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cheuksin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Torture, and War
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, and Death of parent
hollyk'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
Ikenna is an absolute badass. She's also flawed, and I like that she's hotheaded, impulsive, and doesn't back down. Her resilience is commendable and I think she's incredibly complex. She shows a lot of growth, but I also think a lot of other characters show growth as well, which I think can often get lost in other books. Several characters have some big changes and I am glad to see that growth.
The pacing is a little slow at first, but once the Trials start, they Start™. One of the twists is kind of obvious, but I think that the details of it are well executed and are shocking. I won't say more because spoilers. Speaking of, TW in spoilers:
I loved this book and I will not stop thinking about it for the foreseeable future
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual content and Xenophobia
Minor: Pregnancy
tinyjude'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? It's complicated
4.0
Even though some of the plots were predictable and there were inconsistencies with certain characters' behaviours (probably trying to rush a growth path), it was still an addicting read that tackles subtly interesting themes such as militarism propaganda, institutional racism, institutional sexism, duty vs rightness... with a compelling world-building (i especially loved the forest trial and getting to know these abominable creatures). I am eager to see where the story takes us next and if my theories about the next book are as correct the ones i made in this one.
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and War
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Slavery and Colonisation
headinthepages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
abiofpellinor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism
mjdedevis24'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
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, War, and Injury/Injury detail
caroline_rk'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
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War
kendal_reads'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, Self harm, Blood, and Classism
Moderate: Alcohol and War
emilyvictoria98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: War
rbz39'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
Wow, this was a tough book to read. Challenging but rewarding! Don’t be fooled by the cover (which felt a little YA but still kicks ass regardless), this is a brutal tale of military sci-fi, magic, and systemic racism.
The author showed her world-building skills with this story and while I enjoyed it, I think the ending slowed down because of exposition. Most of the book is made up of the Trials, so I felt that the story began to feel long in the tooth after they concluded. On the other hand, the ending sets up an exciting book two and plenty of moral quandaries for our main character to grapple with. I will check it out!
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read for me since the mix of fantasy and sci-fi was really well done, and I thought the aspect of race in the story was well-executed. The constant abuse and hardship of the characters did make for a difficult read since it was a bit of a downer, but I had plenty of time to read it. Worth a read if the blurb or anything in this review sparked your interest! N. E. Davenport is an author to watch for sure.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment, and War