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chrisljm's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
I love The Nutcracker and this was a fantastic retelling of it (probably the best fairytale retelling I’ve ever read). The world-building was beautiful and the integration of music within the story and prose was done seamlessly and wonderfully. The story was very tender and sweet, which also perfectly describes Clara and the Nutcracker. I adored them and really enjoyed seeing them together. There were dark moments within the book but even so, Clara and (especially) the Nutcracker never lost their sense of joy and humor. There were some scenes/lines that I found really funny/amusing, which I really didn’t expect, and it made me love the book all the more. Reading this filled me with wonder and a similar light to what I imagine the Illumination Sonatina to be like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Murder, Blood, Violence, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Grief
Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, and Child death
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