Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan

43 reviews

nokvi's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Oh I think book 3 is my favorite out of the three. As always with my YA reads, I remember I am not the target audience and assess them from that view point and Natasha really put her pen to work. 

I question the need for dual POVs but this version really had me thinking, especially in the context of Ketai's actions  
  • "What is the moral line in war?"
  • "At one point in the revolution do we become our oppressors in the very attempt to uproot them?"

Ketai Hanno really brings that into focus thru Wren as we navigate the resistance side. As Wren learns that she is more than the vengeance machine her father made her
even at the end of the book letting it settle that he was even willing to let her experience being raped by the Demon king to achieve his goal
. It begs the question of it is possible for the oppressed to go too morally far in their retaliation to their oppressors?

And I'm not talking about fighting, the basis of a revolution and resistance is violence; rights and equality irl weren't won in via peaceful measures. No what is examined how much of ourselves can we morally sacrifice to obtain our goal
as seen by Ketai asking Lei to sacrifice herself and other decisions he made along the way


Lei herself also faces her own issues as she realises how skewed the ideology she was preaching in previous books do not hold weight in these circumstances. As she battles with her own trauma paired with the responsibility (and consequences) that comes with being the Moonchosen, Lei comes to terms with how much persons have sacrificed and are willing to give up in the name of her protection

heavy topics with heavy themes and I just loved every second of it

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bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

I thought this tied up the series nicely, but I almost wonder if this could have been a duology instead. I obviously am just a peasant, have never written a book, -let alone a trilogy- but I wonder if the story would have felt more succinct and held its direction if it was a duology. 

It took me a bit to get invested in this one (granted, it had been a year since I read the second book in the series, so that’s on me), because I struggling with the pacing and the “fluff” if that makes sense. 

However, towards the latter half of the book, I did feel more pulled in, especially since there was a lot more action happening (which is funny, because I’m historically not a “pew pew action war” honey). 

Anyway, I loved the rotating POVs of Lei and Wren, and felt their voices were much more pronounced and distinct in this book. I loved that representation of them coming more into themselves 🥹 The climax of the war, the aftermath, and seeing our favorite characters wrangle with that was done tactfully and lovingly. 

Overall, I am glad I read this trilogy and think it would do well if optioned and adapted for tv or film! Give us an all-API cast & adapt this YA fantasy! 

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cass_ward's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25


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wizard_of_oz's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful lighthearted sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25


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dmrains's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring sad tense medium-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


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harrisgrace's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful tense medium-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


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gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

The final book in the Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy! Where I found the second book to be a bit of a drag to read through this book really hit it off.

I found I was a lot more invested in the story and wondering how it will end. It was great to see familiar faces from the first book and how consequences of actions performed across the series catches up to everyone.
There is a lot of excellent moments that grips you for all different reason. I'm glad that I read this book. It is a beautiful way to send off the series.

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kikide778's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? Yes

4.0


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queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

5 ⭐ CW: violence, blood, death, torture, self-harm, references to sexual abuse, references to trauma 

Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan is the final book in the Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy. I cannot stress enough how amazing this YA series is. Ngan tackles some really hard topics in a sensitive and informed way. This final book was equal parts heartbreaking and satisfying a great end for a great series. Spoilers for the first two books ahead. 

We pick up with Wren after the events of the last book, as we see her deal with her grief over Lei being gone and the Sickness making it harder to sustain her magical Xia state. Wren finds herself being that which Lei had accused her, showing no mercy. She grapples with the expectations of her father, and the enormous weight of waging a war against the dominant power that is the Demon King. Meanwhile, Lei is dealing once again with being the prisoner of the Demon King by being forced to continue her role as Moonchosen. The king isn't as fearless as her would have his court believe, because he clearly fears Lei. Lei is also trying to find a way to not only escape, but to find a way to free the rest of the Paper Girls who have been forced to be serve Lei. 

There is a lot of plot that happens in this book, but it doesn't move slow or get boring. There is so much character stuff that is happening. I loved getting to know Lova better and getting some nuance from her. I also appreciate the care and attention given to Nitta's disability. Honestly, Nitta is one of my favorite side characters (especially since Bo isn't around anymore 😭). She gets a wheelchair and is always has a positive attitude about it. She never complains or feels her life is over just because she's a wheelchair user. 

I absolutely love that Ngan chose not to end the book on death and leave us wondering how things will change. The last section of the book is dedicated to healing, physically and emotionally. Though there was much to cry about in this book, it ended in a way that makes you feel hopeful. Ngan has done a superb job weaving in elements about sexual abuse, trauma recovery, and disability rep all encased in a unique Malaysian inspired fantasy. If you're looking for a YA series with a lot of heart, sapphic love, great characters, and revolution, this series is for you.




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emmiej's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense medium-paced
  • 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

I have the hardback version and there were a few typos and a couple of sentences that missed words in order for it to make sense, otherwise would be 5/5

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