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danysgirl'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War, Murder, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Misogyny, Violence, Cursing, Drug abuse, Slavery, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Blood, and Hate crime
mamatrauma'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, War, Torture, Murder, Gaslighting, Car accident, Grief, Violence, Death, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
alsira98's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: War, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Rape
pgmoon'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
4.5
WOW. This book really upped the ante from the first. I feel every aspect was done with care: the story, the worldbuilding, and the characters.
By far my favorite part of the book was Bree's growth with her magic and her character. The magic system in this is really inventive and interesting. As the main character is a WOC, the struggles she goes through specifically are so impactful and emotional.
Additionally, the small complaint I had in this book about some characters not getting development got remedied; by focusing on fewer characters, we got to know the select few much more.
If I had any complaints, I will say it was sometimes hard to follow the world building with
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Death
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual assault
charliebites'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
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Racism, War, and Hate crime
Moderate: Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, and Vomit
some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book has reminded me of how bad I am at spotting plot twists (there is foreshadowing I just can't find them until hindsight kicks in). There isn't rlly an overarching plot throughout the book; it's more of a series of events and characters' reactions to them -> plot harder to follow than that of 1st book. Somehow has more fight scenes than prev books.
Love love love how the magic system & thus world got expanded. Treasured this series so much I was sort of procrastinating reading it so I could keep reading it for longer. This book sure is heavier than the first with how much more racism shows up & affects the plot + Bree's heritage gets explored. Also I just love when writers explore intergenerational trauma. I think Bree's character arc should have had the turning point during the climax instead of after so I felt like the character development could have been stronger.
Two main parts that I am rlly interested in: 1) love triangle & 2) legendborn cycle as ecoliterature
1) Before I read this, I thought that I'd end up shipping the 3 of them tgt as a throuple but now idk if I ship any of them w/ any of the others💀.
2) Aether as metaphor for western imprialism's extractivism that is unsustainable w/ a high price (planet dying just like Abatement) while root as metaphor for a more balanced way of interacting and living in nature.
There are sooooo many good quotes it's unbelievable. I'd like to specifically highlight
"'Think of the power you possess and the woman who gave it to you.' I used to think that woman was my mother, and, through her, you. Tried it her way, and it didn't work." "And why is that?" "Because you all didn't give me my power. I did"
"You said they ran so I wouldn't have to. But I think they ran so that one day I could choose. And today, I choose me."
"By burning away their roots, I am finally free to grow my own."
Has its flaws but it really is something special so 5 stars anyway. (Also I want to come back and see how long of a review I ended up writing lol)
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Confinement, Racism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Death, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Abandonment, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Torture, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Rape
Police brutality is by magic police (or close enough) not actual police.kiwij96'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
The friendships, the betrayals, the romance, the plot twists, the community, the grief. Everything was so wonderfully written with a great amount of depth for a story that was so action-packed. I genuinely didn't know what was going to happen next and I just couldn't put it down.
This is a YA that I would also highly recommend to adults.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Gore, Confinement, Drug use, Grief, Racism, War, Death, Death of parent, Slavery, Bullying, and Torture
Minor: Colonisation and Vomit
lqne'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: Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Slavery, War, and Confinement
Moderate: Rape, Violence, Death of parent, and Death
alilbitofeveryth1ng's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, War, Grief, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Rape
viktoriya_sk's review
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Death, and Colonisation
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Genocide, and Pregnancy
Minor: War, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Vomit