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le3713's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
I didn't love this one as much as the first book, but I did enjoy how much it played with questions about who is good and who is bad and what they're fighting for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
corabookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
it’s hard for me to rate this book, because on one hand, it was interesting and entertaining, and a pretty solid second book. but some of the concepts in it also made me a little uncomfortable. (such as the fact that the only asexual character was asexual because of the trauma and abuse she’d gone through, and the fact that a lot of queer characters seemed to be revealed as queer just to give them a traumatic backstory. also, the reverse-sexism thing at the end was such a different theme and idea from the first book that it gave me whiplash. it just felt like a whole different story ) but it wasn’t that bad of a book?? and i enjoyed reading most of it, especially the beginning. all in all, i’m pretty conflicted :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, War, Sexual violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
kianareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
"When gods dance, humanity trembles."
Many moments in this made me feel like I was reading a psychological thriller. Deka, previously so sure in her understanding of herself, her world, and her goddesses is made to question everything. Even her own memories.
The first book focused in on how misogyny impacted and harmed its main target: women. The journey was about Deka and the other alaki finding their power as women, learning to love themselves, and to fight for their freedom. THE MERCILESS ONES expanded on this theme making it clear that, as Fannie Lou Hamer once said, “nobody’s free until everybody’s free”.
I am grateful for the way Forna highlighted how misogyny negatively impacts (to varying degrees) everyone not just women. And this sequel doesn’t stop at misogyny. It addresses homophobia, transphobia, generational trauma, grief, found family, religious genocide, and the need to move beyond seeing the world through restrictive binaries.
Simply cannot wait for the third book (even more than I was anxiously waiting for the second!) 🔥
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, and Torture
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Violence, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Transphobia
Minor: Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
clawclawclaw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
samreadsthings's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent
sarah_thebooknerd's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Deka is one of my favorite YA characters. I love them and feel like the next book is just going to be even better.
This book deals with themes of patriarchy, feminist movement and how that movement even ended up squashing people of color and trans community/ non binary community. It’s so interesting to me that Namina was able to create that in this fantasy book and make us have to examine what we think and feel we know.
This book deals with themes of patriarchy, feminist movement and how that movement even ended up squashing people of color and trans community/ non binary community. It’s so interesting to me that Namina was able to create that in this fantasy book and make us have to examine what we think and feel we know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, War, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Transphobia
story_goblin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- 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
I was slightly concerned at the beginning because something seemed off and uncomfortable about the Mothers but once it became apparent that that was on purpose, I got even more into the book than I expected to. There are very few (no?) other books that so deftly address the nuance and complications of true conflict like this one- maybe Hunger Games, but it's been too long since I've read them. All the characters have differing and complex reasons for participating in the conflict they ways that they do, and precious few (only 1, which is honestly arguable) of those reasons are "I'm just evil". As much as I want and need stories that give me hope that humanity can find a way to stop destroying everything, many of those stories oversimplify into villain vs hero. This book does not. I am slightly worried about where the next book is going- Deka being a goddess instead of humanity's rescue being human despite the very strong religion corrupts messages - but Forna surprised me with the first two books, so I'll absolutely give her the chance to surprise me again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Blood, Murder, Sexual violence, Torture, and Rape
Minor: Pregnancy, Classism, Cursing, and Homophobia
books4bee's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Rape
readingelli's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am speechless.
Forma’s writing is phenomenal, her plot was twisty and took me completely by surprise several times and the characters were well constructed, complicated people (or gods).
Forma’s writing is phenomenal, her plot was twisty and took me completely by surprise several times and the characters were well constructed, complicated people (or gods).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, War, and Sexism
Moderate: Ableism, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Xenophobia
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Sexual violence
literaryintersections's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I just finished this yesterday and y'all what can I say. Namina Forna knows how to write an ending. WHEW that climax got me hype and now I'm like "damn I have to wait for book 3".
What I loved: The alaki, jatu, and Deka's friends. The relationship between Deka and Britta is *chef's kiss*. I love seeing how they rep for each other, how they support each other, are always there to fight for each other. It's chosen family AT IT'S BEST. It was nice to see the small moments between the friend group but I wanted more - these kids are experiencing so much pain and death and I wanted more happy moments.
I am not sure how I feel about the direction the book took but, and it was extremely slow in the beginning. But once the threads started to pull together, and Deka started to figure out the mysteries of The Gilded Ones and Idugu, I was invested.
Overall, a book about children having to fight for their rights, fight for the rights to live and have autonomy over their bodies, feels extremely relevant to what we are dealing with in our society now. And as much as it's hard to read at times, it reminded me that no one makes change alone. The friendships and love we build, the community, is what will make that change happen.
What I loved: The alaki, jatu, and Deka's friends. The relationship between Deka and Britta is *chef's kiss*. I love seeing how they rep for each other, how they support each other, are always there to fight for each other. It's chosen family AT IT'S BEST. It was nice to see the small moments between the friend group but I wanted more - these kids are experiencing so much pain and death and I wanted more happy moments.
I am not sure how I feel about the direction the book took but, and it was extremely slow in the beginning. But once the threads started to pull together, and Deka started to figure out the mysteries of The Gilded Ones and Idugu, I was invested.
Overall, a book about children having to fight for their rights, fight for the rights to live and have autonomy over their bodies, feels extremely relevant to what we are dealing with in our society now. And as much as it's hard to read at times, it reminded me that no one makes change alone. The friendships and love we build, the community, is what will make that change happen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Child death