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lais's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Lesbophobia
elliekoepke'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
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Suicide
words_and_dreams's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Gaia, the youngest daughter of the Sea King is unhappy with her life. The underwater kingdom has a dystopian feel, women have no say and those that are deemed 'unattractive' are sent to live in the outlands, outcasts. She is betrothed to an older man who is a sexual predator. All of the women have repressed lives, controlled by the men.
On her 15th birthday Gaia visits the surface as her right of passage. She there sees and rescues Oliver, a human boy and falls in love. The insta love didn't bother me as that tracks with teens. She makes a bargain with the Sea Witch to get human legs at a price.
Although it was set in modern day, it still had that fairytale feel to it. I liked the portryal of Ceto the sea witch, a being of neither good nor evil and felt more authentic to the original tale. Gaia's journey is an interesting one as she comes of age, and her realisation that the surface world is not much better than the sea world. Men are weak and evil everywhere.
It was a little on the nose at times but it is aimed at a younger audience. I loved the ending but wish it had been drawn out a little longer.
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault, Blood, and Sexual harassment
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Alcohol
kirstenf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, Suicide, Murder, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Drug use, Pedophilia, and Rape
danielle_n's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia, Suicide, Murder, and Lesbophobia
kassidyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Body shaming
Minor: Homophobia and Suicide
lsylvie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia
frednamode's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Some of the male characters were a little two dimensional, clearly only there as plot devices, the sexism was a little on the nose: ‘if she wasn’t my daughter...’ we all know how trump finished that sentence so I can’t say the author writes unrealistic characters, but the bad guys felt wholly bad and the good guys were faultless - it would have been nice to see more dimensions and moral dilemmas for our protagonist (but assuming this is targeted as a YA novel it makes sense)
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Minor: Homophobia