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christygsp's review against another edition
3.0
Book 1 was Court Politics
Book 2 was Rebel Politics
Book 3 was Prisoner Politics
Book 4 was War politics
We finally made it to the end (if you don’t count the mish mash follow up of Broken Throne.. which I don’t - at least for now).
This was the longest book by far, and the one that was the least interesting for me. Politics of three nations/groups all battling in secret and in the open, with personal stakes and grudges… it was quite dull. Outside of the scenes where people were actually using their abilities, I found myself feeling scenes drag on way too long, and things were quite convoluted.
Real world politics does have run in a similar way from my understanding, but I think this kind of a story is not where my interest lies. Give me the action scenes with way less back and forth and I would have been happier.
Having said that, I think it was a true to story and character ending. Drawn out, but oddly satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
ladybug12793's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
3.5
Lots still left to resolve but enjoyable. Could’ve been MUCH shorter. Hoping everything is tied up in the next book. Overall…. Not sure if I’d recommend the series to a friend. It dragged on.
I really enjoyed the complexity of Maven’s character.
I really enjoyed the complexity of Maven’s character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Slavery and Kidnapping
jelkebooks's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
If you know me you know that this series has been one hell of a ride for me. From it taking so long to finally finish, to having very mixed opinions on the books. I'm very glad I finally managed to finish it though, as I thought this was a great conclusion to this journey.
Just like King's Cage we get more than just Mare's POV, but I actually thought it was actually a great addition to this one. I really apreciated the different POV's we got. I feel like it did a great job fleshing out the story, and showing different perspectives to the conflict, and story. It only made me wish that we had gotten this earlier on in the series. I truly do feel like this series would have been better if we hadn't been following just Mare in the first two books. It made everything just feel more well rounded.
This book was very packed with political intrigue. So if that's not your thing, this book might not work for you as well as it did for me. I thought it was very interesting to see the characters make all these different manouveres to get what they want. I do feel like at times it felt a bit directionless, but I do overall think it all came together really well. The very end was very abrupt, and I feel like a little time jump within the epilogue would have solved that. Therefore it felt a bit rushed. I just wanted that little bit more from it, I guess.
Just like King's Cage we get more than just Mare's POV, but I actually thought it was actually a great addition to this one. I really apreciated the different POV's we got. I feel like it did a great job fleshing out the story, and showing different perspectives to the conflict, and story. It only made me wish that we had gotten this earlier on in the series. I truly do feel like this series would have been better if we hadn't been following just Mare in the first two books. It made everything just feel more well rounded.
This book was very packed with political intrigue. So if that's not your thing, this book might not work for you as well as it did for me. I thought it was very interesting to see the characters make all these different manouveres to get what they want. I do feel like at times it felt a bit directionless, but I do overall think it all came together really well. The very end was very abrupt, and I feel like a little time jump within the epilogue would have solved that. Therefore it felt a bit rushed. I just wanted that little bit more from it, I guess.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Grief
hwerle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
too much was happening. and words could not describe how little i cared about the other POV's... like why start a book series as one POV, then add new ones, but so inconsistently and at such random times that it actually adds nothing to the plot or character development?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Xenophobia, War, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Torture, Grief, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Blood
rachelefelli's review against another edition
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia
ameydireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
“But I would never call loving someone else a weakness. I think living without love at all, any kind of love, is weakness. And the worst kind of darkness.”
The war has begun and both sides get ready to fight. But the fight isn’t just between both sides, there are also many internal conflicts. One example is the relationship between Mare and Cal. It has always been complicated and now once again they find themselves on opposite sides. Mare wants to abolish the monarchy altogether and Cal still holds hope for a better world in which he gets to keep his crown. Their mental traumas don’t exactly help either, but this situation does provide interesting characters. We see how Mare is still traumatised by Maven and the silent stone whilst Maven is still haunted by his dead mother and Cal is still haunted by what he thought Maven was and what Maven really could have been if not for Elara. We really have some very interesting characters! I loved Cal and Maven. Cal is such a sweetheart and Maven is a great antagonist. Let’s not forget about Evangeline by the way. She has a great storyline! For so many years her future was fixed and now she sees that she could also make her own choices and live a different life. I didn’t like her at the start of this series, but I’ve grown to love her. She is loyal almost to a fault and is honestly a badass. She comes across as someone who is merciless but that is because of the wall she built around her. I loved that we get to see her POV in this series where we see her inner thoughts and discover a different side of her.
