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Graphic: Death, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Self harm
Minor: Vomit
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Self harm, Sexual harassment
Minor: Child abuse, Rape, War
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Rape
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Classism
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Content: it is YA but as it takes place in a prison does contain some violence and abuse of prisoners by guards. It never felt like too much for me and there was no sexual content.
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Child death
I enjoyed this book! The audiobook was great. There was a lot of violence for violence’s sake, and more than a few awful moments with prison guards committing all manners of atrocities, so do be aware if you’re picking up the book - it does not keep from leaning in to those themes just because it’s YA, though our main character does come out mostly unscathed.
The characters were quite nice, and I loved how Kiva learned to trust and care for others slowly
Overall, I would say the moral of the story lies in Kiva learning to care for others and taking risks to follow her own values, rather than keeping her head down to keep herself safe. Though,
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
The writing style is nice and the pacing is perfect, I was never bored.
The world building was interesting and even though none of the plot twists surprised me (I unfortunately always theorize about possible plot points and what I would have done if I had written the book and most of the time some of my thoughts come true - which was also the case here) I still thought they were incorporated into the story very neatly.
The end of the book was so good! I would definitely recommend having the second book at the ready when you finish this one:)
1. I feel like the fallout with the royal family was so long ago (like 500 years ago?) that I don’t think anyone of them has “more” of a claim to the throne. I would understand wanting to overthrow them if they would suppress their people but Jaren seems to care for his people and when it comes to Zalindov, I feel like it’s a very autonomous (albeit unchecked) system that they don’t really control (which maybe they should - or they should just abolish it🙂)
2. Jaren has been NOTHING but nice to Kiva!! Yes, he omitted the truth but so did Kiva and at least he intended to tell her. She’s just using his niceness to sneak into the capital.
3. I feel like the rebellion causes more unrest than it does good but maybe that was just the glimpse we got in this first book, maybe we’ll see some of the good stuff they’re doing (opposed to some bad stuff the royal family is doing) in the next books.
I do understand the association between what happened to Kiva & her family and Jaren but I need her to please understand that he was A CHILD and had nothing to do with it?? And she’s just using him:( anyway, unless she starts being more truthful with him, I feel like she can’t expect him to ever forgive her once the truth comes out lol.
I honestly think they should just talk about it and get married and tada, the nation is reunited and old grudges can be buried🤩🤩 But that wouldn’t make for a good story, so I guess I’ll just have to be patient
Graphic: Violence, Blood
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Torture, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail