkling of all the best enemies to lovers tropes. in that regard, all of the characters are epic and dynamic and their own wonderfully developed individual people that you feel you get to know over the course of the story. this book was devastating (in the most perfect way you hope the best books to be) if slightly incomplete. the political intrigue was incredible, the motif of love throughout the story was felt so deeply, and I’m so excited to see how these journeys continue in book two. my one piece of feedback about the story at large is that the pacing is a little messy throughout which makes it harder to follow the plot in some places. for example, there are times when a plot point or twist is revealed vaguely and based on the character’s reaction to that event it can be hard to tell if as a reader I missed important context or if the intention was to keep this content more concealed. because of this pacing challenge sometimes the plot fell through as it lacked clarity, and at times the story jumped around (with little insight into character’s reflections) more when I wanted it to linger, and where lingering might have served the storyline better. the uneven pacing makes the world building a little hard to understand in some places, but doesn’t take away from the content or overall quality of the book. I can’t believe I have to wait so long for book two! I will be a faithful reader of all Sara Hashem’s books from here on out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Suicide
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