Reviews tagging 'Death'

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

54 reviews

flamesocks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • 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

4.0


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thenovelmaura's review

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • 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

3.0

I really wanted to love this book! The premise and influence of Yoruba-Nigerian mythology made this a highly-anticipated read for me. The magic system was intriguing and I do enjoy a YA novel that doesn't shy away from brutal themes (check the content warnings before picking this one up). However, there's a fine line between using brutality to get your point across and using it for shock value, and Falaye sometimes veers into the latter. I also expected more from the world-building than we ended up getting. While I don't regret reading this one, I don't have a strong urge to pick up the sequel.

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jcaikin's review

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challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I think this is a wonderful, horrible book. To me, it felt especially poignant to read with current events as they are and serve as a grim reminder what the realities of war entail.

This story is cruel, torturous, and, at times, unclear. I didn't feel the violence to be gratuitous or intended for shock value, but a blunt reflection of how low humans can sink in their treatment of each other.

I can understand where some readers may find it frustrating or off-putting that it's unclear what the technology of the Lucis includes but I found myself along for the ride through Sloane, outsider looking in. And, like Sloane, I found I didn't really care. What difference does it make how the oppressors operate - they wield lies, deception, and hatred.

Sloane is just a kid who has her childhood, innocence, family, and friends ripped from her at every turn, over and over again. Her asé is her only connection to her culture, but even that is a painful mystery to her. 

(Slight spoiler) Even the romance, to me, served as a grim reminder of the potential for betrayal at any corner. After everything she suffers through, you know it's a bad idea and doesn't make sense, but that's kind of the point, isn't it? The desperation for human connection that comes from deep suffering. But this is war, and the only person you can trust is yourself.

Be prepared to lose everything and everyone because no one walks away from war unscathed.

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lover97's review

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A lot of content warnings. I gave it a try but its just not something I can see myself enjoying.

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kingjk2002's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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kbairbooks's review

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I was consuming this as physical and audio (to try and have the audio assist me through the physical) and I just can’t anymore. It’s too much for me. Either death or rape or both every single chapter. Horrific thing, followed by horrific thing. There is too much horrific in real life and this fantasy is too real. It’s making me sick to my stomach. I don’t enjoy reading it, I don’t look forward to opening the book, it ruins my day. I have to be done.

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laurajeangrace's review

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adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0


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leahjanespeare's review

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4.0


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lilacs4b's review

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • 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

5.0


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