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the__allovee'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
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Religious bigotry
johnsnowwasright's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love Reid's dark, twisted but ethereal settings that read like a Florence and the Machine song.
Evike was such a complicated and flawed character. I would say she's an ugly character at times who is hard to like but we need more characters like her.
Reid managed to explore how trauma can shape who we are and how we treat people in such a poignant way. I liked that we saw Evike grow beyond her trauma responses and realize that she can't treat people however she wants because she is hurting. That it is our choice to break the cycle of trauma and abuse.
I also enjoyed the discussion of religious fundamentalism and the hypocrisy inherent in that fundamentalism. I found it hilarious that the 'Godfather of Life' was every bit as capricious as the pagan gods but the followers completely missed that in their devotion.
I do wish that Reid had given more definition to how these gods interacted with each other and how all their magic could coexist. (Also if there is a godfather of life that's the Christian God then is the Yehuli God the same as Godfather Life but worshiped differently? That's something I wish she had expanded upon.)
But all in all, Reid is such a unique voice and I cannot wait for her next book.
Graphic: Gore, Religious bigotry, and Body horror
grrrcait'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Xenophobia, Animal death, Murder, Colonisation, Violence, Self harm, Gore, Bullying, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Lesbophobia
aidareads'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
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Death, Antisemitism, and Gore
antonya'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
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Self harm, and Gore
Moderate: Animal death and Blood
Minor: Bullying
laurapalmertm's review against another edition
Graphic: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Self harm, Death, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Vomit, and Torture
kyeruhh'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? It's complicated
3.5
- The world building/lord
- Actual enemies to lovers
- The prose
- Very gory imo - my fault for not checking CWs first though
- A lot of info dumping (at least the info was interesting)
- To me, the pacing was odd
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Antisemitism, Hate crime, and Death of parent
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I also was not sure how I should take the low level magic world with real life Jewish and Hungarian historical elements? I don’t know much about either, so it was sometimes confusing to know if a piece of worldbuilding it was something that was historical or made for this book.
I think if you like more historical romance novels, this might be better for you than for me! I was expecting a lot more magic based on the first couple of pages.
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Antisemitism and Self harm
Minor: Cannibalism
lovefromhannah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
despite this being her debut, I actually read juniper and thorn prior to this. perhaps this was a mistake on my behalf as I enjoyed that more. whereas this fantasy is more folklore, oral tradition, holly black-esque conventions, juniper and thorn is more adjacent to the horror of girlhood, body autonomy and complex family relationships. on paper, I was destined to like juniper and thorn more - but I still really enjoyed the wolf and the woodsman and being witness to her growth as a writer.
"One day when I come for our council meetings," I begin carefully, "you will have a new bride. You must."
...
To my suprise, Gaspar only lifts a shoulder. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. If the king has no true-born son, the crown will fall to a brother, a cousin, an uncle. The line of succession is more like a long thread that that spirals across our family tree. I can always name another heir."
It is enough to for me to hold on to, hope as thin as the knife's edge hanging above us. I will grasp it even if it cuts me; I will keep it from falling." (pp. 408-9)
I will continue to devour ava reid's backlog as I wait (im)patiently for lady macbeth to release.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Violence, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Torture, Hate crime, Trafficking, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment and Gore
Minor: Self harm
miblette's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Murder, Body horror, Gore, and Self harm