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strawberrybex's review
4.0
please do look through the trigger warnings though! they are very real. and like add on pretty extensive discussions of eugenics (as like a mechanism of the big evil empire but. thorough and frequent)
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, War, and Death of parent
imperialism, colonialism, colonial violence, genocide and cultural genocide, race science and eugenics. also threats of sexual violence include like. threats of FGM. also conversion therapythird_bookworm's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, War, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Torture
outlawbri'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Misogyny, and Homophobia
Moderate: Sexual violence and Torture
lktx'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? Yes
5.0
First: THAT ENDING. As soon I realized what was happening, all the pieces Dickinson laid clicked into place. It wrecked me in the best way and was the right ending for Baru's character. The best description I've read for Baru is that it puts the Red Wedding to shame, but Dickinson managed in a way that has me desperate to know what is going to happen next.
Second: The world is hard and uncomfortable. The Masquerade is unflinchingly hateful against gay men and lesbians and will expend every tool in its arsenal to push it's "hygenic standards." They are also proponents of biologically determined theories of race and eugenics.
I also really enjoyed Baru as a character. She's complex, intelligent, and singularly focused. She's also young and many of her choices seem appropriate for someone young and inexperienced.
I listened to the audiobook version and narrator, Christine Marshall, did a fantastic job not only portraying Baru, but built tension in the right places and helped draw attention to pieces that readers needed to know, but might not realize.
The Traitor Baru Cormorant was wonderfully executed, kept my interested, and gave me an ending I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about. It's easily one of my top reads of the year. I couldn't get my hands on the next book fast enough.
Pros:
- Strong voice for Baru and her narration style wonderfully fits her character.
- Complex plot that the author provides clues for the ending, but I still didn't see it coming.
- Deep world, deep characters, deep story. I was so invested in everything.
Cons:
- There were a few threads that Baru offered that I didn't feel were resolved (WHAT IS IN THE WELL?), but I assume that will come later in the series.
- It was a dark book, which wasn't a problem for me, but rather something to be aware of.
Graphic: Homophobia, Colonisation, and Violence
Moderate: Death
Minor: Torture
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
ave's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Colonisation, Homophobia, War, and Violence
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
fauxpunk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, War, Colonisation, Violence, Genocide, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia
jaythemself's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Homophobia, Violence, and Genocide
Moderate: War, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
Heavy themes ubiquitous with colonism/imperialism but treated respectfully by the authortristanc'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
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Forced institutionalization