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shebby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.25
Minor: Animal cruelty and Child abuse
jomjom'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? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
It was fine. The book is medium pace but feels slow paced (so it drags) and the enemies to lovers aspect could have been stronger in that it was mostly unconvincing. The e2l dynamic should have just been focused on the fact that they are on opposite sides of the war because the personal aspect of their enemy dynamic was lacking and unconvincing Just not fleshed out enough. I would go into more detail but I'm too tired lol (not bc of the book I just need to go to sleep). Anyway it wasn't engaging enough for me be interested in reading the 2nd book but I do think there's an audience for it.nicole12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Moderate: War and Violence
Minor: Child abuse and Abandonment
luluht'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
4.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, War, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Colonisation
yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Throughout the book, I found myself giggling and smirking. I thought the world building was well done and I’m excited to read the rest of the series.
Graphic: Abandonment, War, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing
soniajoy98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Abandonment, War, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Grief, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
bookishmillennial'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? It's complicated
Okay, admittedly it took me about 30% in to really begin to feel fully invested in the storyline (a lot of info-dumping/exposition and world-building)and the characters. However, once I was locked in, I was *LOCKED IN* !!!!! If you feel like you're going to DNF, keep going if you can. For me, it did pay off & I ended up really enjoying this!
I recognize many people think it is Star Wars/ReyLo fanfiction, but I still had an absolute blast and didn't mind that at all. Sure, there are absolutely parallels (enemies to lovers, the Night Empire, Talasyn's upbringing as an orphan & then reveal of her surprising identity & parentage), but it still felt unique enough to stand on its own, with its:
- Philippines-inspired setting of Nenavar
- South Asian folklore-inspired dragons (hopefully more dragons in the next books!)
- wartime climate
- soft (not fully fleshed out, at least to me) but easy-to-follow magic system with light versus shadow
- diverse characters
- forced proximity/arranged marriage/marriage of convenience with so much romantic tension and a satisfying slow burn
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Alaric (Night Emperor Gaheris' son & the Master of the Shadowforged Legion & shadow magic) and Talasyn. Mostly, I think it's funny because they very much have the classic enemies-to-lovers tension of "I hate you/I so badly want to kiss you" energy, but I do recognize the problematic elements of essentially creating a colonizer/colonized storyline. Ultimately, I do think this will be a series about fighting for freedom and equality, and coming together to overcome greater evils. The current dynamics of Talasyn's home Sarodivia, struggling under the oppressive rule of Kesath, will likely change (I don't see how they can't? Hoping Sarodovia & everyone displaced will rise up from the ashes?!) and I'm excited to see where the series picks up next.
Sometimes, the pacing felt off, with random flash forwards/time jumps. However, I'm going to give the author a bit of grace because I still was able to follow and have a good time! Go into book one knowing that it is mostly character-driven (to me, there is essentially no plot yet lol); (I think) since this is the first book in the series, that this novel's main goal to introduce readers to the characters, the world, and to entice us to care for and root for them, as I expect we will get more action-packed plotlines later in the series.
steam rating: 2.5/5 - there is one open-door, on-page sex scene, but the sexual tension and pining is fantastic!
cw: War, Colonisation, Genocide, Sexual content, Death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Terminal illness
Graphic: Sexual content, Colonisation, Genocide, Death, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Child abuse, and Gun violence
memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Death, Hate crime, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Terminal illness, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Gun violence
miilk'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
2.75
Graphic: War, Colonisation, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy