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callistag1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Classism and Child death
Moderate: Sexism, Murder, Vomit, War, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Grief, and Death
Minor: Death of parent, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
jaqylantern'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? Yes
3.0
I feel like this came out in the time publishing wanted YA books to be barely more than 300 pages. It also feels this was "let's see how the first book does and go from there" because this feels like it could be a standalone OR you could continue the trilogy.
My biggest issue is really the pacing. This book could have been great with 20-50 more pages. Really let emotions sit and be a big thing- several times Sage got super angry for valid reasons but it passed by the next page. The misunderstanding could have built a bit more and become really tense.
This really could have been great, but I will be donating this.
Graphic: Child death and Violence
jmatsumura's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Death
silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
I don't have any particular plans to pick up the rest of the series, but I could see the whim striking sometime.
Moderate: Classism, Child death, Grief, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
saoreads'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
korok_sapling's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Unfortunately the things I didn’t like about it were too deeply ingrained in the book to ignore. Our main character fall into the “not like other girls” trope, femininity is largely looked down upon for the majority of the book, though I would say that was remedied throughout the second half, just not in a noticeable enough way to seem purposeful. Along with this we are met with the “I’m unattractive because I’m too skinny” trope, this paired with weirdly negative descriptions of larger people was uncomfortable for me. The age gap was also concerning but the way our love interests interacted made it easy to forget, there was little power dynamic.
I will say the book felt enough like every other YA young female lead book to be nostalgic but differed enough to be interesting. Also there were no traitors kissing but I’ll forgive that.
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Vomit
bookish_bookerz'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
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Death and Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault and Torture
kart_mac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Vomit
Moderate: Child death
carolibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault
gattolinos_nerdy_nook'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? It's complicated
4.25
About the first half of the book is the group of soon to be brides traveling to the capital for with an escort supplied by the military. This part of the book really focuses on Sage and Ash's growing friendship and building up for the second half of the book where most of the espionage, fighting and politics takes place at the forefront.
The second half takes place at Duke D'Amiran's estate, and where Sage is asked by Captain Quinn to help the military escort figure out what is happening as they are missing key pieces of information and are unable to mingle with the Nobles and lower class/servants as easily as she can.
Things I did NOT like about the book:
- When Sage is dressing up nicely she does the stereotypical corsets are uncomfortable and how it is hard to do certain activities in them. Whilst this sets up the "She is not like other girls" trope, corsets in history were not uncomfortable but were instead used for chest support. These lines and ones similar to it came across as a bit of regurgitation about how corsets should feel without looking into it.
- The "Not like Other Girls" trope represents girls who like more stereo typically feminine things in a negative light. From subtext that they are not free or thinking for themselves, and all the girls in the bridal party var one are hostile towards Sage even though she doesn't represent a threat to their marriages.
- Lack/basic character descriptions for everyone which leads to anyone outside of the average white look being written as "darker skin" or so vaguely that you forget that this character is meant to be POC.
- The plot twist that Ash Carter was actually Captain Quinn undercover the whole time. How the plot twist was executed was set up nicely where you start questioning things but can't really figure out what's wrong as you don't have the final pieces, but the plot twist itself left much to be desired.
Personally I liked the idea that a side character in the opening few chapters focusing and meeting the soldiers was who Sage was spending time and falling in love in love with. It felt different from the formula of the two main characters having to be the ones together. It honestly felt really natural and I loved how they interacted together. The plot twist felt shoved in there so it is the two "main/important" characters together and taints everything that came before where they are getting to know each other and the chemistry.
Moderate: Child death, Death, and War
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Torture