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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
aformeracceleratedreader's review
5.0
I loved the world and the characters. I need to know what will happen with everyone.
Moderate: Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, and Murder
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
erebus53's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
As far as the world and mood is concerned, I quite liked the setting but I felt like there are are other authors who have done it better and developed it more. Rather than this I would prefer to be reading Tomi Adeyemi, Jordan Ifueko or Shannon Chakraborty, and I've been really itching to nail down exactly what it is that is rubbing me the wrong way.
The setting doesn't feel realistic, in that I can't conceive of a world where a Princess who is heir to a throne is left so clueless about matters of State without expecting some kind of Regent/caregiver contingency. Nobody is going to just NOT train their replacement. The logical outcome would be turmoil and a power-vacuum that would be filled at first by the council or advisor with the most heft. The politics is too simple to be realistic(ish), and not nuanced enough to come across as clever.
I think what it comes down to, is the whole plot feels slippery. There is magic, but how the magic works is not explained. Characters appear to go from passive magical sense to being inexplicably brilliant at their magical craft in the blink of an eye for no apparent reason. There is no sense of build and reward. It's hard to attach significance things when you can't tell what is dangerous, or impressive. It's impossible to build a character when you don't know what they value, or when what they say they value isn't carried out by their actions. In a plot where there is the promise of magical necromancy, it's hard to feel like killing off a character is necessarily permanent, so fearing for someone gets difficult.
It seems like most of the characters in this story are impulsive. They don't plan so much as decide to do a thing! and then get surprised when something stops them or they have to turn on a dime. The main characters are a hot mess, and and don't grow much during the story. It's like we are told how they feel about something that happens, rather than being able to intuit it, and follow their reactions in a natural way. The plot appears to lead the story more than the characters, and the whole thing seems thematically barren. Bigotry and exploitation is bad, magic is forbidden, but these seem like things to say rather than be used as points to guide the narrative.
Being led through this story feels like I'm only getting half the information I need, and there is little sense of anticipation. Perhaps I am bringing my own baggage with me, as this is a similar feeling to how I get when living with ADHD people who are continually fluctuating. The only gap in this call of unpredictable inconstancy, is the inevitable betrayal that turned out to be absolutely no surprise to me. Such trope, much wow.
I so wanted to love this, but instead here lies the autopsy of a story... and from its entrails I read: "not likely to seek the sequel in a hurry".
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Police brutality and Racism
Minor: Sexual content and Racial slurs
caseythereader'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Chronic illness
toy_masterpiece'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: Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Death of parent
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
ruthiedr89'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
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Classism, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, and Racial slurs
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
adrenabereading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I like that mental health was talked about a lot in this book.Throughout the book, Malik has a lot of anxiety (which I can relate to). I loved that we saw him fight through it and find strength within himself.
"This is my mind, I am the strongest person here."
✨️Favorite Character✨️
Afua was my favorite character because she was so confident in her abilities and who she was. Even though she was just a kid, she was very knowledgeable. She never backed down, and she just seemed like a Ray of Sunshine.
Overall, I really liked this book, and I will be reading the next book.
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent