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ashlikes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Classism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Infidelity
Moderate: Stalking, Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexism
Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Drug use, Pregnancy, Racism, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
iamthelizardqueen'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Cancer, Classism, and Death
rhythmofryn'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
2.5
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol and Toxic friendship
Minor: Misogyny
reddeddy'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? No
2.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Bullying, Classism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Drug abuse, Body shaming, Colonisation, Sexism, Dysphoria, Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Blood, and Slavery
mollythefishmonger_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent and Body shaming
Minor: Cancer
keysmashhh'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
4.5
Character: 4/5
Relationships: 3/5
World-Building: 3/5
Genre: 3.5/5
Plot: Most parts of the plot made sense and were paced really well, the only part I was sceptical of was Nina and Sam's resolution - to me, it felt like they made up too quickly without really addressing the issues of their friendship. The ending though! :0 I both saw it coming and didn't, even if it was a little predictable that didn't stop me from getting goosebumps when everyone bowed.
Character: Jeff was my favourite character, it was slightly frustrating that we never got a chapter from his perspective as I feel that could have really helped me get on board with his relationship with Nina. Nina was a likeable enough character however I did get frustrated at her actions. Although he was a minor character Ethan also intrigued me, I would have liked maybe one or two chapters from his POV (maybe about him and Daphne) Daphne was an unlikable character but I understood her motivations. Beatrice was an interesting character that definitely grew on me. Teddy, I really liked him, I just kind of felt he got lost amongst the rest of the stronger personalities - I'm hoping we see more of him in Book 2. In terms of Diversity, I felt it lacked in POC and Queer characters (other than Nina and her parents) - I think a plotline where one of the royals has to explore the implications of having a queer relationship in America would have been really impactful and added a different sort of storyline.
Relationships: Some of them were alright (Ethan and Daphne's complicated relationship really interested me, I have to say Jeff and Nina's got a little too boring but them splitting up made it more interesting.
World-Building: An amazing premise, I liked the small hints at America's history we got through conversations with Bea and the King - I would have loved to know more about the history of this distorted America
Genre: Young Adult. Contemporary. Romance. - a genre filled with cliches and tropes - the royalty trope will always be fascinating to me. I liked the romance features (THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED!) but I felt that sometimes it was the only thing anyone was talking about. The moments of solidarity between Bea and Sam felt so genuinely real and I liked it but I felt that some scenes had so much emphasis on the romance that we lost the friendships a little bit, I would have loved to see a scene where Teddy, Jeff and Ethan hung out or Sam met Nina's college friends.
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
esterix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, and Cancer
Minor: Gaslighting and Grief
alexbowie03'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
3.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Grief, Sexism, Stalking, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Blood
Minor: Blood, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
claudiamacpherson'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
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the general vibe of the ending):
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
astropova'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? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol