Scan barcode
mbjem_'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? Yes
3.5
The world building is interesting, unique, and compelling enough to be worth reading more about on its own. While I'm not totally endeared to the main characters yet, I did like several of the side characters quite a lot. Hopefully, the sequel will show some real growth for the main characters and make them more likable. At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic about the future and the next books!
Graphic: Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Hate crime, Mental illness, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Murder, Classism, Vomit, Slavery, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Death of parent
cdoubet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Violence, Genocide, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Hate crime, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Confinement, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Car accident, Medical content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, and Self harm
annorabrady'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Murder, Animal cruelty, Child death, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Racial slurs, and Mental illness
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Police brutality, Trafficking, and Slavery
anni_swanilda's review
- 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
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Gore, Murder, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Vomit, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Self harm
Minor: Sexual content, Child death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, War, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death, Xenophobia, Vomit, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual content
tinysierra's review
- 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
4.0
-The author includes a list of trigger warnings at the beginning!
-Someone I follow compared this book to Raybearer, so no wonder I liked it!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Animal death
Minor: Vomit
corriejn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Racism, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child abuse, Alcohol, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Physical abuse
Minor: Cannibalism, War, and Torture
queenie_ofthe_void'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: Body horror, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
kiahmaria04'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
4.5
firstly, i cannot believe this was a debut book. it was so well written and had everything you would want in a fantasy (and lowkey romance) book. it was so refreshing and interesting to read a book based on west and north african folklore and i loved getting to dive into this magical world. despite the book being relatively fast paced, i still felt like it flowed well, the plot was cohesive (and relatively easy to understand for a fantasy book lol), and the characters had really good development. Karina and Malik’s struggles with mental illness we’re definitely relatable to me and it made my heart so full to see them overcome their struggles (i felt like a proud mom lol). the romance in this book, i thought, was definitely more lowkey, however i didn’t mind. i think that it was still well done and contributed well to the plot. i think (and hope!) that Brown will dive more in depth to the main character’s romance in the next book. all in all, i literally cannot wait until “a psalm of storms and silence” comes out!!
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Vomit
pagebypaigereviews's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
--A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
Once every 50 years a comet passes by Ziran, and its people hold a week long celebration to usher in a new era. But unbeknownst to the majority, the comet's passing has even greater significance than just a reason to party. Malik and Princess Karina each harbor dangerous secrets, which leads them on separate, deadly missions to save someone they love.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is told from two perspectives: Malik and Princess Karina. Each main character has their own mental health struggles and unresolved trauma. It features a unique magic system and world building. I was fascinated by the concept behind the belief system, but the amount of world building did make it slower for me to get into. Most of the action picks up in the second half of the book. The end was a series of shocking reveals that had me yelling at my book!
One thing that kind of bothered me was the ease with which each of the characters considered murder. I thought there would have been more moral qualms associated with the act. It also seemed a little repetitive at times. At the end, I still had a hard time understanding everything about the magic system, so I hope we get more explanation in the next book.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Gore
Minor: Vomit, Slavery, and Genocide