Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson

4 reviews

inkysplodge's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective fast-paced

• 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

2.25

• characters: 3/10
• atmosphere: 3.5/10
• writing: 3/10
• plot: 4/10
• intrigue: 4/10
• logic: 1/10
• enjoyment: 5/10

i enjoyed the story but the writing is very clearly from a 16 - 18 year old and the only thing that makes it new adult rather than young adult is swearing. the story has so much potential and i feel that with experience (and a better editor), this book could have been amazing. a LOT of typing errors (there was literally about 3 short chapters without any and this is a 43 chapter book) and inconsistencies e.g. one chapter switches between being in a garden and in a room... 3 times; Obi was

abandoned at 8, 2 pages later it's 10, then it's later confirmed his father was there for his Anchoring at 13

; there are a fair few historical inaccuracies which are especially weird because the author loves Regency settings etc. etc. overall: a good example of why your first book written shouldn't also be your first book published. however, there were a few really good quotes and 2 scenes that i LOVED
pretty much all character development (including relationships) happened off-page so i struggled to care about the stakes later on because i felt no connection to them. we also go the whole book knowing they're part of a prophecy which the characters know exists, but they only really find out they're a part of after 75% of the book is done

i'll be trying book 2 only because the author was young when she wrote this and now she has a degree in English Literature so hopefully the writing will be better (still needs a better editor though). this story has serious potential and i hope we get to see it fully realised

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Genocide

Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Body horror

Minor: Vomit, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

while most injury detail is mild to moderate, there is one short graphic scene during

the 2nd prison break, when Asha gets a comm chip out of Xavior's shoulder

madscientistcat's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.5

A beautifully written New Adult science fantasy space opera with an epic queer romance and a deep friendship between heroes at the end of the world. I can’t wait to read more of this story <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Confinement, Suicide, Trafficking, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, War, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Rape

Minor: Sexual content

oweatherwax's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Found the plot very predictable, this book was full of film sci-fi clichés and no description. This book is nothing new, it could be easily mistaken for Dune or Trek or star wars. There was no exploratiom of deeper themes, a couple of glaring errors, such as wounds miraculously healing or wrong ghosts for the time period. I doubt this book was properly proofread. Not impressed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Suicide, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Police brutality, Slavery, Blood, Confinement, Antisemitism, Grief, Abandonment, Body horror, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Minor: Suicide attempt, Rape, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

blacksphinx's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I agree with two things I've seen in other reviews:

1. The author wrote this book between the ages of 16 and 18, and you can tell.
2. Marketing this as an adult book is a massive mistake, and it should have be aimed at a teen audience.

This is not to say that the book is bad. I applaud the young author for her genre smashing approach, wanting to create a time traveling space opera that is also an epic fantasy and a gay regency romance. It's also a blisteringly fast-paced book with little meandering and downtime. I think if I was a teenager I would have really enjoyed it. But wow, having an ill-defined prophesy the characters must all follow really fills this book with insta-found family and insta-love. Some characters that are supposed to be educated, wise adults come off as extremely childish (see: the commentary on the prophecy we get sometimes at the end of chapters that no academic would have written in such a casual tone). I think there's potential here, and I'm curious if she keeps writing after this series is finished.  

I just can't get past looking at the King George IV, known womanizer and extravagant spender, and going "what if he was a progressive, anti-imperialist gay man with a Black lover?" I can't do it. It is so hilarious it makes my brain shut down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Death, Addiction, Slavery, and Drug use

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Confinement, Gun violence, Genocide, Blood, Classism, and Vomit

Minor: Medical content, Police brutality, Torture, Trafficking, and War