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anniereads221's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Sexual assault, Death, Bullying, Violence, Torture, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Blood, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Rape, Body shaming, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Murder, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Addiction
mssrquackers'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Slavery, Abandonment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, War, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Torture
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Rape, and Gun violence
purplelake'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
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Classism, and Trafficking
Minor: Medical content, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Animal death, and Body shaming
nebulasaurus'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
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Gore, War, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Violence, Sexism, Murder, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Misogyny, Blood, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
norwegianforestreader'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
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, War, Genocide, Gore, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
danielforshort'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
5.0
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Abandonment, Ableism, and Sexual harassment
miaaa_lenaaa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
like the torture scene? We just jumped into that? I wanted more info? Like i wanted to be there when u made the plan but suddenly u just,, had him? Ok
‘You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you’
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, War, Alcohol, Murder, and Sexism
pastelkerstin's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Here are two facts about my experience reading this book:
1) I fundamentally disagree with the moral framework for justice that the main characters use (revenge as the response to injustice).
2) I found this book gripping despite that.
Some people hold the view that to like a book with flawed characters means that you agree with everything they do, but I think that's a ridiculous way to view fiction.
Yes, I think Zetian's methods are unethical. But no, that doesn't mean that this book ruins the perception of real-world feminism. Zetian is flawed, hypocritical at times, and cruel. But it's also very clear that she became this way because of the deeply oppressive misogynist society she lives in. She's the monster the world forced her to be if she wants to survive. She's not your perfect feminist icon, who is a good example for children, because she is a fictional character in a very specific world with very specific circumstances, some of them based on actual historical (and on-going) women's rights issues, and some of them entirely fictional. Let female characters be fucked up sometimes!
That's all I have to say on that. Additional thoughts: I wish this book slowed down more often to give you a bit more breathing room between so many tough scenes. I also think those "breaks" could have been used to flesh out the relationships more. I was definitely rooting for these three, but a lot of their falling for each other seems to happen in the in-betweens that we don't get to see. Nevertheless, I think having more canon polyamorous relationships in traditionally published books is really important. The polya rep is one of the main reasons I read this book. I think polya triads where everyone is dating each other allow for very interesting character dynamics.
Another thing I struggled a bit with was not letting the combination of traditional and at times conservative elements and futuristic sci-fi tech break my suspension of disbelief. Some parts of this world seem so very old and then others are so futuristic. I know this is deliberate. It's what makes this world-building pretty unique. But it can feel a bit disorienting at times.
All right, that's all. I'm very interested to see where the sequel will go.
Graphic: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Addiction, Bullying, Misogyny, Torture, Grief, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, War, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Medical content and Child death
Minor: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Biphobia
allonormativity/implied asexual erasure, implied intersex erasure, implied transphobiarecycled_personalities'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, War, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Medical content, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Blood, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
aardwyrm'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
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Bullying, Physical abuse, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse