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bookfortbuilder's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Ableism, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Death, Blood, War, Physical abuse, Slavery, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
prashiie's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Gore, Kidnapping, Death, Violence, Murder, Suicide, Grief, Cancer, Self harm, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, War, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Ableism
Moderate: Death of parent
cdoubet'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
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, War, Genocide, Death, Physical abuse, Confinement, Grief, Medical content, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Torture, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, and Kidnapping
Minor: Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts
jelkebooks's review
- 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
3.0
REREAD 2024
Honestly, I don't know what got into me in 2018 to give this book a 5 star rating. I mean, not that this is a bad book, it really isn't, I just don't think it's anywhere near 5 star material. In fact rereading my review from back then I do agree with it, which makes me even more baffled that it was a five star back then. But yeah, we're here now, with a three star, but a high three star.
My main issue with this book was Harper, I really did not like her for most of this book. She's just a type of female main character in YA that I can't stand: stupid, defiant for defiance sake instead of actual understandable reasons, and no sense of self preservation despite the author set on convincing us that she's the most badass person to have ever badassed. That's a very common female main character in YA, especially back in the day but I absolutely can't stand it. To be completely honest, Harper isn't the worst example of this type of character I've read. Her defiance at the start does make a bit of sense if it wasn't for good reasons, because of the kidnapping to another world and not being able to go home. I also think that by the end of this book she does show quite a bit of growth, and I'm excited to see her develop even more in the rest of the series.
I did really like Rhen, look he's also a very typical male main character in YA, but he does fit in an archetype I actually really love. Come on, the spoiled prince who no one thinks is going to be a good leader, but is actually realy concerned for his people and would make for a more better king than his brutal father (okay, we don't know much about his dad, but I'm just talking about the archetype, not Rhen in particular). I EAT IT UP EVERY SINGLE TIME. I definitely preffered the chapters in his POV over Harper's, but he is a bit one dimensional. I just didn't LOVE him. Who I did love was Grey. He is an incredibly interesting character, and I wish we would have gotten his POV throughout this book as well.
I did quite like the plot of this book. I thought it was entertaining, but it was a bit slow at times. It does get very tense and action packed towards the end, and it had me on the edge of my seat. It's just in the middle that it can drag a little bit. I did really like the world as well, and I am incredibly intrigued to keep reading. So hopefully I'll get to the sequel very soon!
Graphic: Ableism and Torture
Moderate: Cancer and Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol
onefineelephant'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
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, War, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Gore, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Medical content, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Body horror and Child death
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Gun violence, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Cancer, Cannibalism, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Death, Suicide attempt, Grief, Blood, Body horror, Ableism, Death of parent, War, Medical content, Chronic illness, Alcohol, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual harassment and Pedophilia
qrschulte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Things I loved:
- a protagonist with a disability who is affected by their disability but not defined by it. So refreshing that she was a fully realized person
- the Rhen narrator. Honestly, the book might have been better with just him narrating the whole thing.
- believable reasoning for why someone from our world could ride a fucking horse
Things I did not love:
- How whiny the Harper narrator made her sound sometimes. It made it a lot less believable it was the same character between the narrators.
- The monster narration (so fucking creepy/scary). Could have done without that.
- The parts where it was said Harper was “not like other girls” *cue vomiting*
Graphic: Confinement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, War, Ableism, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Cancer, Suicide, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Body horror, Self harm, Classism, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, and Stalking
Minor: Gun violence, Child death, and Infidelity
taryn_g'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
4.25
Graphic: Violence, War, Death, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Confinement, Kidnapping, Child death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Grief, and Cancer
Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, Vomit, and Infidelity
katievallin'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: Cancer, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Stalking, Alcohol, Gore, War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Vomit, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Rape, and Ableism
annorabrady's review
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Blood, Kidnapping, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Self harm, Outing, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Cancer, Vomit, War, Violence, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism