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heisiiri's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There's a lot to love about Sang. It has fantastic storytelling, and I enjoyed the writing style. The world it showcases is a fascinating mix between sci-fi dystopia and fantasy elements. The characters are very believable and flawed in a good way. Also, when it makes sense for the story, I love to see queer romances in settings where homophobia isn't one of the issues that the couple faces, and we get different kinds of conflict instead. This book does that.
However, as I progressed through the novel, it started to annoy me that the main character felt so passive in the story. He didn't go after what he wanted, he was just tossed around in the narrative by other people. This book doesn't really have a traditional adventure story structure or any sort of quest. Plot twist after plot twist threw the main character into new situations, but his own choices rarely drove the story. Yes, there are some moments where he makes huge decisions, but if anything, they just felt jarring and out of character for a boy who spent most of the story being very passive and simply experiencing events dictated by other people. I would perhaps enjoy reading about a protagonist like this in some contemporary fiction novel, but I did not find him to be a compelling fantasy protagonist.
This book is very sad and very violent. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, just something to take into consideration. It seems like whenever there's a happy scene, something very quickly goes wrong, and the overwhelming tone of suffering and melancholy takes over again. I like my fantasy and sci-fi stories more when they're emotional rollercoasters where you get a bit of everything.
However, as I progressed through the novel, it started to annoy me that the main character felt so passive in the story. He didn't go after what he wanted, he was just tossed around in the narrative by other people. This book doesn't really have a traditional adventure story structure or any sort of quest. Plot twist after plot twist threw the main character into new situations, but his own choices rarely drove the story. Yes, there are some moments where he makes huge decisions, but if anything, they just felt jarring and out of character for a boy who spent most of the story being very passive and simply experiencing events dictated by other people. I would perhaps enjoy reading about a protagonist like this in some contemporary fiction novel, but I did not find him to be a compelling fantasy protagonist.
This book is very sad and very violent. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, just something to take into consideration. It seems like whenever there's a happy scene, something very quickly goes wrong, and the overwhelming tone of suffering and melancholy takes over again. I like my fantasy and sci-fi stories more when they're emotional rollercoasters where you get a bit of everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent
ok7a's review
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and War
anni_swanilda's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and War
annaretamaria's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Kuten aina viiden tähden kirjoissa, tämä arvosana ei ole kylmän kriittinen vaan suoraan tunteella annettu. Kirjat, jotka koskettavat jotain syvää, pakenevat kaikkia järjellisiä perusteluita.
Haluan lukea tämän kirjan uudestaan, ja varsin pian, sillä sen hieno, mutta minusta tuntuu, että omaksuin todellisuudessa ehkä vain 40 % sen syvästä maailmasta. Jouduin pitämään kirjan lukemisessa aika pitkiä taukoja (luin kirjan aika pitkälle syyskuun lopussa, mutta sain jatkettua vasta marraskuun alussa), joten osa kirjan tapahtumista tulee mielikuvissani paljon "aiemmin" tai "myöhemmin" kuin mitä ne kirjassa oikeasti tapahtuvat. Pitkät lukutauot pilaavat osittain tunnelman, mutta joskus elämä on sellaista, ettei lukemista pysty jatkamaan keskeytyksettä.
Suurimman vaikutuksen tällä lukukerralla minuun teki päähenkilön vahva moraalikoodi ja vankkumaton luottamus rakkauteen, joka suolejee häntä monelta pahalta. Hän uskoo toimivansa oikein, vaikkei se aina menisi lain mukaan. Sen seurauksena hän säilyttää syvän olemuksensa, vaikka joutuu kulkemaan käytännössä helvetin läpi. Hän on rakastettu, ja hän luottaa siihen, vaikkei vuosiin pääse rakkaitaan näkemään.
Haluan lukea tämän kirjan uudestaan, ja varsin pian, sillä sen hieno, mutta minusta tuntuu, että omaksuin todellisuudessa ehkä vain 40 % sen syvästä maailmasta. Jouduin pitämään kirjan lukemisessa aika pitkiä taukoja (luin kirjan aika pitkälle syyskuun lopussa, mutta sain jatkettua vasta marraskuun alussa), joten osa kirjan tapahtumista tulee mielikuvissani paljon "aiemmin" tai "myöhemmin" kuin mitä ne kirjassa oikeasti tapahtuvat. Pitkät lukutauot pilaavat osittain tunnelman, mutta joskus elämä on sellaista, ettei lukemista pysty jatkamaan keskeytyksettä.
Suurimman vaikutuksen tällä lukukerralla minuun teki päähenkilön vahva moraalikoodi ja vankkumaton luottamus rakkauteen, joka suolejee häntä monelta pahalta. Hän uskoo toimivansa oikein, vaikkei se aina menisi lain mukaan. Sen seurauksena hän säilyttää syvän olemuksensa, vaikka joutuu kulkemaan käytännössä helvetin läpi. Hän on rakastettu, ja hän luottaa siihen, vaikkei vuosiin pääse rakkaitaan näkemään.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, and Slavery
Minor: Drug use, Vomit, Death of parent, and Abandonment
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