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abbey_marie'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
It started out slow and I honestly quite liked the pacing of that. In the middle and end is where it really ramped up, many emotional scenes that had me needing to take a break from reading because they were so raw and well written. It’s truly moving.
If you’re looking for a high fantasy book, this isn’t it. It doesn’t have a lot of the fantasy elements, though I’ve heard the second book does. It has more magical realism I think than fantasy. But if you’re looking for a beautiful love story, a book with elements of what feels like historical fiction (it seems to be set in the 1910s or 20s), an atmospheric novel, an emotional adventure of a read, this is it. This is everything I didn’t know I needed and I am beyond excited for the second in the duology! (And so glad that it isn’t a trilogy because my heart might explode if I had to wait for a third book!)
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content, Excrement, and Medical content
This book has several intense war scenes in it and graphic scenes of violence and death. If you are sensitive to those, you may want to read this slowly, take breaks, or this may not be the book for you. It also has some elements of alcoholism, grief, death of a parent, and PTSD. It does have one sex scene, but it’s tastefully done and not graphic.vettechmama3'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Blood, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and Death of parent
inkysplodge'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
5.0
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
howboutjane'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: War
Minor: Sexual content and Vomit
unavaleriaconpecas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent and War
Moderate: Death and Vomit
khucc'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol
annag77's review against another edition
Graphic: War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
joygarcialim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The plot was what really made the book so damn interesting. The magical channel of two potential lovers sending love letters was at the heart of the story, and it possessed an abundance of charm and mystery.
Although there wasn't enough details to evoke a powerful imagery of the sceneries, such as how Oath looked like, there was a sense of an antique world. There could have been a lot more done to contribute to the world-building other
I questioned my own ability to understand emotions and relationships many times throughout the book, whilst simultaneously questioning Rebecca Ross's.
She started to see Roman as a romantic partner a few days after he arrived in Avalon Bluff, after he straight-up lied(by omission) about his identity as Carver. There was a real missed opportunity to write a romantic conflict and working towards conflict resolution, which would have made the relationship seem a lot more romantic and wholesome. They got married within a few days of starting a relationship, which is just a bad message to young readers, since this is YA after all.
“This was one of the finest restaurants in Oath, where Roman’s parents had fallen in love over a long candlelit dinner.” The average time for men to fall in love is actually 88 days and it's longer for women, one dinner doesn't cut it unless this long dinner was 88 days.
“Iris watched her bolt down the hallway, knowing she was probably going to wax vengefully poetic to the professor who had once dismissed her writing.” I'm not even sure what this means.
“What marks would it leave on them, shining like scars that never faded?” But don't all scars fade, even if not completely? And do scars shine?
“So many loose pages, fluttering like snow down to the floor.”
“He continued to hold their stare, deadly serious. “If I asked you, would you say yes?” I was so confused. Did Iris become enby during that one sentence?
“She ran to Keegan with a shriek, weeping and laughing, leaping into her arms.” Was Marisol was happy to see her wife amidst an impending war zone?
“This was the life she wanted—slow and easy and vibrant, surrounded by people she loved.” People she hardly knew.
Finally, the book gave left a lot of unexplained situations, which I hope are hints for things that are to come in the second book.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Vomit
sarah_hutchins'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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: War
Moderate: Gore, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Medical content
readbyella_'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? No
4.25
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and War
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail