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bibliomania_express's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I've been avoiding reviews of this book and the little I haven't been able to avoid has been vehemently negative. I'm more on the ambivalent side. I think the book is doing some interesting things with its drowning motif and exploring mental health and the repression of women. It's depicting the casual sexual harrassment women are faced with that society expects them not to react to.
But. The literal only good male character is the main love interest. Who, while a fine character, seems to be the love interest only because he's the only person not sexually harrassing Effy and because this is a "romantasy" when it didn't need to be. The sexism is so pervasive that the triumphant ending seems a bit too good to be true.
My real gripe beyond the ever-present misogyny that made this hard to read is that the magic system and worldbuilding is all over the place. I had a hard time understanding what was accepted existing magic and what was just "local supersition", especially when the supersitions were maybe (?) having an effect on a literal real war. But also there was nothing about the book that felt like it was taking place in a country currently at war, even when the main setting was a university town on the border with the enemy country.
I think I've ended with a 2.5 stars mainly because it was fast-paced and interesting enough to keep me engaging and blasting through it, but the list of gripes is too long to warrant a 3.
Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
dom_brlw'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
3.5
The negative part of the book will have to be the writing though, that sometimes felt too cliché, or too « Wattpad »-like.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
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
embersbooknook'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
4.25
Not what I expected, in a lot of respects - but thoroughly enjoyable.
While I was able to predict some of what would occur
Effy was initially slightly dislikable in a really relatable way - nervous, anxious, unable to trust herself, processing substantial trauma. Thus seeking a tad flaky at first. However after about 50 pages her character growth really started.
I really enjoyed seeing her character grow throughout this book.
Preston was a really good match for her - overly sensible perhaps, which I enjoyed seeing soften a bit throughout.
It was really nice to see Effy’s degrading options about Argantians slide away as she got to know him.
A reminder that when humans get to know people who are different from them, they are less prone to dehumanize an entire group of people. A reminder we need in the world as often and as much as possible. 🥺🫶🏽
This book was a good exploration of how sexism affects a society in every level, personally, professionally, intimate relationships, etc. I also appreciated how small mentions of colonialism and sexist intellectualism, and militarism/war made it into the book. Ava set up a fascinating world and I very much hope more of these themes and its history are explored in book 2! Overall a good read that I’d recommend and will enjoy revisiting.
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
The themes mentioned as trigger warnings are mostly minor mentions. Ava doesn’t write out the fullplswaitaminute's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, and Sexual harassment
laurenmiller100's review against another edition
2.25
- Characters: 2
- Atmosphere/Setting: 6
- Writing Style: 5
- Plot: 3
- Intrigue: 4
- Logic/Relationships: 3
- Enjoyment: 3
I really wanted to like this but it drove me nuts. The answer to the mystery is right in front of the protagonists faces and they just completely look past it. The end is very tell not show which I find infuriating.
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
orange_roxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
marth_'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
4.25
Minor: Sexual violence
witcheep'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
2.5
This is very dark story due to the worldbuilding! The world the characters live in is very misogynistic, and the main characters find it hard to fight against, which made the reading experience very uncomfortable – as it should. However, the plot didn't offer enough either mystery or romance, so besides uncomfortable, the book was also boring. The hints towards the mystery made the ending too predictable.
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
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