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akemi_sato's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death
pointeshoebookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse and Alcohol
moonytoast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
ALSO FUCK EVELYN WELTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Graphic: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Sexual content
graycloudsnsuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
maartabarrales'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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death
chronicacademia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I assumed from everything I knew that this book was historical fiction. And as I closed the book, I couldn’t help but wonder why it wasn’t historical fiction.
The world building was needlessly confusing because it was thinly veiled enough for the reader to know that it was thinly veiled portrayals of real religions, ethnicities, and places. But it relied heavily on the reader knowing exactly what the author thinly veiled that anyone who doesn’t have a great grasp on American history will be scrambling to understand what exactly it is that’s happening. I’ll confess I still don’t completely know what time period this book took place in. But I figured out that New Albion is New York, Yu’adir is Jewish faith/people, Katharist is Protestantism/protestants (it took me 100 pages to figure this out; I initially thought it was Catholicism and it threw me for a loop), Sumic is Catholic/catholicism (it was the mention of rosaries and the Catholic prayer that tipped me off 100 pages in; I originally thought Sumic was an ethnicity), and Banvishman was Irish(?) (I’m honestly still not 100% sure about that last one). The first 150 pages had me flailing to translate the world building—and it left me wondering why the author didn’t just write a loose historical fantasy with a secret society. It took me so much longer to understand and find my feet in this book than the average fantasy, and it detracted from my enjoyment and my ability to get into the book.
The plot was slow. I’d expected a days/weeks long fox hunt that took up most of the story. Instead, there are weeks between when the fox shows up in the first chapter and when the hunt begins in the last 50(ish). And the hunt only takes up a measly few chapters at the end of the book. Most of the book was spent with two characters who were hopelessly pining after each other, but too stubborn to admit it while the fox destroys farmland and tries to kill people and no one tries to stop it. It left me wondering why the hunt took so long to commence; if the fox was so destructive, why wait to hunt it?
And if the characters weren’t so easy to love, this probably wouldn’t be a 5 star review. But damnit; I loved every minute of rooting for them to get together. This book is really a romance disguised as a fantasy, and I’m not sad about it. Wes and Margaret came alive on the pages. There was something so real about them and their struggles, their hesitancy to love. I loved the way the dynamics with Wes’s family were written. His sisters reminded me of my own and endeared me all the more to him. And Margaret’s character arc had me sobbing. These two characters, who were beautifully and perfectly written, shine brighter than any issue I took with the plot or the world building. On more than one instance, I felt myself getting teary eyed over both of them.
I personally felt the ADHD/dyslexia and PTSD were handled sensitively. I should also say—the fox hunt portion was well researched; it made my heart happy to read it in a fantasy world.
Was this a great fantasy book? No. But it’s an excellent romance with top tier character development and an ending that will make you shed all the happy tears. I don’t often reread books, but I know I’ll return to the pages of this one time and time again. I will be screaming my praise of this book to strangers in bookstores for many years to come.
Graphic: Animal death, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
cam356's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Grief
modernmatilda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider romance vibes
Cottagecore vibes for days
Soft fantasy
Audiobook Weston Winters has a Newies-boy accent and my entire heart
An absolutely LOVELY read that I wish I could spent eternity in.
Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Alcohol
bujo_bellel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
sa_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent