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lo_vana's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Blood, and Sexual content
alicianicole's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
annabellw06_'s review
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
kbairbooks's review
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well, this is definitely a thing. I don’t think the timing of when I read this novella was the greatest. That and the huge Christianity plot points was… interesting for me to absorb at this time. Short read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Death, Classism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Body horror, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
takarakei's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Rebecca Roanhorse is one of the best fantasy writers out there. I would've loved to spend more time in this world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion and Sexism
gardens_and_dragons's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think this novella was a great look into what makes someone monstrous or good, and wether it is their nature, upbringing or something else.
It’s a murder mystery set in a gritty world that centers on mining the remains of a fallen angel, and the world is split between the descendants of angels and demons.
No one in this story is truly good here, but the divide of Elect versus Fallen makes some worse than others.
honestly set expectations aside for who the characters are and what they’ll do/what they have done. Very unreliable narrator.
It’s a murder mystery set in a gritty world that centers on mining the remains of a fallen angel, and the world is split between the descendants of angels and demons.
No one in this story is truly good here, but the divide of Elect versus Fallen makes some worse than others.
honestly set expectations aside for who the characters are and what they’ll do/what they have done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Racism
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Sexual content
starchie27's review
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book to me is about blind faith. I liked its commentary on themes like class but I think this book falls short with a few things. I think there needs to be more time to develop the characters a bit more. I didn’t feel all that connected with any of the characters and when something happened to them, I didn’t feel invested in their conflict. The plot sometimes felt meaningless because of it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abortion and Sexual content
anahisa's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
3.25
me and rebecca roanhorse’s world building are like this 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽
because let’s get into it!!!! the descendants of angels MINING divinity from their fallen ancestors bodies???? Weaving the biblical into the western aesthetic so seamlessly??? HELLO??? AHHHH, HOW’D SHE DO IT!!!! WHAT A MIND WHAT A MIND WHAT A MINDDD <3333
ok gushing aside, my gripe with this novella is that it’s better suited to being a whole novel. The characters and plot were interesting, but the story was too rushed + unresolved for me to really get invested in these relationships and revelations. What could’ve been!
that being said, thematically she still had plenty to say + critique, and I’d love to see roanhorse revisit this world in the future.
because let’s get into it!!!! the descendants of angels MINING divinity from their fallen ancestors bodies???? Weaving the biblical into the western aesthetic so seamlessly??? HELLO??? AHHHH, HOW’D SHE DO IT!!!! WHAT A MIND WHAT A MIND WHAT A MINDDD <3333
ok gushing aside, my gripe with this novella is that it’s better suited to being a whole novel. The characters and plot were interesting, but the story was too rushed + unresolved for me to really get invested in these relationships and revelations. What could’ve been!
that being said, thematically she still had plenty to say + critique, and I’d love to see roanhorse revisit this world in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
ameliabee33's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Okay so I'll read anything that Rebecca Roanhorse writes so I was super excited when this became available at my library.
This short story left a little to be desired to be honest. I really liked the concept, thay Celeste is trying to prove her sister's innocence by any means necessary- even if that means she destroys all of her other relationships in the process. I kind of saw the plot twist coming, it was predictable. Kind of reminded me of "My Sister the Serial Killer" book, in which the reader knows that Celeste's sister is not innocent. Like her sister isn't that likable of a character and Celeste is just a blind sibling willing to do whatever- even if that means destroying her relationship is with Abraxas- the demon lord she is in love with.
I read reviews saying that the author used this world as tool to talk/showcase the unfair and unjust treatment of BIPOC in the law system. I am not a member of thay community so I cannot say how well it represents that, but it is interesting to read this book going into it with that knowledge.
This short story left a little to be desired to be honest. I really liked the concept, thay Celeste is trying to prove her sister's innocence by any means necessary- even if that means she destroys all of her other relationships in the process. I kind of saw the plot twist coming, it was predictable. Kind of reminded me of "My Sister the Serial Killer" book, in which the reader knows that Celeste's sister is not innocent. Like her sister isn't that likable of a character and Celeste is just a blind sibling willing to do whatever- even if that means destroying her relationship is with Abraxas- the demon lord she is in love with.
I read reviews saying that the author used this world as tool to talk/showcase the unfair and unjust treatment of BIPOC in the law system. I am not a member of thay community so I cannot say how well it represents that, but it is interesting to read this book going into it with that knowledge.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Violence and Torture
davidbythebay's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I received a copy of this book through a giveaway. Thank you to the author, Rebecca Roanhorse, and the publisher, Saga Press, for this ARC copy.
I wanted to like this more than I can really say I did. The writing is exquisite and immersive. The story is inventive and engaging. My biggest issue is that this book needs at least 100 pages more to delve into the characters and set the players more. The pacing is too quick with sudden character shifts that just don't read as plausible, much less believable.
The only characters I liked in the end were secondary ones (one of whom could be considered more of a primary-B character he is so borderline). He is treated more like a secondary character even when he is being used as a primary character. And a lot of this all has to do with the lack of character exploration in the brief novel. At just about 200 pages, this needed a strong hand adding in more of the world and the characters. We meet one female character briefly, get a curt description of her personality in the next scene confirming what we saw, and see a complete 180° change in her, all in the span of I believe 50 pages. I felt I must have missed something, as though the ARC was missing pages - which, I checked, it was not.
Another 100 pages written as beautifully as these pages would have easily improved my rating, provided of course they expanded and showed nuance in the world and characters.
I wanted to like this more than I can really say I did. The writing is exquisite and immersive. The story is inventive and engaging. My biggest issue is that this book needs at least 100 pages more to delve into the characters and set the players more. The pacing is too quick with sudden character shifts that just don't read as plausible, much less believable.
The only characters I liked in the end were secondary ones (one of whom could be considered more of a primary-B character he is so borderline). He is treated more like a secondary character even when he is being used as a primary character. And a lot of this all has to do with the lack of character exploration in the brief novel. At just about 200 pages, this needed a strong hand adding in more of the world and the characters. We meet one female character briefly, get a curt description of her personality in the next scene confirming what we saw, and see a complete 180° change in her, all in the span of I believe 50 pages. I felt I must have missed something, as though the ARC was missing pages - which, I checked, it was not.
Another 100 pages written as beautifully as these pages would have easily improved my rating, provided of course they expanded and showed nuance in the world and characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit