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jessiereads98'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
Chloe Gong once again nailed it with the setting and atmosphere of 1920s Shanghai. I loved how she tracked the shifting the politics and atmosphere of change. The pacing in this book is great. I also just love a fantasy novel set in or based on 1920s East Asia.
The characters were well done and compelling for the most part. I feel like we got a good amount of time with all the side characters to experience the world outside the view of the two main characters, without it feeling like it detracted from the story or was a waste of time. I actually wish we had gotten more time with Rosalind. I think the story would’ve felt more complete, and she would’ve been a great counterpoint to Juliette had she been more fleshed out. I was left with questions at the end around her character and motivations.
Once again, this book is a bit overwritten. There’s metaphors and heavy handed setting descriptions that are unnecessary. Some of the dialogue feels forced rather than natural for the characters and their setting. There are a few moments of cringe, but it isn’t enough to make the entire book off-putting.
Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Confinement, Grief, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: War, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Suicide, Abandonment, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexism
dianaschmidty'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Gore, Medical content, Murder, War, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Homophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Kidnapping
Minor: Police brutality
linblythe_pub22'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
Graphic: Gun violence and Blood
Moderate: Classism, Murder, Kidnapping, Grief, Death, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Colonisation, Cursing, and Alcohol
guessgreenleaf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and War
Minor: Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Colonisation, Gun violence, Death, and Emotional abuse
andatherrin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, War, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
hnagarne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Grief, Police brutality, Classism, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Gore, Blood, Genocide, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Homophobia and Deadnaming
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, Alcohol, Child death, Grief, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Body horror, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence
namenotimportant's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"In the end, this was all that they were. Two hearts pressed as close as they dared, shadows melding into one by the flickering candlelight."
Wow, I'm in awe. This book had me in a chokehold for the last 100 pages. No scratch that, at least the last 200 pages.
Graphic: War, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
sydneyluxford's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Juliette and Roma have my whole heart, for real.
Despite the ending, the moments between Juliette and Roma were so fucking good. It was definitely a step up from the first book, which I felt was lacking. I don’t know how I’m going to recover from this. The way they always found their way back to each other despite being literal gang rivals and having all odds against them 🥲😞.
Bro, Benedikt and Marshal are SO CUTE. The love confession from Ben at the end had no business being that cute when the stakes were so high:
“I’ll say it however many times you want. I’ll romance you until you get sick of me. I am horrendously, horrendously in love with your dreadful face.”
I actually don’t know how I’m going to be able to read Foul Lady Fortune KNOWING that Rosalind was the cause of all of this. She better redeem herself.
Juliette and Roma are literally The Great War by Taylor Swift.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Kidnapping, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Hate crime, Colonisation, and Suicide
mpbookreviews'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
5.0
Moderate: Death, Blood, Gore, War, Violence, Torture, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Vomit, Murder, and Grief