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ethuiliel's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Death, Violence, Blood, Torture, and Grief
Moderate: Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racism, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Genocide, and Child death
Minor: Sexual content
ymile_mahllew'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Death of parent, Child death, and Torture
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Police brutality
Minor: Sexual content
purechaos's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Child abuse, Colonisation, Hate crime, Slavery, Child death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Self harm, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
charlotteschapter'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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, Death of parent, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery, Blood, Racial slurs, and Child death
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Rape
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Original review:
Overall, this is a good story with a (unfortunately) very relatable setting: an oppressive society that treats certain people as lesser due to something inherent that they cannot control. I felt the author's pain and anger surrounding this real-world issue in the writing, and perhaps if this had been my first exposure to the mindset of the oppressed group, I might have found it more impactful. However, I personally found it a little tiring for specific reasons that I will mark as a spoiler below.
Again, it is a good story, just one I've seen many times already. Nothing about it surprised me and as much as I was rooting for them, I didn't love any of the characters by the end. I'm not sure if you're supposed to or not.
Next, there is the issue of trauma. This is a book based in racial trauma, which makes it automatically not a fun read for me. Again, I really want to stress that I'm not saying it's bad, but it's very real, and it's hard to laugh at any of the jokes or moments of levity when the whole book is about oppression and I already experience oppression nearly constantly in my real life.
Next, as I said above, nothing about this book surprised me. I was never on the edge of my seat or uncertain about the fate of the characters, because I've seen this story so many times. It hit all the beats I was expecting it to, and the only death I didn't predict was a character that I didn't care about at all.
Finally, the romance. I'm all for a good romantic subplot, but I couldn't get behind this one. It was going for "enemies to lovers" but was done with no subtlety, I felt like I was being bashed over the head with foreshadowing about this relationship. Then, the actual enemies to lovers part happened seemingly overnight, and they suddenly didn't hate each other anymore. The romance gave me some emotional whiplash and made me feel like I was missing time.
Graphic: Death, Child death, Racism, Genocide, Classism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Vomit, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia
annorabrady's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, War, Racism, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Classism, Violence, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Child death
Minor: Trafficking, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Slavery
auberginehayz's review
- 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
4.5
The characters were unique and relatable despite their flaws. The two main female protagonists were very compelling and I enjoyed their different points of view.
Finally, the short chapters were satisfying and contributed to it being a real page-turner!
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Blood, and Genocide
Minor: Sexual content
robinks'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
4.75
Also, the complexities of revolution against oppression were present in the characters’ struggles and conversations, which inspired me to consider these same complexities in reality. I want to know more about this world, and I want to know what happens next!
Graphic: Blood, Genocide, Kidnapping, Racism, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Grief, Slavery, and Stalking
Minor: Trafficking, Vomit, and Sexual content
lunep'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
Another TW: Colorismtinnuben'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
4.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Grief, Child death, Death of parent, and Torture
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Animal death