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cait'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
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Torture, Classism, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Colonisation, Stalking, War, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Violence, and Vomit
dundiesbooks'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
I love all our core characters and many of the side characters, including some of the teachers. It was great that the story didn't shy away from complicated and layered relationships in all domains.
At times I was annoyed with
All in all I really like this 2nd installment, though it could have been a little less dense with a couple more calm scenes focusing simply on characters and relationships. Still great how everything came together. - I left out so much..
Graphic: Confinement, War, Cursing, Death, Violence, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Confinement, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Panic attacks/disorders
tornadoelle'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
Minor: Death, Gore, and Panic attacks/disorders
ka_ke'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
Graphic: Body horror, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Confinement, Sexual content, Cursing, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Abandonment, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Medical content
Minor: Toxic relationship
taryn_g'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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, War, Murder, Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
emilywemily6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, War, Animal death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Death, Murder, and Body horror
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Classism
Minor: Ableism and Alcohol
sauvageloup'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
pros:
- the writing is just addictive, even though 600+ pages of small text, I didnt want to put it down.
- overall, i enjoyed this more than the first i think, there were less tropes i didnt like and the writing felt better.
- xaden does finally tell violet his secrets which was character growth.
- the twists and turns were fun to read and I didnt predict many, if any, of them.
- while impulsive, violet does show her intellect in figuring shit out and I liked
- I like the reveal about
- I liked the bits of humor, with ridoc and tairn's sarcastic sass, as well as Andarna's.
- the angst overall was excellent, there was all different types and all of the characters went through the wringer in one way or another!
- I also liked the team dynamics a lot, with ridoc, imogen, rhiannon and the rest banding round violet and teasing her.
cons:
- biggest issue was just how many names there were. i just lost track. needed a list of characters and their roles desperately. I couldnt remember who garrick was, was still learning dragon names at the end, and thought Tairn was the biggest dragon. i did read it fast, but it did suffer from the fantasy book disease of an overstuffed cast (imo).
- the argument between xaden and violet was repetitive, which was noted but still a bit frustrating. like, the growth in xaden finally revealing his big secret(s) seems to just be that violet wore him down and he was worried they'd die. so.
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- Cat was an annoying development and I didny really enjoy any of her sections. I think women managing to work together and get on dispite history involving a man is far more interesting than being petty. I know its brought up that Cat just wants xaden's crown, but it still felt like the catty (hah) ex trope.
- also, just personally, I skipped some of the sex. i thought the sexual tension between them was written great, but I would have been happy with a fade to black. but that's just how the book is.
all in all, this was highly addictive and I loved a lot of the ideas and the bits of humour. despite some significant flaws, definitely want to read the next!
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, War, Violence, Chronic illness, Cursing, and Death
natashareadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4β out of 5β.
Tropes:
β fantasy romance /romantasy
β enemies to lovers
β forced Proximity
β academy (war college)
β New Adult romance
β chronic illness (h) representation
β morally gray H
βfound family
β slow burn
β overcoming adversity/underdog
β dysfunctional family
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Cursing, Animal death, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Torture, and War
aytac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, War, and Violence
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Self harm, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Body shaming, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Animal death, Death, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and War