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emath98's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Pages 369-399 1 star
I AM SO ANGRY AT SETH DICKINSON. This book started out with a super interesting premise, a main character I was rooting for, political intrigue, lesbianism, and anti-colonial struggle. I couldn't put it down. I even enjoyed Seth's typical use of intense military/economic strategy (did NOT like in Exordia, DNFed that one). But I cannot in good faith support the ending of this book. I don't think I'll read the rest of the series.
1: I am soooo tired of the kill your gays trope. It's not interesting or unique or compelling to the plot. Stop making your queer characters suffer for being queer!!!
2: The ending of the book, and what I've read about the other 2 books in the series so far, really buy in to the "I can change the system from the inside" idea that has never worked. (The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house, anyone?) I know part of the point is to have Baru as a morally dubious character, sacrificing her humanity in an attempt to save her people, but I don't buy it as an effective tactic. It feels so weird and icky that the "genius savant" who is apparently constantly able to trick and outsmart everyone, lands on sacrificing millions of innocent lives and the revolutionary hopes of other oppressed peoples for her own selfish gains as her brilliant tactic. I don't think her family would be proud of her. I am not proud of her. Maybe I should've seen it coming from the title...
In conclusion, could've been something really powerful and anti-colonial, but fell so flat to me in the end. Currently pretending that the final ~30 pages of the book do not exist.
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Genocide, and Colonisation
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
hexillith's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Homophobia, Colonisation, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Rape, and Racism
andrew_corduroy's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Homophobia, Colonisation, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Violence
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Drug use, Grief, and Outing
aileron's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Grief, Medical content, Animal death, Blood, Sexual violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Racism
Minor: Confinement, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts
emeraldrina's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, War, and Murder
Minor: Cursing, Blood, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Outing, Vomit, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
indeedithappens's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Body horror, Sexual content, Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexism, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Blood, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Bullying, Child abuse, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, War, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
bookycnidaria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, Genocide, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Torture
Moderate: Outing and Pandemic/Epidemic