War Storm really is a chunky book but it’s so easy to read that you almost forget its size. Almost! Unfortunately my hand did remind me of this fact, multiple times… Anyway, I enjoyed how this story plays out and now I feel a bit sad that this is the end of this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, War, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
readers_sea's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.75
This final book really kept me on my toes! I loved how a lot of it brought the book full circle in the end. There was a lot of action and unpredictability.
I will admit that the ending wasn't my favorite, because it felt like I was rooting for nothing throughout the last books but it is what it is.
Solid conclusion to a solid series.
I will admit that the ending wasn't my favorite, because it felt like I was rooting for nothing throughout the last books but it is what it is.
Solid conclusion to a solid series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
kingspite618's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.75
TOP 5 books that emotionally scarred me and changed me as a person and ruined my life forever! Loved it, would recommend it to everyone and also I hope no one has to go through the pain of reading this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Classism
anniereads221's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
PTSDvereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
1.0
Rating ★☆☆☆☆
“Love can be exploited, I guess, used to manipulate. It's leverage. But I would never call loving someone else a weakness. I think living without love at all, any kind of love, is weakness. And the worst kind of darkness.”
Reading War Storm is reading the previous books but in a different setting. Victoria Aveyard found the formula for this series and never let it go. I don't judge it, but it's repetitive reading the same plot over and over again with some changes.
“Cal is built from his father’s dreams, and Maven from his mother’s nightmares.”
I liked Red Queen, but the series is declining in a spiral of filler and repetition of betrayals and conspiracies. All the characters seem to have their own agenda. They are plotting and conspiring against each other all the time. At this point, I feel like everyone is conspiring to bring down the other person. It's exhausting and annoying to read the same thing all the time.
“I don't like being your chess piece."
"Everyone is someone else's pawn, Mare. whether we know it or not.”
“I walked away from his offer. From him. I was torn apart by another betrayal—Cal’s betrayal, but also mine. I love you is a promise we both made, and we both broke. It should mean I choose you above all else. I want you more. I need you always. I cannot live without you. I will do anything to keep our lives from parting.
But he wouldn’t. And I won’t.”
The book has several points of view, and they all sound similar. I had to check who was narrating the chapter because I was confused by who was who.
“But there's always something left to be broken.”
I haven't been able to connect to any characters. They all lack development. The book tells you rather than shows you. I feel like I'm looking at one of those showhouses. It looks good at first, but when you pay close attention, you realize that everything is fake.
“I will not be a red queen”
I will not continue with Broken Throne because it would be a waste of my money and time.
Red Queen series
Red Queen ★★★ ½
Glass Sword ★★★☆☆
King's Cage ★ ½
War Storm ★☆☆☆☆
“Love can be exploited, I guess, used to manipulate. It's leverage. But I would never call loving someone else a weakness. I think living without love at all, any kind of love, is weakness. And the worst kind of darkness.”
Reading War Storm is reading the previous books but in a different setting. Victoria Aveyard found the formula for this series and never let it go. I don't judge it, but it's repetitive reading the same plot over and over again with some changes.
“Cal is built from his father’s dreams, and Maven from his mother’s nightmares.”
I liked Red Queen, but the series is declining in a spiral of filler and repetition of betrayals and conspiracies. All the characters seem to have their own agenda. They are plotting and conspiring against each other all the time. At this point, I feel like everyone is conspiring to bring down the other person. It's exhausting and annoying to read the same thing all the time.
“I don't like being your chess piece."
"Everyone is someone else's pawn, Mare. whether we know it or not.”
“I walked away from his offer. From him. I was torn apart by another betrayal—Cal’s betrayal, but also mine. I love you is a promise we both made, and we both broke. It should mean I choose you above all else. I want you more. I need you always. I cannot live without you. I will do anything to keep our lives from parting.
But he wouldn’t. And I won’t.”
The book has several points of view, and they all sound similar. I had to check who was narrating the chapter because I was confused by who was who.
“But there's always something left to be broken.”
I haven't been able to connect to any characters. They all lack development. The book tells you rather than shows you. I feel like I'm looking at one of those showhouses. It looks good at first, but when you pay close attention, you realize that everything is fake.
“I will not be a red queen”
I will not continue with Broken Throne because it would be a waste of my money and time.
Red Queen series
Red Queen ★★★ ½
Glass Sword ★★★☆☆
King's Cage ★ ½
War Storm ★☆☆☆☆
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and War