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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
I can’t praise this book enough. The characters are brilliantly written and are believably developed. Margaret Killjoy’s influences are present but not overwhelming, creating a thorough and original world that may be familiar to fantasy/anarchist readers but still enjoyed by anyone. For how many characters there are, she balances them well with their own personalities and voices. There are definitely elements of our current social and political climate that manage to be thought provoking without being so on the nose it feels preachy or heavy handed. I may be biased but I didn’t know how much I needed this book. I can’t wait for the next one.
adventurous
inspiring
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I feel soooo bad DNF’ing a book but I just wasn’t vibing with this one, and I have so many books on my tbr that I don’t want to waste my time.. I’m not a huge fan of YA and I’m not sure if this one is considered YA but it definitely felt like it, so I wasn’t able to really get into it. I do enjoy the idea of the book though and am so happy for everyone who loves it.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This was the book I didn't know I needed. Adventurous and complicated with room for the characters to grow into their own identities. Leaving space for them to have confidence and beauty in not knowing all the answers, but still understanding at their core precisely who they are. Looking forward to where this journey takes Lorel in future books.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
nice and good fantasy, not really into the YA/coming of age of it all but that’s not at all to the fault of the book. would be interested in reading more
3.5 stars rounded up. I enjoyed this book but it wasn't my favorite. This book deeply explored trans identity. I love reading different experiences from writers who have actually experienced it. What I didn't love was that there was so much telling that showing. Things like "we talked that night and became friends." I wanted to hear that conversation to actually see the characters grow and learn from each other instead of being told they became friends. There's also way more focus on gender identity than the actual plot, magic and world changing events. Laurel was so focused on herself, she sometimes forgot that people could die but instead only thought about her gender. I think I'd be interested in reading more from this series, but I think the author needs to be more descriptive and go into the plot more.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
On paper, this is absolutely the sort of book I should enjoy. A trans witch story with anarchist themes? Obviously! But honestly I really struggled with this book. There were high moments, but Lorel’s characterization often felt flimsy to me—the narration told us a lot of stuff about her without ever really proving it to me. Also there were long sections I found pretty boring. Regardless, I did finish it and enjoy parts of it. So, three stars it is. Not sure I’ll read the sequel, though.