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pocket'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
5.0
Graphic: War, Colonisation, Violence, Genocide, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual content
emilyeclipse'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
fraxisle'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? No
4.0
Graphic: War, Murder, Death, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit, Gun violence, Stalking, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Genocide
indeedithappens'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
Moderate: Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Death, Deportation, Pandemic/Epidemic, Genocide, Gun violence, Medical content, Self harm, Stalking, Violence, Vomit, Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, War, and Xenophobia
glorfindel13'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? No
4.5
Minor: Sexual content
atalea'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
2.5
Moderate: Genocide, Vomit, Xenophobia, Sexual content, and War
mattp3's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Genocide
ineffablebob'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
4.75
I enjoyed this one just as much as the first, for similar reasons. Great characterization, lots of political maneuverings, events moving forward at a fast pace to keep the reader anxious to get to the next chapter. The Teixcalaanli empire remains remarkably similar to ancient Rome politically, complete with too-popular generals sent out to fight dangerous wars before they can get other ideas. A couple of new point-of-view characters added some variety this time around, but there's still plenty of the two main protagonists. There's a bit more sexual content this time around that I could have done without, but it's only a pretty minor component with everything else that's going on.
Thinking back across these two books, it struck me how little of the plot is particularly innovative, and yet still Martine writes them into compelling stories. The story of an empire undergoing political power struggles, military vs bureaucratic power, a succession crisis, an external threat that seems completely inscrutable...all these are themes throughout history, and nothing that happens here is new (except for the space opera trappings). But those themes are what make great stories with suspense and intrigue, and Martine has used that to put together another great read.
Moderate: Sexual content
pvbobrien'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, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Gore, Colonisation, Sexual content, and Vomit
Minor: Medical content and Medical trauma
eleanora'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Death, War, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Medical content