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indieleah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
(Almost put it down so many times, the dialogue is atrocious, it’s also weirdly racist and misogynistic, and he loves America way too much for my liking. The plot was the only thing keeping me going, and even that barely got me through)
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Murder, and Torture
annatroughton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Grief, War, Blood, Medical content, Torture, and Kidnapping
saskiahill's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, War, Suicide, Murder, Medical content, Islamophobia, Drug use, Drug abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Torture, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Sexism, Self harm, Misogyny, and Alcoholism
Minor: Pregnancy
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
There are some elements of the story that were really hard for me to read - check content warnings!
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Vomit, Death, Child abuse, Torture, Islamophobia, Medical content, War, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide, Antisemitism, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Ableism
CW: Fanaticism and terrorismasourceoffiction'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
It helps that Pilgrim is a fantastic character with a fascinating backstory, and I immediately wanted to know more about him. We come into the narrative relatively close to the end, and a huge chunk of the book is given to filling in blanks along the way. We learn about Pilgrim and the Saracen (Saracen's history is particularly interesting), and their characters flesh out gradually as their paths converge.
The story is heavily influenced by the wake of 9/11, and a new terrorist threat to US soil. So it's incredibly emotional at times. Everyone in the book has been affected in some way and it certainly ramps up the pressure. The story is filled with secrets, covert ops and a huge range of sub-plots that connect in really intricate ways.
By the time things reach a head I couldn't put it down, and I read 220 pages in a day. It's a great, epic book, but the end in particular goes nuts on the tension and drama. But mostly I was there for the amazing characters.
Graphic: Violence, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, and Death of parent
elinekp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Torture and Murder