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_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Homophobia and Vomit
linkwoodpub's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kaylanicholsmith's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I feel like I was really excited to get to this finally because of all the hype that I've heard over all the years and it was... fine? This book is kinda dense. You get thrown right into the world of Darrow, the main character, and you are learning as you go. There is nothing about the world, the language, the setting that is really explained to you. Darrow, as a character, kinda expects people to just know what he is talking about. Sometimes this narrative style works for me and other times it doesn't. Ultimately, the writing style as a whole just wasn't my favorite. I kept trying to remind myself that we are primarily reading from the perspective of teenage boys (yuck) but it just felt over the top with the juvenile quality sometimes. Also, my biggest pet peeve in books, any genre, is when the author has to insert fart jokes or fart commentary (usually as an insult to another character). I just can't stand it. The amount of times the author used "turd" could also warrant some kind of an award.
Despite the issues with the writing my biggest question with this story was the handling of sexual assault. On one hand, I feel like the author did do something a little different than a lot of other male fantasy/scifi writers - the female characters were not only there to be sexually assaulted and serve no other purpose. However, on the other hand, the amount of sexual assault still felt gratuitous and the female characters underdeveloped. While there is nothing graphic on the page, there is ample talk about the sexual assaults taking place, and not all of it is condemning the actions taking place. Granted, sexual violence is quite commonplace in war situations and the bystander effect is a terrible thing that happens everyday, but the author didn't really seem to tackle the issue quite as head on as he might have thought he was. Perhaps that was because there is SO MUCH going on in this first book - I think that we cover about 2 years in the course of this first book - and it flies. There is no real delving into any of the social issues that are being raised in the book. Everything felt super surface level.
I haven't totally written off the rest of the series but I'm in no major rush to continue on. I wonder if, as the story continues to build, that the commentary will become stronger and the writing more palatable but who knows. Maybe I never will... we'll see.
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Gore, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Classism
morbidqueen19'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? No
3.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Murder, and War
the_trees_speak_latin_'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
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and Blood
Minor: Sexual assault, Slavery, Vomit, and Cannibalism
_forestofpages'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
4.25
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Vomit, Murder, and Sexual harassment
blackbird300's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This first book belongs solidly within the YA genre. The plot moves at break neck pace, losing the reader first at the beginning, but once accustomed, it becomes easy. Certain plot points are wrapped up quickly upon being introduced, but all strings are tied at the very end.
I’ve been wrestling with myself as to whether or not I should purchase the sequel…and my answer is a solid yes.
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
rubyroses'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? No
4.75
Our main character Darrow is an interesting one. The journey he goes on is long and never ending. He’s a smart boy who is always struggling to stay ahead and often is falling one step behind but when he wins he doesn’t it magnificently. It’s the struggle that makes him interesting. Like most characters he is not perfect at the beginning and he is not perfect at the end. He is overwhelmingly human (😉).
But, don’t read this book just for Darrow. Every character from Cassius to Servo (he’s my favourite) have their own brilliant moments. The writing is genuinely hilariously witty even in the most tense moments.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
readsbyrach'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Blood and Vomit
chris_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Vomit, Police brutality, and Cannibalism