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aubreycc123's review against another edition
I really wanted to like this but it’s such a chore. The feminist themes(and honestly the book in general) are always tell don’t show and you can really tell it’s written by a cis woman. The themes fall flat when you actually pick at them and with Nox in particular they often mirror racist tropes about black women.
The lowlights for me were:
- calling periods the “curse of womanhood”
- “hard thick rod of serotonin” is one of the worst things I’ve had the displeasure of reading.
- saying the women working in the brothel were empowered when they were literally sold into sex slavery, this view was not challenged in what I read
- the graphic depiction of a black girl getting whipped for really just no reason at all
- Giving the lesbian character who was sold to a brothel a sex scene with a man that by all accounts is smut and seen as something enjoyable for her. I know this is marketed as a bi fantasy but Nox is literally described as having no taste for men so wtaf was that.
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Racism, and Sexual assault
The first 2 content warnings are because of how the author wrote it and not the actual content of the text.thebluebird3752'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape
The main points if racism are not due to the world it is set in but rather due to the authors own decision. I do not believe it was their intention for it to come off that way but it did regardless.bookswithjay'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
3.5
Moderate: Sexual content
charlottx'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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Self harm, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Grief
bcrowes11'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual content
joisaddler'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? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Grief, and Mental illness
gwen_c6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual content
sprossa's review against another edition
3.0
For one, how has the author created a matriarchal society where in the book she refers to men as the “lesser sex” and yet misogyny and sexism is central to the story? Amaris and Nox’s development and storyline as it stands could not have progressed in any way without rampant misogyny and blatant sexism. If you are going to create a universe that is matriarchal, then having misogyny and sexism present really doesn’t make any sense.
Second, the depiction of Nox. I understand the authors desire to create a diverse story and claim a POC main character. But for Nox to be the only fleshed out POC in the entire novel, and for her be consistently and horrifically abused and tokenized was a terrible choice. From the beginning Nox is aware of her standing as a token in the orphanage she lives in.
If the author had taken the time to edit more thoroughly and engage sensitivity readers I think a lot of the controversy with this book could have been avoided. She had a solid idea and I would have been interested to see where the rest of the story goes, but as this book stands I couldn’t support this author and series.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Vomit, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Sexism, Gore, and Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
sophiepeach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Murder, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
b_robinson's review against another edition
1.75
The ARC that I read had so many grammatical mistakes man, it was so frustrating, but hopefully there's been a rigorous revision of this.
I did not enjoy the romance; it's nice that the author wrote a bisexual romance that she could connect to, but I couldn't vibe with the way it was written. We get this long innocent childhood backstory explanation thing, and then they're oh so cruelly torn apart, and when we next see them, the dramatic evolution in the way they thought about each other felt..... idk wrong?? uncomfy?? it was just not it. They first meet when one of them is an ACTUAL INFANT.
also, it honestly felt like there was more chemistry between Amaris and crow demon whatever-the-heck his name was (gadriel?? I think?????) than her and Nox. clearly something is wrong when the MCs are supposed to be so devoted to each other and i want to ship one of them with someone else entirely. but maybe that's just a me thing
LETS TALK ABOUT HOW WEIRD IT FELT TO CONSTANTLY HAVE AMARIS CALLING THE OTHER REEVERS HER BROTHERS AND THEN FLIRTING WITH AND TRYING TO SEDUCE ONE OF THEM. HELLO? WHAT IS UP WITH THAT. PLEASE TELL ME IM NOT THE ONLY ONE BECAUSE I CRINGED AT ALL OF IT.
i would also like to point out that i did not consent to reading about Nox's really sick, awful punishment for the Captain, even though he himself was an absolutely despicable human being. that was gross and unnecessary. sort yourself out.
so yeah. not a 10 out of 10 vibe here, but bonus points for not making me use any brainpower while reading
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Blood, Self harm, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment