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vic_to_ria's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn’t bad- just not for me.
I was expecting more folklore based storytelling but it was more allegory based.
I wasn’t getting the folklore- cozy dark academia vibes everyone was talking about and felt like that could have been played into more. It just felt too real to me, like it could have all been chalked up to mental illness rather than magic, and the unreliableness of the main character while interesting at times felt like it needed more focus on the reactions from other characters to balance it all out. Idk
The book did have a strong female empowerment theme all throughout and showed the truly darkest sides of being a girl in any age, not only a one where girls can’t enrol in literary higher education. I think that there should have been a content warning before the book explaining the themes- I read the ebook so maybe the physical did I’m not sure but I feel like I would have liked to know going in it was not going to be a decently fun time like I thought. It just made me sad reading it because everything that was happening could happen in real like in terms of the harassment and sexism-
I think my main problems was that it wasn’t escapist enough for my likings- more fiction with sprinkled folk lore than a true fantasy.
Again maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace or prepared to read it when I did so give it a go after reading some warnings from others to see if it’s a good fit for you.
Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
muchadoaboutliz'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
cordeliant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
moonchild_cos'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
wickan2010'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
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
renavi_eri'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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, and Dementia
shamaramill's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
amy_reading_23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
But overall a good fantasy dark-academia read!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Car accident, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
p2evavaras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol
wooblatoober's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
i really loved some aspects of this book but was really bothered by others—i loved the imagery & the metaphors really made me feel the way i believe the author wanted me to feel. parts were very cozy in ways i haven’t felt since i was probably 14. i LOVED the love interest & i had a huge crush on him because he’s so perfect. whenever there was a scene without him, i wanted him to come back, & i believe reid did a good job of making him incredibly caring while still empowering the female lead. the book covered serious topics regarding misogyny & sexual assault very well,
my complaint is this: effy’s fucking racist. & i love a problematic character who grows & learns lessons & changes, BUT SHE FUCKING DOESN’T!!! it’s just not dealt with well & leaves a bad taste in my mouth. she even calls him slurs at one point and i don’t think she ever took accountability for that at all??? like it seems like she got an argantian boyfriend so she’s absolved of all racism against argantians. it really just gives, “i can’t be racist because my boyfriend’s argantian (or insert any race/ethnicity/nationality in place of that).” book is also hypnotically caucasian, which, like, i know it’s set in a fictional place based on wales & england, but it’s a FICTIONAL PLACE so do all these characters really gotta be beans and toast ass motherfuckers?? last complaint, she throws her long blonde hair into a messy bun 👎
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, Kidnapping, and War