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annabithebook's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
I am so disappointed in how many things I disliked in the series. Let’s make a spoiler-free list in no particular order:
1. Open plot points from HOSAB were just effectively dismissed and no actual meaningful resolution occurred.
2. Where the fuck was Fury and why was she not a bigger part of this?
3. 75 perspective changes inside of a single chapter with no indicator (especially bad in the audiobook format) this made an already 30 hour book take literal HOURS of extra time rewinding and listening again to try and figure out who did what and when it changed.
4. Dumbass characters making reckless stupid decisions.
Sub point here: it really felt like in the early stages of TOG where people are young and reckless and immature but instead of them having the time and lived experiences over 8 books to grow and mature into the better version of themselves (which was 👌🏻) the entire “arc” occurs crammed into one book and feels thin/baseless/disingenuous.
5. I never thought I’d say an 800+ page book should have spread things out more but it should have been two separate books (á la Eos & ToD). There were just too many ambitious plot lines/characters/stories competing for page time and so instead of trimming some to fully flesh out the ones you keep or splitting into two books, they’re all sort of chaotic and rushed which makes the story feel disjointed and inauthentic.
6. Kind of related to 5, but SJM is famous for her character growth and well balanced storylines with beautiful relationships, but she just didn’t give herself the space to do that with this novel or really CC as a whole.
7. The crossover infodump.
8. SJMs famous “why didn’t you just tell her that in the first place.”
9. SO MUCH HEAD ST@BB1NG
10. Hunt/Bryce seem like a couple who should really just break up…. 😬
11. Bryce in general (weakest SJM FMC in terms of how well they’re written as leads).
12. Other main cast characters who aren’t even in this book.
13. Characters who only appear when SJM needs them for a plot function so they feel like tools and not people.
14. Questionable science “oh yeah, let’s just hold the _____ ____ open!” 😒
15. The rumbly in Baxian’s tummy that only hands can satisfy.
Now. A much shorter but MAY CONTAIN VAGUE SPOILERS list of what I loved:
1. Ruhn/Lidia - they got snubbed like Lorcan/Elide from more page time
2. Jessiba
3. The sprites
4. The message of unity
5. Patricide
6. ……it’s not a good sign that I ran out at 5 things?
Honestly, my thumbs are tired but if you want a more comprehensive and, frankly, hilarious review that is literally all the thoughts in my head too, here is another amazing GR reviewer’s thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4553540457
TLDR; didn’t DNF because I was stubborn but it tried to be too many things at once and so instead it was successful at nearly nothing. Very disappointed 😢 1.75⭐️
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
sneha_sarcar's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
_readobituaries'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
4.0
1st we will address the cross over.... It was nothing but fan service.
2nd.... Bryce was a cunt during this.
Lidia was AMAZING in this. Honestly, carried the entire story. I
Ithan and Therion were..... there... Therion made every stupid decision he could and Ithan swiftly followed in his footsteps.
Overall, I loved the book and the characters. Just.... disappointed. This book had SO MUCH potential. and honestly, I don't see why she'd write a fourth book.. She's defeated the big bad- why create so many lose, mediocre plot lines to leave unraveled for a 4th book when she could have easily just tied everything up nicely and finished book 3. It's like she's milking it because there really is no reason to keep the story going....
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, and Grief
winterwoodbooks'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: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
eyeleash'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Cursing, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
mspencer1998's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
tguccione'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
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
midnightrose_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My biggest critique of the book though, is its length. I feel the book could have been just as effective between 600 or 700 pages. Perhaps it being multi-POV, contributed to it being 800+ pages. But I think that the plot would have been a lot more propulsive overall (like I felt the first two books were) with a bit of its length trimmed by the editor.
I’m also very much wondering if this is going to be a trilogy or a quartet. The way the book ended (wrapped up but also with a couple of plot threads dangling loose) makes it seem it could go either way.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
mads_reads_books'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
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
booksofautumn'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
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism