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and_opossum'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: Body horror, Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Slavery, Suicide, and Grief
emrosch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It's absolutely brilliant. This entire duology is like nothing I've ever read before. The prose, the characters, the vividness of everything... It's simply phenomenal.
Here's to hoping Shelley Parker-Chan releases more books in the future!!
Graphic: Murder and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War
ysary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The plot is amazing with a lot of twist and turn where you don't expect it. Seeing all the POV of the different Mandates makes you root for each of them and want to scream at the other when they fall into their traps. It's a very gruesome book with a lot of detailed violence that made me sometime have to take a minute before continuing reading.
I usually don't like military books but I could not put this one down because more than armies they are people and they aren't just fighting for power but for their future.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion
dmteralie's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Slavery, Torture, War, and Injury/Injury detail
shibh's review against another edition
- 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: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
tinyflame4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
laurareads87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
In comparison, to the first book, the sequel is definitely heavier in tone; I would also say that the fantasy elements figure more prominently. Having read the first book is vital to reading this one.
Content warnings: War, violence, murder, blood, injury detail, ableism, internalized homophobia, sexism/misogyny, death of a child, drowning, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, torture, rape (several instances, in one case described in some detail on-page), animal cruelty & death. This book is not easy reading. It is not the most graphic by any means, but violence is absolutely pervasive throughout and the author's skill means that the content is deeply impactful.
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child death
grace_b_3'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: Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
saphfics's review against another edition
- 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
It can feel very slow at times but that is because puzzle pieces are moving all the time. I feel like it needed like a couple of pages more at the end because it felt to me that the story stopped very abruptly. However, I think that the ending still does justice to everyone's character arc.
I would warn anyone to really look at the content warnings because it really is dark at times.
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
alyballybee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail