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subtlymelancholy's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
For a gothic romance, I found it very safe. I'm sure it's a taste thing, but I don't need to be shocked if the characters are plausibly shocked. I don't think it's a crime that the (admittedly heavy-handed) foreshadowing makes it easy to predict where this book goes. The story and ESPECIALLY the setting made it hard to put this book down, and for that alone it gets an extra half star.
However, I really wasn't impressed with the worldbuilding. It seems to be going for for ambiguous low fantasy, almost steampunk in it's setting that never quite felt cohesive. The romance for me was a little lackluster, it almost felt tacked-on and I would have much preferred a more intimate friendship. I knew right from the beginning and that really cheapened a lot of the really touching and emotional scenes between
The political implications of the countries being at war also never really felt consequential to the world other than further othering Preston, but the shared-yet-distinct feelings of being othered (Effy for her gender and Preston for his nationality) is never explored in a meaningful way I think because it seems like Ava Reid was much more interested in having
I know it sounds like I didn't like the novel but I had a lot of fun reading it. What works REALLY works, and I am always a sucker for an environment that's as alive and as destructive as any human-ish antagonist. The marrying of the sacred and the profane, and trying to juggle them and understand what's "real" and what's not is also something that I adore and fantasy hagiography in particular will always get me.
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
pinkhyxteria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Xenophobia
mcrespo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Blood
reddeddy'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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Sexism, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual content, Body shaming, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Classism, Confinement, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Terminal illness, War, Animal death, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, and Deportation
emmieanna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault
justnicole's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Sexism, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, War, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse
mktraxel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Rape, Death, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
star_charter152's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Racism and Child death
Minor: Animal death
artemisx'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcoholism
kryzysowa_narzeczona'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Rape