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riverstrongblood'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
5.0
I'm not one for spoilers in book reviews but I have never regarded a book more highly than this. And I am so appreciative for authors who are writing queer and ethnically diverse books. It's rare. A breath of fresh air against the bland, white, straight canopy that fantasy has been for so long.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Cannibalism
speedyb303's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Child death
bookcaptivated's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Misogyny, Vomit, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and War
e_riahh'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
4.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Minor: Blood
anjasshelf'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
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Rape
enbae'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, War, and Injury/Injury detail
decembera's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Mind the content warnings. This was significantly more graphic than I expected from a YA book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Excrement, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
crykea's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Rape, Blood, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
quiet_reader'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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
xoemax'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
4.25
This book covers some amazing social topics, and in my opinion has some great LGBTQIA+ representation, intersectionality, and an exploration of gender diversity/fluidity. I appreciated the nuances and consideration with how Florian/Flora was written, with varying pronouns depending on context/viewpoint. I think it's important not to get caught up expecting characters to always have everything figured out from the start, especially when they themselves are coming to terms with and discovering their own identity. So for me this felt like a very wholesome, honest and positive exploration of how it feels to explore gender and sexuality as a young person.
The book is relatively fast paced, I will say. And from that I can see where the criticism of the story and characters feeling unresolved by the end comes from. I like to think I have an active imagination, so this I'm lucky wasn't too much of a deterrent for me. Part 2 of the book in particular with
Overall: an enjoyable and fun read, with the beginnings of some great world building, emotional, and featured themes I'd definitely like to read more of.
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Trafficking, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Homophobia, Slavery, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Abandonment