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athenathestorier'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
4.25
In it, we see our main character Alex struggle with the expectations of her family - magical expectations that scare her to the core. And we notice that all the events that follow her attempt at escape are just as much the fault of her family's toxic positivity as her "selfish" fears. We find out that even though several of her family members have had experiences and feelings similar to our MC, none of them acknowledged it. They didn't address or acknowledge her fears, worries, and trauma. Instead, they dismissed them. "It's a gift," they say, tsking and shaking their heads as they go about their business. And I suppose that it is very fitting that it was the dead that acknowledged that failing, rather than the living who, at least according to the preview for book 2, still have a lot to learn about consequences being for more than just magic. After all, it was our MC's adventure and growth, not her family's.
I loved the worldbuilding and imagery perhaps most of all. I felt like I could see myself there with the characters, and that remained the case from start to finish. I also felt like I had a firm grasp on who all the characters were and what motivated their actions. Character and relationship dynamic writing are two things that tend to take a front seat when I consume stories, and so the fact that I can imaginatively throw our MC into a whole new scenario and feel like I have a firm grasp on what she would do and think is a great indicator of how well she was written to us readers.
And while the sapphic element was a truly extremely welcome surprise (I went in pretty blind) and I found it so very sweet, I felt it was poorly led up to
Another unfortunate is the fact that the high-tension plot points all fell rather flat. I didn't come out of them like anything was actually done. Of course, perhaps that might have been purposeful - as the climax tension seemed more tied to family acceptance than the defeat of the villain, which I guess would align with the overall message of the book being about the value of family.
Quotes:
"They say El Corazon has two hearts: the black thing in his chest and the one he wears on his sleeve."
"I'm not the encantrix everyone thought I would be. Right now, I'm just a girl, and there is also magic in that."
Moderate: Animal death, Abandonment, Gore, Bullying, and Violence
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders
aceofsphades_reads'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Murder, and Bullying
rambles'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood and Body horror
karcitis'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
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Violence, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Slavery
Moderate: Vomit, Genocide, Self harm, Confinement, Grief, War, Kidnapping, and Car accident
Minor: Colonisation, Classism, Bullying, Racism, Medical content, Drug use, Drug abuse, Torture, and Murder
arocknrolldream's review against another edition
Moderate: Body horror
audreyloopy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Animal death