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knunderb's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A fun adventure! I love all the descriptions. So much detail that puts you right in the story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore and Death
shieldbearer's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
Loved this book so much as a kid. the nuanced characters and complex plot are an absolute plus in this book and it absolutely is one of the strongest entries in the series. The characters (particularly matthias) change over the course of the book. I particularly appreciate the way the arguments are handled- they feel natural. Beautifully written with a balance of humor and sobriety.
However, it must be said that this book does have racist parallels I completely missed as a child. The use of the slur for Romani peoples, namely, and the explicit comparison of/conflation of said slur with the foxes Sela and Chickenhound is a harmful anti-Romani stereotype. They are explicitly described as Romani and their behaviour and characterizations are harmful anti-Romani stereotypes.
There's also the matter of the Sparra, which are more ambiguous, though the author explicitly refers to Sparra warriors as "braves" and continually refers to the race as a whole as "savages" and their portrayal does very much bring to mind typical indigenous stereotypes.
While I would still recommend this book, I firmly believe we should not ignore these harmful portrayals and if you share the novel with your children, these issues should be discussed.
However, it must be said that this book does have racist parallels I completely missed as a child. The use of the slur for Romani peoples, namely, and the explicit comparison of/conflation of said slur with the foxes Sela and Chickenhound is a harmful anti-Romani stereotype. They are explicitly described as Romani and their behaviour and characterizations are harmful anti-Romani stereotypes.
There's also the matter of the Sparra, which are more ambiguous, though the author explicitly refers to Sparra warriors as "braves" and continually refers to the race as a whole as "savages" and their portrayal does very much bring to mind typical indigenous stereotypes.
While I would still recommend this book, I firmly believe we should not ignore these harmful portrayals and if you share the novel with your children, these issues should be discussed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Racial slurs, Murder, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Confinement, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
Minor: Slavery
fiveredhens's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
favorite quotes:
"Ah, Matthias, Matthias, the brave one. Wipe away your tears, my son. Death is only part of life. Tell me, can you see the late rose?"
Matthias dried his eyes on the Abbot's wide sleeve. "Yes, Father. It is in full bloom now."
"And are all the little roses as red as blood?" said the Abbot.
"They are, Father," Matthias answered.
The Abbot sighed. "It is as it was meant to be."
85% guided reading level book for the discerning christian second-grader
10% graphic violence
5% woodland feast
"Ah, Matthias, Matthias, the brave one. Wipe away your tears, my son. Death is only part of life. Tell me, can you see the late rose?"
Matthias dried his eyes on the Abbot's wide sleeve. "Yes, Father. It is in full bloom now."
"And are all the little roses as red as blood?" said the Abbot.
"They are, Father," Matthias answered.
The Abbot sighed. "It is as it was meant to be."
85% guided reading level book for the discerning christian second-grader
10% graphic violence
5% woodland feast
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Fatphobia, and Physical abuse
"r*ghead"nickshutter's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Gore
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