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locrosby'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
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Animal death, Sexual violence, Violence, and Gore
jombo65's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Darrow is a textbook "mary sue/gary stu" who always realizes his opponents' motivations and understands people and gets the upper hand on them. He's boring as shit.
Hate the writing style, too. This book contains the line "I roar like a rage god." If you like that kind of thing, great, but to everyone else over the age of 13, please steer clear.
Pure unadulterated cringe for little boys. Was expecting so much more from this one.
Moderate: Sexual assault, Gore, Blood, Rape, Sexual violence, Animal death, Physical abuse, Child death, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
eliaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Excrement, Sexual assault, Sexism, Genocide, Gaslighting, Cursing, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death, Gore, Confinement, Rape, Classism, Animal death, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Blood, War, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Grief, Murder, and Misogyny
Minor: Vomit and Death of parent
stefanie_c'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Slavery, Classism, Murder, Animal death, Child death, Death, Blood, Gore, and Violence
ginkgo's review against another edition
3.5
The story was interesting, but basically there's a little TOO MUCH -
So the aftertaste is kind of... confusing. But it was well-written and in a way captivating story, so 3.5 stars (
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Rape, Slavery, War, and Gore
fmarge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gore and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Slavery
leannarapier'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
3.0
It started out interesting with the MC being part of a group (known as Reds) sent to live underground generations ago to mine materials needed to terraform Mars. What they didn’t realize is that their mission was complete long ago and the other Colors were living in luxury on Mars and other planets while they still slaved away thinking they were preparing Mars for their future children.
The MC, after discovering the truth, is disguised as a Gold (the elite group of people) and goes to a special training school. At this point, I felt like the novel was a redo of the Hunger Games only with more language and violence. Nor did I really get the emotional depth I was looking for. I wanted something heartfelt with action, and more than just the grief and violence this book became.
3.5 I would have given it 4 stars except for the bait and switch. I loved the beginning idea of an oppressed people rising up and was disappointed in the whole hunger game school survival setting it became.
Graphic: Grief, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Gore, and Cursing
flowchelle'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Violence, Blood, Death, War, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Physical abuse
gbentley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Body horror, Classism, Death, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Cannibalism
lillelow's review against another edition
The book begins the worst possible way with drunk father figures and community leaders laughing about raping the protagonist’s wife - and no one raises an eyebrow. Misogyny, machoism, masochism, prostitution as a means of female survival and male pleasure, a world in which all women are beautiful, marry when they’re 14 and work with silk while all the manly men work in the mines… This is a sci-fi novel, a world of make believe. You can write about ANYTHING. Create ANY future. Yet this is what we get. I’m SO F* TIRED of reading about this bullshit.
I wanted to put the book down then and there, but decided to give it a go because of all the good reviews.
I shouldn’t have bothered. It doesn’t get better.
The premiss is interesting, but the execution and the character portrayal is horrible.
I didn’t like the protagonist at all. Clever, brave, strong, humble, hardworking, loving… All the right things! At least, that’s what I’m told. Honestly, all I see is a self absorbed insular teenager with no weakness who excels at everything he does for no reason other than he’s the chosen one. He doesn’t have to be likeable, but believable is quite important, and this book does none of it.
The supposedly romantic interactions between the protagonist and his wife are probably supposed to be charming and sweet but only feel stiff, cliche and childish and evoke no emotions at all. But hey, at least she is incredibly beautiful and we’re told everyone loves her… I guess that was enough for the author.
I didn’t like any of the other characters either. Even the ones who are described in good light are horrible, not to mention the way they express themselves. I’m not prude. Explicit language and swearing is fine. But most of the writing, dialogue, slurs and expletives in this book are just disturbing and annoying. You cannot make me believe people talk like this for real. Is it supposed to be cool?? I couldn’t stand it, I hated almost everyone and the flat writing did nothing to help.
At 40% through, I couldn’t take it anymore. I didn’t care about the story or the characters and was mostly annoyed at it all. Ender’s Game’s the perfect chosen one meets the segregation and killing of The Hunger Games or Gladiator (only it’s terrible) in a violent color-coded elite school on Mars with some sprinkles… no, make that a heavy rain…. of machoism and sexism.
No thank you.
★★-
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Classism, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Body shaming, Alcohol, War, Trafficking, Slavery, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Death of parent, Sexism, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Addiction, Blood, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Cursing, Racial slurs, Body horror, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Rape, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Excrement, Gore, Death, and Eating disorder