You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
wendleness'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Despite some issues there were a lot of things I loved. I loved the Spackle—the Land—finally being fully involved and learning more about them. I loved the parallels between Todd and the mayor, Viola and Mistress Coyle, and the Return and the Sky. The parallels weren’t exactly subtle, but seeing all these characters, ostensibly from different groups and culture and backgrounds, all going through the same struggles and learning the same lessons was really quite powerful.
Of course the best thing about the book, the driving theme of the entire story, and the thing I’m still thinking about, is summed up nicely by the title. Throughout the book the overwhelming message from the several groups of people is a desire for peace. A desire to live a simple life without fearing for their lives or having to take up arms. Yet it is the actions and desires of a few—the few in charge, the few with power and influence, the few with selfish personal motivations—that dictate the course of action. That create monsters out of people and drag them into a war they’d rather not be fighting. It is a depressingly accurate account, I think, of power and how those who have it often choose to wield it.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and War
ashfantastic98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal death
leonormsousa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
QUOTES
- The exploration of the concepts of good and evil and everything in between and how they’re perceptions that can vary according to your perspective. Also the way Patrick Ness makes you have such contradictory feelings towards the “bad” characters.
- The approach to war that covers both sides of the fight through multiple POVs. I usually don’t really like books about war, but this one was a clear exception!
- The different writing styles for different POVs, that make us feel more “inside the skin” of the characters. I especially love the Spackle POV, which in this book, we see added to Todd’s and Viola’s.
- The formatting on this book/series really adds on to the experience (different POVs have different fonts, as does the “noise” from different people).
- The final resolution of the book and the series was so satisfactory.
THINGS I DIDN'T ENJOY
- The book is a bit slow at points, and, in my opinion, didn’t need to be this long.
MY OPINION ON THE WHOLE SERIES
- Great escalation throughout the series - from a personal adventure to a war between species.
- The second book was definitely my least favourite, but the first and third definitely compensate for it!
- Overall, an amazing YA dystopian series!
- Be sure not to miss the novellas as well.
- FINAL RATING: 4⭐
READ THE SERIES IF YOU ENJOY
- Stories set on a different planet with new sapient species
- Young protagonists in unfamiliar circumstances that are forced to grow and that fight to the end of the world to be together
- Manipulative, intelligent and unscrupulous villains
- Exploring different sides of the same conflict
- Delving into the concept of evilness
- Books without romance
- Crying (:
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
marissamichelle95's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Animal death
leileikarma1's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
kurlykc'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and War
durrareadsstuff's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
A monster, I think, remembering what Ben told me once. War makes monsters of men.
"Wrong," says the Mayor. "It's war that makes us men in the first place. Until there's war, we are only children."
Damn, this book wrecked me! I mean, it had me gasping and mad and also made me shed a tear or two, which I thought was impossible lol. I loved this one the most out of the whole trilogy, I think. Firstly, the way war itself was described by the author was incredible. There was no good or bad, no right or bad side, just a few sides with their own interests and being selfish even though the right thing would be to come together. I loved seeing how Todd and Viola grew so much and I loved Bradley's character. I wished I got to see some more of him and Simone, but oh well. Also, we got a third POV!
Moving on to why I think this was not a 5 star book. There are a few things that annoyed the heck out of me, for instance, Todd being so stupid and gullible and thinking that the Mayor was redeemable?!?
Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Animal death and Suicide
aquakerwitch'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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Violence, and Kidnapping
arlorees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Genocide, Gore, and Death of parent
oliverlang's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder