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chrisb913'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, Xenophobia, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child death
lesliehirgelt'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: Blood, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Infidelity, Bullying, and Murder
bessadams'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
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Torture, and Child death
jadesarah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Just to note, there is A LOT of violence in this book. So much.
I'm not even going to try and summarise the plot but know it's rooted in a convolution of power, greed, revenge and survival. And reading it in 2024 brings on feelings of discomfort with what is happening right now.
Here's my word vomit of thoughts and feelings:
-There are some characters who I never really liked or never know how I should feel about them. Not Qadir though, I love him even with his millions of secrets. Also Hakim, my heart hurt for him from the beginning. I need to know more on that front.
- I really love Mazen and Loulie. Not together though. It seems like the author is setting them up romantically and I actively dislike that tbh. Firstly, I think the author took an easy out with Ahmed and it feels like it was used as a tool to just eventually bring Mazen and Loulie together. It just doesn't sit right with me at all. And if M & L are going to get together I feel like it would ruin the next book(s) for me tbh. Also despite all the mess with Aisha I actually thought she and Mazen would be interesting together! I'll have plenty of time to think about it anyway because I don't think the sequel is coming out for another year...*sobs* lol.
- This whole thing of Mazen being a coward feels so forced. It feels like the author is making a point with the whole coward/hero thing and ehh. I get it but ehhh. Why? He's a coward because he doesn't happily murder like many other characters??
- speaking of the murder. It made me extremely uncomfortable. How am I supposed to feel about it other than uncomfortable? How am I supposed to feel about the hypocrisy of it all with some characters? I'm not about to just consume it as "oh well it's just part of fiction!". Maybe that's the point. I've read plenty of violent books but I guess I'm trying be conscious of how I'm consuming it.
- also the whole thing with the sultan and killing his wives? And Mazen's mom being like "I will marry him so he stops!" Nooo lol.
- Anyways I have so many feelings but it's hard to get into them without spoiling but the author constantly had me second guessing my own feelings and didn't give me a second of peace with all her twists and turns and uno reverses then uno reversing those uno reverses and just all around stressing me out. Regardless, whenever I wasn't reading the book I was thinking about it. And on that note I think that's why I gave it 4 stars. Initially I was leaving it at 3.5 because some things happened that just feel like well what was the point in all that just for this to happen?! That along with the fact I'm not keen on a romance between Mazen and Loulie but I'm not sure that's what the author is definitely doing, though it seems highly likely.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Death of parent, and Child death
kassidyreads'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: Death and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Child death and Torture
ofheartsandaros'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
angeldevoursliterature'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
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Death, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Confinement, Grief, and Genocide
Minor: Cursing
dalek_caan'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
4.75
Graphic: Torture, War, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Self harm, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment and Fire/Fire injury
stargazer_ley's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Xenophobia, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Racism, Grief, Gaslighting, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Slavery, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Cursing