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youcallherhephanie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Entering this world of lush, rich culture and intense history is so smooth. The writing creates such a vivid image of the world, its people, their practices and the graphic horrors that abound them. I love the diversity and the complexity in each of the relationships. No person felt one dimensional. The world’s political blight was gripping and Évike’s journey had me immersed all through the book. The conversation and conflicts over religion was handled, in my opinion, really well. This felt like fantasy told well - rich in culture and hearty in realism for what the world would look like. The use of folklore, mythology, religion and magic was beautifully intertwined. I loved the ending, it was satisfying and provided a slow resolution to the buildup in the conflict. An amazing debut novel!!!
bookishdaylight's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
It is a magical, mysterious story involving political intrigue and antisemitism with a revolting atmosphere. A storyline filled with coded characters that represent the Jewish and Hungarian mythology history that follows tighter and sharper-honed points made by the main characters as the story progresses.
This simply alone represents the true enemies-to-lovers trope. Full of angst, hate, and tension, no other main characters I've read that truly hate and despise one another. Both the character's beliefs are shaped by their tribe and that is how their misconceptions and prejudice set them apart. Both character dynamics are intricately crafted with flaws that overall shape their trope.
All I can is that this is a refreshing read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Although the ending felt mellow and wished it was longer.
This simply alone represents the true enemies-to-lovers trope. Full of angst, hate, and tension, no other main characters I've read that truly hate and despise one another. Both the character's beliefs are shaped by their tribe and that is how their misconceptions and prejudice set them apart. Both character dynamics are intricately crafted with flaws that overall shape their trope.
All I can is that this is a refreshing read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Although the ending felt mellow and wished it was longer.
mahalar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
thelibbrary's review against another edition
I just…didn’t like this. The writing is stunning to be sure, but the story wasn’t gripping me and I couldn’t stand the characters.
xxqupxx's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
imkindoflame's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
bribwriter's review against another edition
5.0
there is something about Ava Reid’s writing that does it for me and this one hits. i love the atmospheric feel, the pace and the ending so much.