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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia
first of all, i think these two reviews tackle the controversy around this book really well.
in and of itself, the ones we burn is on the better end of ya fantasy (though there is the occasional moment where I’m like wow. wow that was a painfully ya line of dialogue). the writing is easy to read and the plot is predictable but interesting, particularly the factional politics. it definitely needed more worldbuilding- if you want to read something along the lines of the human/witch conflict but more fleshed out I recommend The Wolf & The Woodsman.
Character wise: ranka's character development is solid, and Ongrum is very much a gaslighting mother gothel-esque figure which i can appreciate. the romance and the found family are both underdeveloped, and i never cared much about either. i like Foldrey (complicated father figures ftw) and the way all his actions, even betrayal, are steeped in love.
overall 2.5/5, rounding up
in and of itself, the ones we burn is on the better end of ya fantasy (though there is the occasional moment where I’m like wow. wow that was a painfully ya line of dialogue). the writing is easy to read and the plot is predictable but interesting, particularly the factional politics. it definitely needed more worldbuilding- if you want to read something along the lines of the human/witch conflict but more fleshed out I recommend The Wolf & The Woodsman.
Character wise: ranka's character development is solid, and Ongrum is very much a gaslighting mother gothel-esque figure which i can appreciate. the romance and the found family are both underdeveloped, and i never cared much about either. i like Foldrey (complicated father figures ftw) and the way all his actions, even betrayal, are steeped in love.
overall 2.5/5, rounding up
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is exactly the fantasy I'm here for. Feral and poignant with casual queerness, and giant ladies, and their softboi damsel besties who do the saving sometimes.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Yes
I started this book back in the summer & thought (within the first 60-70 pages) that the writing fell a bit short of what I enjoy, and that it was moving at way too slow of a pace for me. I'm so glad I decided to give this book another chance.
It does start out slow, but once the plot starts to pick up, you meet all the characters and see their dynamics play out, it is hard to put this book down.
As a queer woman, I, of course, loved the romance--but I am also glad, as some other reviewers pointed out, that the main character has fully fleshed out & believable friendships with each of the side characters. Additionally, the side characters also have wonderfully real relationships with one another that add to the novel in a great way.
I also really appreciated this novel's emphasis on healing from trauma. The writing cuts deep; it's relatable, and sometimes in an uncomfortable way for those of us who have been abused.
My only critique is that the epilogue felt a bit rushed. I would have enjoyed to hear more about how they put the pieces of the kingdom back together right after the conflict, rather than skipping ahead three months, which almost always feels lazy (to me).
Like I said, once you settle into the book, I believe it is absolutely worth the read.
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
This was a good book, it just didn’t hook me as I had hoped. I feel like it was very close to being a new favorite, but somehow fell short. This is not entirely the book’s fault, I read it very sporadically and forgot important things that made it slightly more difficult to understand.
The best thing to improve this book would’ve been a map. I’m a very visual person, and it would’ve made it so much easier for me to understand the political conflicts and such. It’s a small addition, but one that would have improved the experience for me.
The author did a great job at characterization. Even when I wasn’t fully invested in the story, I fell in love with the characters and their dynamics. I really enjoyed the dialogue and intersections between characters. They felt realistic and relatable, despite their obviously unrelatable circumstances. I’m also a big fan of how the romance was done. It was important and enjoyable, but not the complete center of the book/plot. Ranka made non-romantic connections that added a lot of depth to her character along with the others. The development of the romance also felt realistic, and didn’t move too quick like in some books.
My biggest gripe with the writing was the repetition. Sometimes it was powerful and meaningful, but other times it bogged down the story. Repetition can be good, and it was at some points, but too often it just felt like lazy writing. I still liked the writing style, and the plot was well done. Hints were sprinkled about, yet I never would’ve guessed the plot twists that happened. I liked the shock factor of them, and it didn’t feel overdone either.
Overall, I wish I liked the book more. I liked the characters and mystery, but I just didn’t connect as much as I had hoped. I would definitely recommend, if it sounds like something you’d like!
The best thing to improve this book would’ve been a map. I’m a very visual person, and it would’ve made it so much easier for me to understand the political conflicts and such. It’s a small addition, but one that would have improved the experience for me.
The author did a great job at characterization. Even when I wasn’t fully invested in the story, I fell in love with the characters and their dynamics. I really enjoyed the dialogue and intersections between characters. They felt realistic and relatable, despite their obviously unrelatable circumstances. I’m also a big fan of how the romance was done. It was important and enjoyable, but not the complete center of the book/plot. Ranka made non-romantic connections that added a lot of depth to her character along with the others. The development of the romance also felt realistic, and didn’t move too quick like in some books.
My biggest gripe with the writing was the repetition. Sometimes it was powerful and meaningful, but other times it bogged down the story. Repetition can be good, and it was at some points, but too often it just felt like lazy writing. I still liked the writing style, and the plot was well done. Hints were sprinkled about, yet I never would’ve guessed the plot twists that happened. I liked the shock factor of them, and it didn’t feel overdone either.
Overall, I wish I liked the book more. I liked the characters and mystery, but I just didn’t connect as much as I had hoped. I would definitely recommend, if it sounds like something you’d like!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Abandonment
Minor: Child death
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes