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paper_elytra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
flyfarther79's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
nnniro411's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The world felt lived in and the world building was well done. We didn’t need exposition and instead taken into the world where we picked up the mythology as the adventure unfolded. I would not mind going back into this world if Roberson ever decided to continue the story.
Graphic: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Bullying, War, Abandonment, Torture, and Gore
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Abandonment, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: War, Self harm, Ableism, and Vomit
Minor: Bullying and Suicide
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Blood
Minor: Suicide
aseel_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Child abuse
bluejayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
- I reluctantly agreed to have an obnoxious presence share my head to deal with an even worse situation and I can’t get them out but we’re starting to get along
- The church says that’s evil but turns out they’re lying (including bonus: person discovering this is dedicated to the church and has to grapple with the fact that they lied)
- No one expects the protagonist to be absurdly powerful
- Oops! I accidentally became a folk hero (including bonus trope: the church is Big Mad about it)
The plot itself also holds a few surprises. It’s dark and full of the rampaging dead, but it also seems fairly straightforward until the end when you discover it is not at all what you thought. There are several unexpected allies, a very nice horse, the complexities of trying to keep your identity secret from the authorities when the masses know you as a hero, death-defying escapes, fantastic displays of magic, creeping around in crypts, and important choices. Artemisia learns that just because people don’t make sense to her doesn’t mean she can’t have friends, the dynamic between her and the revenant is great, and there’s plenty of magic and adventure. I also appreciated the religion aspect, which struck me as Catholicism if Catholics were more concerned with making the dead stay dead than going somewhere in particular after death.
I know it wasn’t perfect and I’m liking it more in this review than when I actually read it – I think my opinion is enhanced by the fact that I didn’t expect to like it very much – but it was a highly enjoyable read. The characters were good, the plot was solid with some interesting twists, I love seeing disabled protagonists, and I’m always down for the Protagonist Is Absurdly Powerful and Reluctant Allies With The Voice In My Head tropes. I was pleasantly surprised when how enjoyable Vespertine actually is.
Graphic: Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, and War
Minor: Child death, Vomit, Suicide, and Death of parent
Dead bodies, mind control, having someone else inside your headthewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, and Murder
Moderate: Self harm, Confinement, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Suicide
siannas_second_library's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Violence, and Self harm
Moderate: Blood, War, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and Eating disorder