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jera_0_'s review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Rape
Minor: Torture, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
katiempayne97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Cursing
yarisbooksandbevs'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
3.0
I don’t really like Midas and I don’t trust him. He gives me the ick and seems emotionally manipulative to someone who is naive and traumatized. I hope to see Auren get him in the future.
I’m intrigued enough to continue but this book was a little meh for me.
Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Misogyny, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Rape, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Blood, Sexual violence, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Trafficking, Infertility, and Vomit
hmb86's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Rape
Moderate: Sexism, Physical abuse, War, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Infertility
viselik'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
3.25
The first time I read this I did not know it had the content in it that it did due to me skipping over the content warning and I finished the book feeling like I had missed something and felt icky. I only figured it out once I read the content warning that I had accidentally skipped and reread the book that it clicked what had actually happened, it wasn't what I expected and made me like the book a whole lot more than I originally did.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, War, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Grief, Sexism, Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship
filipa_maia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I do appreciate this other side of the story. This is not King Midas' story (the one that everyone knows), it's someone else's... someone very important that stays in the shadows. Also, I very much enjoyed all this mystery around Auren, there is an aura of secrets involving her that kept me very focus till the end. Solving this mystery is exactly one of the things that is going to make me read the second book.
On a less positive note, this book is very hard to read: maybe I was distracted or maybe the trigger warnings weren't enough... I almost quit reading this book. Several times. I understand that women weren't seen as people, especially these women being King Midas' harem... but there is a less brutal way of describing some scenes. Honestly, the excessive use of some words were not to emphasise the narrative, but just to trigger the reader.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Colonisation, Grief, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Slavery, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Infidelity, War, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
missgarceau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
I couldn’t put this down from start to finish.
Although it felt somewhat predictable, I found myself not anticipating major plot twists.
This is not a “happy” retelling, and deals with dark & difficult topics. Please be advised.
However, I found the world, characters, and plot absolutely riveting.
This ends on a cliffhanger, is an unfinished series, but the final book is scheduled to be released this year.
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Blood, War, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Murder, Hate crime, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Body shaming, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Hate crime, Infidelity, Cursing, Deportation, Gore, Alcohol, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
mspilesofpaper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Did I feel sorry for her and the other "saddles" (I still wonder why saddle when nothing else has to do with horses or riding in Midas' kingdom.)? Yes. Was I still absolutely annoyed by them? Hell yes.
After 80% something happens because the Love Interest appears and of course he’s fae. Why is every dude in a fantasy novel a fae nowadays?
Also, it’s rather blatant that it isn’t Midas who holds the power over the gold but Auren. I mean the girl is already named after the chemical symbol for gold (au).
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Rape
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Rape, Sexual assault, Excrement, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Animal death
kayanoelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Interesting premise so I'm excited for part 2. The story is very dark and brutal so you should definitely be aware of that! Auren was a great protagonist and a real delight despite her situation.
The world building is amazing and easy to understand!
One thing I would criticize is that I didn't get what the plot of the series is supposed to be, it felt a little random but I guess (and hope) it's gonna get more obvious in the next book.
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Rape, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny and Toxic friendship
Minor: Slavery
jaymrtn'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Car accident
Minor: Blood, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit