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libellumartinae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Alright, they got me.
I love Eastern Europe fantasy because it has such an unhinged and folkloristic vibe to it and it represented it down to a t and although I still don't know what truly this book was about (but I can wholly appreciate the beauty of the whole world-building and magic system) I can't help but ugh... absolutely love the journey that it brought me through.
A few problematic: the characters aside the mc were quite forgettable, the parts not being divided in chapters were a tad too much at points and finally the mc constantly being called out for being the best was just ugh a tad too much.
I love Eastern Europe fantasy because it has such an unhinged and folkloristic vibe to it and it represented it down to a t and although I still don't know what truly this book was about (but I can wholly appreciate the beauty of the whole world-building and magic system) I can't help but ugh... absolutely love the journey that it brought me through.
A few problematic: the characters aside the mc were quite forgettable, the parts not being divided in chapters were a tad too much at points and finally the mc constantly being called out for being the best was just ugh a tad too much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
tarahof216's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Defies explanation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Body shaming
Minor: Rape and Trafficking
pbeeandj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The Magicians but make it Kafka
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Vomit
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Trafficking and Sexual assault
genny's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Goodness, how do I even begin to review this book? I expected a weird magic system, but this went beyond anything my mind was prepared for. It's actually funny to look back through my reading notes; I went from confused and depressed (nearly DNF'd around 40% in), to strangely compelled to continue (Part Two was the turning point for me), to calm acceptance and even enjoyment. I think it's because the authors are very skilled at getting the reader into the protagonist's headspace - my own feelings reflected Sasha's, as we watch her transformation from a terrified freshman at the Institute, to an almost-broken version of not-quite-herself, to something beyond human that she has learned to be proud of.
It's very difficult to explain the premise without spoiling the plot, but the gist of it is that language is the "magic system" in place. The fact that this deals so heavily with speech theory must have made this a beast to translate. I can't help but feel that this book was written for someone smarter than me, ha! I read some discussions about this after I finished, which helped solidify my interpretation of it (especially that vague ending). It's a book that begs to be discussed, really. It'll be sitting in a dark corner of my brain for quite some time. Now I need a light, fluffy read to decompress!
It's very difficult to explain the premise without spoiling the plot, but the gist of it is that language is the "magic system" in place. The fact that this deals so heavily with speech theory must have made this a beast to translate. I can't help but feel that this book was written for someone smarter than me, ha! I read some discussions about this after I finished, which helped solidify my interpretation of it (especially that vague ending). It's a book that begs to be discussed, really. It'll be sitting in a dark corner of my brain for quite some time. Now I need a light, fluffy read to decompress!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Trafficking
sarah984's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It feels like you are going through Sasha’s metamorphosis alongside her. I feel like this must have been a beast to translate, considering how much of it is about language and very abstract concepts. Still, overall it was clear and evocative but emotional. Unlike many others here, I loved the ending.
I docked a star because some of the sexual violence/coercion early in the book felt really unnecessary (with Lisa most of all, but the part where Sasha basically has to lose her virginity for homework too). If you can stomach that though, and you're interested in a strange cerebral story about a person growing beyond her limit, you might enjoy this.
I docked a star because some of the sexual violence/coercion early in the book felt really unnecessary (with Lisa most of all, but the part where Sasha basically has to lose her virginity for homework too). If you can stomach that though, and you're interested in a strange cerebral story about a person growing beyond her limit, you might enjoy this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Ableism, Abortion, Drug use, Fatphobia, Trafficking, and Rape
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