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jennalwiegand'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
PLEASE check the trigger warnings for this book. There is a wide range of things that are described versus things that are mentioned as background events, but it could be very bad if you go in without warnings.
Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
romywrites'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Rape
carlacea'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
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
elee353's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Minor: Torture, Violence, Grief, and War
sadiaa's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
taryn_g's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
moonlitreading_'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
3.75
This was quite easy to read and the world-building didn't feel like a big info dump. I’m still kind of confused with the magic system so I hope more info on that is shown in the next book/s.
Tisaanah was such a strong character and I can’t help but root for her in whatever she does. Murder? Revenge? Proving men wrong? I will be in the back cheering. Max’s character was also good, and he had such great development in my opinion. I just want to wrap these two in a blanket and give them a big hug for all they’ve been through, and all they’re about to go through. I loved that the romance between them was a slow burn. They developed a strong friendship and trusted each other with their deepest and darkest secrets first before anything romantic happened to them.
I’m really excited to read the rest of the books because I need more of Tisaanah and Max. Also, special mention to Sammerin and Moth because I found them really funny.
I listened to the audiobook for this but I didn’t like the male narrator, sorry.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and War
redheadsuperpowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I like the magic system, and the distinct land and cultures the author created. The little hints at just what the MC Tisannah can do. I loved Max. Like, I liked him much more than the MC. I enjoy his picturesque hermitage, and his snarkiness. He has deep friendships, and deals with things in a real feeling way. He is supportive of Tisannah's goals. I appreciate the touches of difference in how magic is used in the different lands, and the varied abilities that it gives. I like that healing isn't just "wave a hand and it's all better". I wanted to see more background in Ara, where most of the story takes place, but understand why we get more info on Threll, where Tisannah grew up. I wish they had gone deeper into her friendships with people from her youth though. Maybe in the next book.
I didn't like how violent and triggering some scenes were, but I could have read some reviews before reading to get an idea on that, so that's on me. There was more violence than I expected. The overall writing is very good, and the storyline is interesting, and kept me reading, even when dragging through the drier middle of the book. This took me longer than normal to finish reading because I felt the middle was dry, and the plot stuttered a bit. It picks back up in a handful chapters, and draws you back in as a reader fairly well, and quickly. In 80 chapters, I think 5 were my struggle. I will admit that I am not that invested in this story, and will not be rushing to get the next book.
Oh, and I was a bit annoyed that the cover art that is supposed to depict Tisannah doesn't look a thing like her description.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
plsnotanotherdamselindistress's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
So, here are only the my notes:
- really though topics (with both MCs being traumatized and constantly being confronted with their deepest fears, so it would probably good to read the TW)
- this fMC...her character is amazingly complex (not relatable, but in a good way) this is not a romance fantasy but a fantasy book about the strengt and will to live of the fMC with romance in it(this is not me saying the mMC has no depth bc no that is definitely not true)
- no sense of relieve as the fMC is constantly fighting for control which is in some way always taken away from her (frustrating but also forms a connection to her)
- loved that only after ½ of the book we get a double POV which felt like perfect timing
- a lot of emotions...mostly negative ones (one of the few books that made me actually cry, but also in other parts of the story honestly made it hard for me to breath) but the positive ones are so tender and sincere that you feel them so much more
(- critique: this is extremely subjective but in fantasy worlds I do not really want realistic struggles like the patriarchy or racism bc those books are kind of a way to escape but if you take away the magic her story is something that could and will have happened irl)
- I will not continue reading this series, not bc it wasn't great but I feel like with Katniss at the end I only want one thing for the fMC and that is (inner)peace, which is really far away at this point and I don't know if I can deal with more books like this emotionally
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Torture, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
secondhandbookshelves'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? N/A
5.0
The characters are varied & strong
The world building is done without causing confusion or shoving long descriptions down throats
I LOVED that it was grumpy/sunshine and that each of them had a "thing" they did. Max's "I'm not made for this" delighted me every single time he grumbled it.
There were very heavy topics in this and yet our main two characters overcame and grew through each trial (even if they nearly died along the way)
I highlighted so much from this book (thanks magic ebooks that I can easily tab & colour code!) and I plan to revisit it soon.
Well, after finishing the series.
Current favorite bit from the book:
"Now, absolutely everything was different. All of my certainties had been rearranged, some destroyed, some new ones built in their place. And for the first time in so long, something new altogether had begun to grow in the space between those certainties, something harder to see but more powerful, more dangerous, more beautiful: Possibility."
Graphic: Slavery, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Trafficking, and War
Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Death of parent, and Classism