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lilly24's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcoholism, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Deportation, Drug use, Murder, Self harm, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Excrement, Xenophobia, Classism, Cursing, Gaslighting, Racism, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit
rubbertree14's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Racism, Drug abuse, Cursing, Violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Drug use, War, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Genocide, Colonisation, Child death, Body horror, Blood, and Alcoholism
min_grachi'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Body horror, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Torture, Chronic illness, Grief, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Violence, War, Genocide, Gore, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
lavenderbtcpodcast's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Torture, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Slavery, and Genocide
stitchof's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, War, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Child death, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, and Suicide
nicole_schmid's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
That, however, was not the case. The book starts going and basically never stops. The school? Only relevant in the first third. The war? More detailled than you might have expected or wanted. Seriously.
But this quick pace comes at a risk: I never really got to know the main side characters. I knew their names enough to recognise them and they all had neat little archetypes to fall into like "bookish nerd who's BFF with the protagonist, but doesn't believe in magic" and "mean girl who wants to impress the guy" and "rich kid who cannot believe this audacious peasant (who is better than him)", but nothing beyond that.
I did like it when Nezha started to grow out of his "school rival" category by apologizing, and I think Rin is an idiot for not doing the same. But just then, he "died" again, so let's see...
It'll also be interesting to meet the surviving schoolmates again in the next book and see how war and trauma has changed them, especially Kitay.
So, the school arc is a bit rushed without really giving the characters room to develop. The other two thirds are a complete tonal shift.
There were also times I disagreed with the decision a character came to or how it was framed, though I understand the reasons behind it. Without going into the later thirds,
So, to cut my rambling short, I understand why she would choose this option so quickly. The doctor, of course, wants to rid women of those ridiculous "femaleness" so that they can be more man-like soldiers. But just because I understand it, does not mean I did not wish for a more detailed commentary or some comment about how utterly fucked up the doctor/system is for preying on ignorant girls and pressuring them into a choice with long-lasting consequences they should at least spare (and be given the time to spare) a second thought to before actually committing to it.
But overall, I was blown away by this story. The worldbuilding was intriguing, the twist at the end (though a bit predictable and partly revealed much too early in the POV chapter of Altan's boss) leaves the ending open for a sequel, the further progression of the story seems clear. War here is not depicted as a quick and easy way to gain power and recognition and, if you die, at least ever-lasting glory, nor as some higher-ups sending out numbers and discussing strategies, but it is actually depicted as the cruel thing it is, especially when it shows the helpless civilians who are too poor to flee and are left to become causalities in a war that has nothing to do with them.
However, I must strongly warn you that this book is not for the faint of heart. Please take the trigger warnings in the corresponding section extremely seriously. They are not (yet, hopefully) dealt with in the nuanced and understanding tone that they should be by virtue of happening at the end of the book or not having happened to the main characters, so proceed with care!
Graphic: Vomit, War, Violence, Blood, Child death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Addiction, Genocide, and Torture
Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, and Rape
kimmio's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Violence, War, Death, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
violaceae'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Child death, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Misogyny
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Chronic illness
_katie_reads_'s review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Self harm, and Violence
wrenxavier's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Vomit, and Xenophobia