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draculagirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
lauren_macauley'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Vomit
ngm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood and Self harm
Minor: Rape
nebulasaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Body horror, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Blood, Physical abuse, Self harm, Gore, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
cariam's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Self harm, and Child abuse
mpbookreviews'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
3.75
Moderate: Abandonment, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood
Minor: Self harm and Animal death
victoriacp769's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Anyways, the book is good, really good, but the writing was not the best.
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, and Animal death
some_summer_writing's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Torture
Minor: Vomit and War
shorts_family's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Vomit, and War
queer_bookwyrm'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
4.0
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin is the first book her trilogy. We follow Lou, a headstrong and spunky witch, who is living in hiding as a thief in a French inspired city, where witches are hunted by Chasseurs. We also follow Reid, the captain of the Chasseurs, and he is stoic, self-loathing, and has a stick up his ass.
While Lou is attempting to steal a magical ring that could protect her from her mother, she is caught and somehow gets entangled in a forced marriage to Reid, to both of their dismays. We get a really good slow burn enemies to lovers that doesn't make me want to scream about unhealthy relationships. I loved Reid and Lou's banter, and how she got him to open up a little.
We get great side characters too! Coco is a badass blood witch of color and is also bi! I love her so much, and I hope we get more of Coco next book. Ansel is my baby and must be protected! Even Beau started to grow on me in the end, especially when Coco gets under his skin.
The world building was great, and I appreciated the magic system for both types of witches. Dames de Blanc get their magic from nature, and nature demands balance. Dames Rouges use blood magic, so their magic comes from within. Excited to learn more about them next book!
Although there was one really steamy part (🌶️❤️🔥🥵) I expected there to be more the way people on here talk about this book. It seemed pretty tame to me. Mahurin has infused messages about how at its core, religious patriarchy is about power and control, and if you can't control a thing, you must destroy it. We also get themes on how life isn't black and white, but many shades of gray. I love me some morally gray characters, and Lou fits that. Excited for the next book!
Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Self harm, Body horror, and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide