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wolfinthestars's review against another edition
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Death, Gore, Self harm, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Genocide, Bullying, Colonisation, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism
thoughtsontomes'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Self harm
Minor: Death of parent
astitchnastory'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
smitinghedgehog's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Body horror
andromeda_1998'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
4.75
Characters
Characters are really important to me, I can read a book with a weak plot as long as I love the characters but a book with sloppy characters is something I cannot stand…
These characters were well done, they had multiple layers to them. Faults, good traits, dreams and anxieties. They felt very real, did I like all of them? No, of course not but where they well rounded characters? Hell yess!!!
Worldbuilding
I am a sucker for rich world with a fairytale base especially if the fairytale’s are from Russian mythology. The world was really magical but with a lot of ruff edges. It’s very well done.
Plotbuilding
This is the category where the book lacks a little bit. I felt like Ava Reid wanted to bring to much to the table but it wasn’t possible to fit everything in the books 400 pages. I feel like it could have been better if some of the side plots would have been removed. One of my biggest critics is the lovestory. I shipped the couple but I would have loved more time with them. It feels like we do not get to see the love develop because Ava Reid doesn’t take the time she needs to conclude that part of the story. I would love to have seen more of the relations developments. But keep in mind that this is the only criticism I can deliver for this book.
Recommendations
Like a lot of others I saw the same vibe in this book as in the books of Katharine Arden and in Spinning Silver/ Uprooted by Naomi Novik. It has the same feeling but it doesn’t have the proza/writing flow as those other books. I missed that a little bit in the wolf and the woodsmen. But still I feel like this book could really be something for you if you liked uprooted, spinning silver and the Bear and the nightingale.
Graphic: Abandonment, Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Racism, and Bullying
becca99'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
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Antisemitism, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Torture, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
gcjay1994's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
amber_vw'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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, Violence, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
forthesanityof1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I honestly think it might be me with this one, but I could not bond with the characters at all. That's not usually an issue, but I was so apathetic and downright irritated at some points that it took me well over a month to finish this. The MC was...complicated, the pacing was strange to me, the love interest was not interesting outside of the religious/moral division (which was one part of the book extremely well-done), the plot was not what I expected and at times did not make any sense, and the antagonist needed some developing to really fulfill how terrifying he could have been. There were some plot points that went over my head and sometimes the MC brought up issues at very odd times, especially with Katalin (spelling??). I would like to think this was all intentional, but some of it I think was more a by-product of poor writing and editing. I'll be checking out her other works, but I would not recommend this unless religious divide being central to the story is your thing.
One major positive: the author has a beautiful way with prose! A little too much sometimes (trying to draw a scene into a specific emotion when the actual content doesn't reflect it) but nice nonetheless!
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Violence
fromjuliereads'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
Reid's writing is so descriptive. It's so easy to imagine the scenes from the page. There are definitely some graphic descriptions for the more brutal and violent scenes. But it added a darkness to the overall dark atmosphere of the book.
I will say that trigger warnings should DEFINITELY be checked. And to note that ethnic cleansing/ getting rid of a religious group or group of people is a big plotline in this novel.
Highly recommend though if you enjoy darker fantasy novels!
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Torture
Minor: Sexual content
Self mutilation