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bookdragon1000's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
I love this book! I’ve reread it several times in the last couple of years and it never loses its quick and emotional storyline with an amazing character whom really grows into her power. The world is amazing too - an original mix of Spain and Arabia with an interesting colonialism element. Carson doesn’t shy away from the more serious aspects of the court and shows just how difficult it could be for a foreign princess to marry into a court that still loved their latest queen and were expecting her to be the same. Love it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Fatphobia
Moderate: Body shaming and Colonisation
Minor: Death, Rape, Violence, and War
somberlittleman's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
I wanted to like this book more—I’ve loved other books of Rae Carson’s—but I admit I was very disappointed by how much this book seems to loathe fatness and fat people. I was pleasantly surprised that the main hero was a fat girl in the beginning of the story, only to be strongly disappointed that she gets a skinny glow-up by starving partway through. Because of that, this is the first book of Carson’s I didn’t speed through in a day.
It’s still a fun adventure. But maybe don’t recommend this book to any teenage girls, or anyone else who struggles with body image and weight stigma.
It’s still a fun adventure. But maybe don’t recommend this book to any teenage girls, or anyone else who struggles with body image and weight stigma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
oruairc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content, Kidnapping, and War
Minor: Vomit
kassidyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, and Blood
Moderate: Eating disorder, Violence, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Self harm, Torture, Death of parent, and Colonisation
catiewheat's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
I loved this story as a teen, the first time I read it. But reading it as an adult the fat phobia overshadows everything to a point where it is unreadable. Like the main character running for her literal life and thinking I wish I had eaten that extra pastry earlier!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
jesticulate's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book was really frustrating for me. On the one hand, it was a fun adventure story with a clever, brave female protagonist. On the other hand, it was the most fatphobic book I’ve ever read.
The edition I read had two passages added at the end the from the author talking about her relationship with weight and it’s presence in the book. Both I think we’re added post publication and do not repair the harm of the prior 400 pages fat-shaming.
The book opens with the protagonist describing herself as a pig and a stuffed sausage. Not a chapter in the first half passed without bad self-talk regarding her weight. Worse than that though, half way through the book she starts to get more confident, useful, and powerful. This of course corresponds with her getting thinner - regardless of the authors statements, this book ties the her moral character and worthiness directly to her weight in every chapter. When other people (later, When she’s skinny) say she would be pretty if she got fat again, this is considered ‘kindness’.
I read the whole book partially because I like a fun adventure, partially because I was outraged, and partially because I wanted to leave a fully informed review.
If you have a history of disordered eating, trauma around food, or just are sick of this bullshit - please don’t read this book. It’s not worth it.
The edition I read had two passages added at the end the from the author talking about her relationship with weight and it’s presence in the book. Both I think we’re added post publication and do not repair the harm of the prior 400 pages fat-shaming.
The book opens with the protagonist describing herself as a pig and a stuffed sausage. Not a chapter in the first half passed without bad self-talk regarding her weight. Worse than that though, half way through the book she starts to get more confident, useful, and powerful. This of course corresponds with her getting thinner - regardless of the authors statements, this book ties the her moral character and worthiness directly to her weight in every chapter. When other people (later, When she’s skinny) say she would be pretty if she got fat again, this is considered ‘kindness’.
I read the whole book partially because I like a fun adventure, partially because I was outraged, and partially because I wanted to leave a fully informed review.
If you have a history of disordered eating, trauma around food, or just are sick of this bullshit - please don’t read this book. It’s not worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Blood, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
booksthatburn's review against another edition
Fatphobia in the very first paragraph.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia
zimmerlemon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
I ate this right up! Classic and engaging and enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
subex3's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Violence, and Blood