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bree_h_reads's review against another edition
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Child abuse, Body horror, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
thenexthing'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Slavery, Violence, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
cryinginasexual'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: Classism
alexalily'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
5.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Death, Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Trafficking, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Stalking, Gaslighting, Torture, Child abuse, and Medical content
alt05's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, and Classism
wombie'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
4.5
Moderate: Murder, Emotional abuse, Classism, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death
booksthatburn'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
5.0
The plot has several threads, following each of the main characters. The blurb implies that Lin is the only main character, but Jovis plays an enormous role (meeting all but one of the other main characters at various points), and the romance between Phalue and Ranami felt complex and real. Lin is the daughter of the emperor, trying to get her father's approval by getting back memories she lost in a sickness several years ago. Jovis is a smuggler who is trying to find his wife who was kidnapped five years ago. He ends up rescuing children from having their shards taken. Phalue is the daughter of a governor on one of the islands, and Ranami is her girlfriend who keeps turning down Phalue's marriage proposals because Phalue doesn't seem to understand the enormity of her privilege in comparison to everyone on the island. There's a woman called Sand who is trying to escape her current situation, I don't want to spoil anything about her but she seems set up to do much more in the sequel.
Lin has spent years trying to get her father's approval, and is frustrated by his ableist insistence that she's not whole unless she can get back the memories she lost. Desperate to get him to pay attention to her as she is and not as she was, Lin starts copying his keys to get access to rooms that might hold knowledge of the magic he should be teaching her. She's in competition with her foster brother Bayan since he regained more of his memories and seems to continually be one step ahead of her in getting the emperor's attention.
The relationship between Phalue and Ranami briefly dips into some toxic territory as Phalue doesn't seem to understand or know how to take seriously Ranami's concerns. It definitely helps that both of them are narrators, so their perspectives are shown directly at various points.
Jovis ends up with an animal companion after he saves it from the water during a disaster early one. Mephi is pretty cool and not annoying, which is a relief because sometimes I end up detesting animal sidekicks.
The magic system is based on using bone taken from the empire's citizens as children. The shards can be used to power constructs, and once in use they slowly drain the life force of their original owner. The emperor uses an elaborate array of constructs to do all the imperial bureaucracy which could be done by people, but he doesn't trust anyone else to do it right. This setup means that the way the lower classes are exploited is more than just cruelty and resource hoarding by the rich, but that their very lives can be taken, slowly, by an emperor they'll never see, if he happens to pick their shard from a drawer and use it to fuel a construct. I love the way the magic system is inseparable from the political structure and brewing uprising.
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Confinement, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, and Vomit
leona'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
4.5
I found this book to have a rather slow start, and I did struggle a bit to really get into it. After a while though, I was fully engrossed and flew through this book so quickly.
Jovis was probably my favourite character in the story. He's witty and determined and just a very likeable character. His desperation to find his wife feels raw and realistic, I really sympathise with his struggles. The mystery of the blue-sailed ship is intriguing, as well as the mystery of 'what the hell is Mephi?' I love Mephi. He really adds some hope and love in this story. Especially as there is definitely some romance in the story, but mainly from relationships that have already been established - so it was nice to see Jovis have such a caring / parental love for Mephi (and have a new relationship established). Jovis really is a well-moralled and decent person at heart, with a tough exterior.
Lin was also pretty cool. Her chapters were some of the more captivating of the story, especially in the last half of the book. She wasn't my favourite character but I really enjoyed getting to see the way that Bone Shard magic could be used, especially first-hand from someone learning it for the first time. I think this was a very intelligent way to introduce readers to the magic system (a magic system which is quite frankly brilliant, one of my favourites since allomancy!) And wow. Those plot twists and cliff-hangers at the end... Just excellent. I mean I did call a few of the twists
Another main POV is that of Phalue and Ranami. Their chapters were interesting although not my favourites because I wasn't really all that interested in the uprising / rebel side story. However, I think Phalue and Ranami are one of the best lesbian relationships I have read in fantasy recently. I appreciated the way that different sexualities / sexual preferences were completely integrated and unquestioned in society, they aren't token characters, but feel very realistic. They aren't treated any differently to a straight couple, and the challenges they face in this already established relationship feel very realistic, and I imagine are probably quite relatable. There is also some interesting exploration of classism, and how economic status can effect someone's life opportunities and happiness. I'm hoping we get a bit more depth from them in future installments.
I liked some of the side characters a fair amount as well, especially Sand, and the other people on that island. I loved the element of mystery around the whole book, and the revelations were most definitely worth it!
I find the whole concept of this book so utterly fascinating, and I really enjoyed the philosophical elements (almost sci-fi esque), with themes such as
Overall, I just really loved this first book, and I genuinely think it has the potential to become a new favourite trilogy of mine! 4.5 stars. Highly recommend.
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Murder, Body horror, and Child death
Minor: Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, and Racism
20sidedbi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death
gayghostprince'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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Child death, Animal death, Death of parent, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: War, Blood, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Classism
Minor: Grief, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Trafficking