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mrswhiteinthelibrary's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A YA fantasy that holds surprisingly moving, nuanced reflections on topics like grief, shame, and even the nature of good and evil and human ethics. While I loved Brandes' Romanov, the plot summary for this one didn't do much for me and I dragged my feet on it. But like a quench of water, I found the story of flawed people given, or forced, to have incredible powers, and the nature of those powers as forces of ultimate good or evil, powerful and moving in a way I didn't expect. My only complaints are the romance, which felt thin, and the cliffhanger ending, which I wasn't expecting. But if you want a story that doesn't follow a cookie cutter formula, full of complex characters, then this is the read for you.
Graphic: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Abandonment, and Torture
Minor: Sexual violence and Slavery
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