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eldane's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
This is exactly the space opera I was needing. This was a beautiful, powerful, and emotional book with some of the best-written characters I have ever seen. It takes immense skill to write bloodthirsty, cruel, murderers as your protagonists, but Bethany Jacobs does it well. The worldbuilding is incredible and detailed, and the plot is tightly woven and well-paced. I also loved the voice and writing style, and the descriptions were out of the world (ha). And the twist at the end? WOW. I was not expecting it at all. This has established itself as one of my favorite books of all time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Genocide, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, War, Colonisation, and Pedophilia
kesreads13's review
adventurous
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, and Genocide
Minor: Sexual content, Excrement, and Pedophilia
brekaboujie's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
4.75
This book was SO GOOD. Brilliantly captivating, so rich and full of depth, I was completely drawn in to this universe.
I've really foubd a love for sci fi over the laat few years and this was a perfect example of what I really love about the genre when it's done right!!!!! This was a particularly interesting one with a focus on politics and power structures over the more people and cultures centred vibes of Becky Chambers who I also love. This was also so DARK and very violent at times but I was honestly lapping it all up. Multiple instances of me sat on the train hand over my mouth in disbelief. Delicious.
Also can I just talk about that tWIST AT THE END. Look, I read books pretty mindlessly and don't tend to try and work out the plot, I like to let it unravel with time. And the UNRAVELLING. That chapter of 1663 just was SO BRILLIANTLY DONE and made me question everything I'd read!!!! I was suddenly going back and thinking wait, who's perspective has it been from??? Surely we have had her perspective in 1664. BUT NOPE JUST GENIUS TRICKERY such clever writing! Especially as this is the first book so we don't have any preconceptions about Esek, so everything together just makes one picture and then BAM you realise it wasn't one picture at all!!! I honestly kind of want to go back and reread it just to see if there are any hints placed throughout the 1664 chapters. Just so interesting!!!!!
I am very excited by this being a series, I cannot wait to read more of this universe. Going to be recommending this one a lot!!!!
I've really foubd a love for sci fi over the laat few years and this was a perfect example of what I really love about the genre when it's done right!!!!! This was a particularly interesting one with a focus on politics and power structures over the more people and cultures centred vibes of Becky Chambers who I also love. This was also so DARK and very violent at times but I was honestly lapping it all up. Multiple instances of me sat on the train hand over my mouth in disbelief. Delicious.
Also can I just talk about that
I am very excited by this being a series, I cannot wait to read more of this universe. Going to be recommending this one a lot!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Genocide, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual assault
Overall, mostly violence and gore warnings. Gun fights, injuries, lots of blood, and some pretty gnarly descriptions of using knives to harm or kill people. There is one short and pretty low key sex scene, and multiple mentions of sex including reference to a young person (I think underage? Vulnerable at least) being sold against their will for sex. This is brought up/referenced a few times but never mentioned in any detail apart from (I think you could view it this way) one instance of the victim remembering it, but not graphically.
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