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beccabookworm'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? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoy following the different characters so far and am excited to see when and how they all intersect with one another. The multiple POV really gets into the different facets and perspectives of an ongoing war. So many questions left open beyond just how Hazel and her parents make it out alive.
Also the gradual world-building made this much easier to digest. I’ve never been a big sci-fi or fantasy reader, but I think I’ve been more attracted to those genres if they’re grounded in some way to the real world (magical characters that exist peripheral to our real world, advanced nonexistent technology used in present day or a future Earth). While there are otherworldly creatures and magic in Saga, they’re really just aliens from presumably far off celestial bodies. I can believe that our Earth might exist far away from this galaxy.There’s also a familiarity to the relationships and characters that come through more for me because they’re not competing with the requisite long explanation of how this world works (something that’s necessary in a high fantasy story). I think that makes it easier for me to follow along with and enjoy.
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, and War
ruby_mae_read'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Pedophilia, Violence, and War
morganish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
What Worked For Me
The Art: I have no visual art skills, so I'm looking at this purely from a consumer's eye. But I really liked it; not too stylized, which I appreciate and generally find more aesthetically pleasing. Also, I'm not sure I have the tools to explain exactly what I mean and why, but the page layouts and framing weren't overwhelming, and were always easy to follow along with. That's been a big struggle for me with most of the graphic novels I've read in the past several years. With this one, I almost always could tell quickly what I was looking at. I was usually able to get a vague impression of the important info each frame was trying to convey after a single glance. Which feels rare for me, especially with art involving action scenes.
What Wasn't My Thing
All the Other Kinds of Edginess You Tend to Get in Male-Dominated Adult Specfic, Too: All done in the kind of way that is most distasteful to me personally. Just... cruel and dehumanizing, lacking any complicated understanding of revolution or oppression or the horror of violence. Trying to prove the story is Definitely For Grownups! While lacking actual mature care, context, and complexity. A lot of the greatest hits in this one: Oversimplification of bigotry dynamics, specifically war and racial/ethnic tensions; a lot of violence that can't tell if it wants to be horrifying or just look really, REALLY cool; tropey, overdone depictions of passive nonviolence. There's always the chance that this all gets better, or is subverted later in the series. But volume one doesn't inspire much in the way of confidence for me.
Who This Is For
Content Warnings
Warnings for:
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Pedophilia
chloebaboey's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexism
bumblemee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse
polter6eist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery and Trafficking
kar2005's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and War
androthemeda'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
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Rape, Slavery, and War
directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence
jnl00700'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail