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axel_p's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lucifer had some great ideas but some of his other ideas were less ideal.
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Classism, War, Child abuse, Blood, Dysphoria, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Mental illness, Animal death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
pika_berry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Quite unlike other LGBT fantasy, and warning:
Though it has it in the tag, technically, this book is not a genre romance.
The first 30% or so was quite rough with POV issues.
Words like “ground level shrub” or “mahogany” would be used when it’s the POV of somebody who was literally just created and does not even know what a plant or a tree is.
Is was sometimes hard to tell who’s perspective we have shifted to, and had me wondering who did what. But these issues went away in the middle of the book. I think the writer got better at writing as they went along.
Another major drawback is the portrayal of god. The god is written as a petty, moody, middle aged man. He doesn’t seem very wise nor compassionate. He demands the angels to worship him, and makes dumb decisions.
Like creating an Angel that is supposed to be the most beautiful, and giving him special treatment … this doesn’t seem like a very wise thing to do, even from my limited mortal perspective…
And while I know this is in the original story, I don’t think this book depicted this very well. He feels more like an abusive cult leader than a holy being to me. But perhaps this is because the writer is a modern person, and at the end of rhe day, most modern people snicker at religion and the idea of god. They think it’s superstitious or foolish. It is natural for this broader sentiment to show in their work.
The entirety of the plot is based on poor decision making by this dumb god character, and that could pull you out of the book. I didn’t mind though. I don’t think anybody reads a retelling for plot, tbh.
The drama, the beautiful imagery and the motives make this a compelling read.
The book feels like a fanfic. It’s a retelling, but feels more like fanfic. It’s probably the generic characters. I like it though lol.
I can imagine the story doing well in the Japanese market, perhaps made into a manga.
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
graygarrido'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
5.0
Rafael Nicolás does an incredible job at making a story both light & full of achingly sweet tenderness & in the same chapter explore the darkness within Religion & the harmful ways in which Religion can be taught to young minds.
One of my favorite themes was of queer identity & the queer Body & its relationship (or lack thereof) with Catholicism. How in this version of Paradise we are shown bodies of all shapes and sizes. Masculine and feminine blur together to create something entirely new, bodies decadently dressed in jewels from head to toe and covered in delicate fabrics.
I saw so much of my young queer self in Lucifer and Michael. The questions, the doubts, the love, the resentment, and most of all the fear. This book is a balm to my inner queer child, & I truly cannot recommend it enough especially if you were raised Catholic like I was.
I cannot wait to see what happens next in this world. & with that I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“So if Lucifer had ever the choice, he might've decided to inspire the Lord's hate, rather than His quiet displeasure. A hand that strikes from the dark is at least proof of a hand. It's kinder to be beaten than to be left untouched.”
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
violetlunablossom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lucifer was an extremely compelling protagonist. His transformation from a wide-eyed, vibrant newborn angel to a vengeful, unhinged dissident was tragic and seamless. It all reads like someone who fell out of love with religion (and God), wrestling with feelings of guilt, anger, and overwhelming sorrow while everyone else around you seems normal. Michael, Asmodeus, and Rosier were also wonderfully engrossing supporting characters. Their unique relationships with Lucifer (Michael especially because good God was I hurting by the end) were what made this book in my opinion.
The way that heaven and its hierarchy of angels are portrayed additionally made this whole book for me. Angels have their purposes and tasks and they're not all copy + paste personalities. They're beautiful, nearly androgynous beings, who dress in fine silks and jewels but also enjoy watching violent and frenzied battles in a giant colosseum. Also side note, kudos to Nicolás for not making all his angels white. It's a small detail but reading about angels who have a variety of skin tones has never made me more happy.
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicidal thoughts
nerdyspinster's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Rape, and Sexual assault
reila's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Self harm and Torture
minnows's review against another edition
Graphic: Self harm
Minor: Rape
minayana's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Please check trigger warnings before starting the book!
Graphic: Gaslighting, Animal death, Self harm, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture and Sexual assault
theminnesotawitch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Torture, Death, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Murder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and War
okays1331's review
3.75
It’s marked as a queer retelling of the fall of Lucifer. I don’t think that is central to the story. The characters are man-shaped but so is everyone. There is no real romance, the tender feelings of the two central characters tip over into obsession immediately. Sexual content is almost all violent and violating.
Note: Sometimes difficult to read because of the way the author chose to format dialogue.
Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gore, Body horror, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Death, Blood, Torture, Sexual assault, Rape, Incest, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting