Scan barcode
hayleyvem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Cannibalism, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Bullying
Moderate: Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Genocide, Infertility, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Cancer, and Suicide
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
provo'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
5.0
The finale was something else and bumped my rating from 4 to 5 stars, incredibly satisfying to unwind all the what-the-fuck-is-going-on.
But: check trigger warnings before reading, like there’s a lot of really graphic stuff.
Also maybe not a book anyone should read during an active psychotic episode (this is not a joke).
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Vomit, War, Death of parent, Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Murder, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, and Suicide attempt
vampire_burrito's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cannibalism, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Grief
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Death, Medical content, Gore, Murder, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Suicide
persephonefoxx'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: Blood, Death, Violence, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Body horror and Mental illness
Minor: War and Grief
mossylibra'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Mental illness, Gore, and Medical content
clarabooksit'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Blood, Cursing, Body horror, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Death, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, and War
fishbones's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Alcohol, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
maddiereadswords'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
This book is, indeed, a HUGE shift from the storytelling style of Gideon, and while it did take some getting used to, I ended up loving this book just as much as the first one!! There was so much more worldbuilding and info about the magic that Gideon as a character just isn't interested in, so now I understand parts of the first book better, but now I'm confused about new things, and it's all just making me sick in the head (which I guess is fitting, since that's pretty much how Harrow feels for most of the book.) Lesbian necromancers in space is a hell of a tagline for this series, but it doesn't begin to prepare you for this Whole Thing. Anyway, this book made me want to put my head through a wall, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Five stars.
2/26/24: Back here after a reread and tentatively feeling like I understand more this time; the 5 stars still stand. Also Mercymorn is vile, but she should also be allowed to do whatever she wants forever <3
Graphic: Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Alcohol, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
irisraerah'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
5.0
Also, as a queer woman, there is something so deeply comfortable and affirming about reading a story like this, full of queer characters, relationships, and tragedy, but without queerness being the source of any tension or tragedy. Queerness is simply a fact of life in a way that feels like home, though I personally have never lived as part of a space faring necromantic society, and my swordplay has been limited to a single college fencing credit.
A word of caution to the squeamish reader: gore and the aesthetics of gore feature strongly in this series, though this is a case where the book's cover should have warned you about that clearly enough. Despite the goriness, I find Muir's setting to actually be quite beautiful in the grotesque, and scenes that might be something of nightmare felt vivid and terrific.
Having praised the highbrow content, I'd be remiss to not mention the low: spoilers for jokes you'll want to be caught off guard by as you read them in read time.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Blood, Death, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Vomit, War, Pregnancy, and Torture