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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
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
broomsticksandmagick's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Murder, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Infidelity
el393way's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
I went into this book with zero expectations, which can be good sometimes and others not so much. This novella was interesting to say the least, but I finished it feeling like I got nothing out of it in any way.
The whole thing felt like we saw a bunch of stuff happen but everyone was worse off in the end. The characters were wholly unlikeable. I found myself rooting for the demon lord and the demon lord only. The antagonists were excruciatingly awful which was intentional and I didn’t mind. But the main set of characters, who were on the opposition to the stand ins for the white supremacists and religious fanatics, were pretty cruddy people.
I will never relate to the dynamic of one sibling sacrificing everything good in their life to protect their mediocre sibling from any discomfort or hardship. The display of that relationship in this book was annoying because we never even got to see their relationship. We only saw the one sibling basically being a terrible person to save her sister.
Same for the love interests. We don’t see any of the chemistries in the different couples, we’re just told about their past or told that they’re into each other.
The writing style was well done and the pacing was nice. The narrator chosen for the audiobook, Dion Graham, was an amazing choice.
The whole thing felt like we saw a bunch of stuff happen but everyone was worse off in the end. The characters were wholly unlikeable. I found myself rooting for the demon lord and the demon lord only. The antagonists were excruciatingly awful which was intentional and I didn’t mind. But the main set of characters, who were on the opposition to the stand ins for the white supremacists and religious fanatics, were pretty cruddy people.
I will never relate to the dynamic of one sibling sacrificing everything good in their life to protect their mediocre sibling from any discomfort or hardship. The display of that relationship in this book was annoying because we never even got to see their relationship. We only saw the one sibling basically being a terrible person to save her sister.
Same for the love interests. We don’t see any of the chemistries in the different couples, we’re just told about their past or told that they’re into each other.
The writing style was well done and the pacing was nice. The narrator chosen for the audiobook, Dion Graham, was an amazing choice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Murder
I would not recommend this book for anyone who is ex-Christian with religious trauma unless they are in a comfortable place with their past relationships with the church and religious fanatics.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
danapreads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars
First of all, the world building and creativity in this book is very, very good. I love the religious themes and symbolism morphed into an alternative reality that reads like a western. That alone is reason enough to read the book.
This book is interesting because it doesn't end the way you want. It stays true to the narrative and the complexity of a caste society rather than conform to the reader's preference. Sometimes there's no happy ending even when justice is served.
Celeste's sister Mariel is accused of murdering a virtue, and Celeste is chosen to act as her defense lawyer in a society where the fallen are always guilty. Celeste has forty-eight to find out who committed the murder, if she can even survive that long. Aided, or perhaps thwarted, by a Virtue, a demon and host of fallen friends, will Celeste exonerate her sister only to damn herself?
First of all, the world building and creativity in this book is very, very good. I love the religious themes and symbolism morphed into an alternative reality that reads like a western. That alone is reason enough to read the book.
This book is interesting because it doesn't end the way you want. It stays true to the narrative and the complexity of a caste society rather than conform to the reader's preference. Sometimes there's no happy ending even when justice is served.
Celeste's sister Mariel is accused of murdering a virtue, and Celeste is chosen to act as her defense lawyer in a society where the fallen are always guilty. Celeste has forty-eight to find out who committed the murder, if she can even survive that long. Aided, or perhaps thwarted, by a Virtue, a demon and host of fallen friends, will Celeste exonerate her sister only to damn herself?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
lyndann's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder