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Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War
Nos la pasamos chido. Veníamos de leer una cosa medio incómoda y desagradable en la misma línea de los retelling de mitos griegos clásicos, así que llegar a algo mejor que decente es maravilloso.
El spice estuvo a la orden del día, pero creo que fue mejor usado y más encaminado a la trama y al desarrollo de las relaciones entre los personajes que en el primero libro de la saga. Los nuevos dioses presentados fueron entrañables. Y la batalla final estuvo a la altura de la expectativa.
Me gustó mucho que Cronos el Titán no fuera el villano principal (salimos del cliché), sino casi un cameo de él como arma del villano. Amé la forma en que juegan con las profecías y su interpretación,y cómo eso es realmente lo que resuelven una pelea que los protas tenían ya más que perdida.
Como siempre, las parejas románticas que construye la autora son una cosa tremendamente linda; pero me disfruté más la forma en que le dio protagonismo a la amistad en este libro en particular (no que en los otros no se viera esto, porque sí lo muestra, pero en este lo explora y explota como recurso), además de mostrar la hermandad de sangre, armas y amistad.
Me gustó u me la pasé bien escuchándolo/leyéndolo.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War
Moderate: Cursing, Infertility, Death of parent
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, War
Moderate: Infertility, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Sexual harassment
Minor: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy
I would firstly say that this book needs to be read straight off the back of 'A Touch of Malice'/'A Game of Gods' for the first section impact properly. There's no on-ramp - you're straight into the thick of the story. Where I was reading it a few months after picking up the last one, this did throw me a little bit as I had to try and remember exactly who was who and what was going on. But once all the pieces had put themselves together in my head, we were good to go!
It's an incredibly fast paced book IMO, which does mean that it feels like it's sacrificed some depth for the sake of drawing the various plot strands together. The story itself is great and really delivers on what has been building in the six previous books, but at the same time there are so many moments that could have been more detailed, drawn out or descriptive. Everything you need is there, but your imagination just has to work that little bit harder with this one to bring it to life. There are also a fair number of plot points left hanging - I'm hoping these might get picked up on in the follow up Aphrodite and Hephestus book/series that's coming, otherwise to me it doesfeel like the series has been left open-ended.
I do like that we get to see Hades and Persephone's PoVs side by side in this book, and Persephone's character feels much more mature than she does in previous books; I guess the threat of war and losing the one you love will do that to a character! The spicy scenes are still here, but they are somewhat toned down compared to the rest of the series. Still got sexy Hades though! Add to that the Theseus and Dionysius POVs and you get a great overview of all that's going on and a genuine disgust at Theseus's character and actions. Indeed, how I feel about him in this book is how I wanted to feel about him when reading Natalie Haynes' 'Stone Blind'.
There were some elements I was expecting in the conclusion that didn't appear, which left me slightly disappointed as it felt like elements of the story have been subtly stressed throughout the series to lead to a great conclusion. Where they haven't materialised, I'm feeling a bit hollow. But again, that's what my imagination (and fanfic) is for! Overall, it's not the greatest ending to a series I've ever read, but the series as a whole is one of my favourite versions of this myth. I do hope the author chooses to continue the series, even if Hades and Persephone take a back seat a la Feyre and Rhys in ACOSF. Need more of this particular brand of retelling in my life!
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest, Infidelity, Suicide, Cannibalism, Alcohol
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy
Second, and most important, is the horrific violence against women, namely Ariadne and the Maenads. I had to put the book down after a certain scene made me sick to my stomach, and every consenting sex scene afterwards made me equally sick. You can’t “atone” for disgusting SA with more sex.
I’m really glad I didn’t buy the special edition of this series that I wanted, because after those scenes, I’m not sure whether I’ll read anything from this author ever again. As a lover of Greek tragedies, if I was willing to read about that kind of violence, I would have read a retelling that I knew was sticking to its Greco-Roman tragedy roots so that I was prepared. My former love for this series will forever be marred by what I’ve just read.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Vomit
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail