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strange_little_ranger's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Genocide, Gore, Violence, War, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
bookcrushin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
I enjoyed this story, but have to admit it took me like 50% to care about it at all...but I love sci-fi & especially queer scifi and I also own them - so I was determined to finish. Sometimes, its me and not the book...hoping book 2 gets it going quicker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Death, and Grief
chelseakirk's review
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
wish we had more of ayla and crier, but i still adored this book <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, War, Death of parent, and Grief
marshiereads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
I really and truly liked this book! The author had me from the very beginning with a timeline. Some fantasy novels can drag you through the trenches trying to learn their world and this one is not one of them! I feel like I’m along for the ride, learning about it with her rather than in spite of her. I’m gonna talk specific so spoilers ahead. Also please look at the trigger warnings for this book if that applies as this book has a lot!!
The inner turmoil of both, but especially, Ayla and Crier had me reading the book in only a couple sittings. I almost couldn’t put it down. Trying to figure out what was and wasn’t one of Kinok’s manipulations had me reeling to the literal last pages of the book. I mean wow! The romance was certainly a part of the plot but this is not a “romance book” it is fantasy first but it still felt completely integral and not just thrown in there. I was also a fan of the fact that it wasn’t one of those “we can’t do this because it’s wrong because it’s gay” because frankly as an lgbtq+ person myself I was grateful for some relenting on that narrative choice. There still was an element of “wrongness” but more because on girl literally wanted to kill the other. Overall an excellent start to the series and I cannot wait to read the second (I’ve got it on hold now).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gore, Genocide, Gaslighting, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Miscarriage
jesserebekah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
sssssoup's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Gore, Death of parent, Child death, and Mental illness
Minor: Kidnapping, Infertility, War, Alcohol, Cursing, and Sexual content
1quillb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5/5
““Crier represented burning villages, ruined families, lost brothers. Ayla hated her. She hated her so goddamn much. It wasn’t a lie.
It just wasn’t the whole truth.””
This was absolutely wonderful. It took me a while to get through, but once I got into it it went by really fast. I loved Ayla and how motivated she was, even if she didn’t really have a plan for what she’d do if she ended up killing Crier. And Crier was such an incredible character (they all were, really!) too. I loved the story and how it was laid out with a lot of background, and there’s even a timeline and a map which was super helpful.
It was a little confusing to read in the beginning, I think, because I didn’t really understand what Automae were or how their society worked, but I ended up getting it eventually.
I’d recommend this to anyone who loves sapphic/gay books, fantasy books, or ya books with a political aspect to them.
Triggers: violence, oppression
““Crier represented burning villages, ruined families, lost brothers. Ayla hated her. She hated her so goddamn much. It wasn’t a lie.
It just wasn’t the whole truth.””
This was absolutely wonderful. It took me a while to get through, but once I got into it it went by really fast. I loved Ayla and how motivated she was, even if she didn’t really have a plan for what she’d do if she ended up killing Crier. And Crier was such an incredible character (they all were, really!) too. I loved the story and how it was laid out with a lot of background, and there’s even a timeline and a map which was super helpful.
It was a little confusing to read in the beginning, I think, because I didn’t really understand what Automae were or how their society worked, but I ended up getting it eventually.
I’d recommend this to anyone who loves sapphic/gay books, fantasy books, or ya books with a political aspect to them.
Triggers: violence, oppression
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
olafsl0stcarrot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
enemies to lovers but mAKE IT SAPPHIC?? YES?!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
right now, i’m still shocked on how beautiful this book is. i can’t form exact words on how much i loved it. all i can say is that it was absolute perfection.
reading this made me realize that i prefer sapphic romance more than heterosexual romance; and i am not mad about it.
the buildup was great, the world building was not too complicated, the characters are amazing (besides kinok and heros ofc). i cried a lot. sad and queer books are basically my favorite thing ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
valpyre's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
[audiobook]
this book was just kind of "eh", to be honest. it didn't really blow me away, and that's fine, but i honestly just never even felt invested in the story or the characters. this book had all the well-written bones of a good read -- i though the concept of the automae were really interesting, and the political plot was coherent and drew me in quite frequently. it's clear that varela thought deeply about the history of the world they built, and i enjoyed learning about it through the timeline, and historical excerpts at the beginning of chapters.
however, as much as i liked ayla and crier's relationship, i personally found there to be a lack of development in the romance. crier was, overall, honestly too naive/childlike for me to be invested in her pining. i felt like i didn't get enough onscreen instances of their relationship that added depth to the insta-love vibe, which sucked because, again, it really has the bones of a good romance.
this book was just kind of "eh", to be honest. it didn't really blow me away, and that's fine, but i honestly just never even felt invested in the story or the characters. this book had all the well-written bones of a good read -- i though the concept of the automae were really interesting, and the political plot was coherent and drew me in quite frequently. it's clear that varela thought deeply about the history of the world they built, and i enjoyed learning about it through the timeline, and historical excerpts at the beginning of chapters.
however, as much as i liked ayla and crier's relationship, i personally found there to be a lack of development in the romance. crier was, overall, honestly too naive/childlike for me to be invested in her pining. i felt like i didn't get enough onscreen instances of their relationship that added depth to the insta-love vibe, which sucked because, again, it really has the bones of a good romance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death, Child death, and Death of parent