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2blueshoes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
1. pacing is slow for most of the book, but there is enough complicated intrigue and weird world building to keep you reading.
2. It does not feel like a story or world that I have read in fantasy before, and that’s hard to do. I enjoyed that.
3. Romance is basically non-existent in this book, but it does feel like a very long and elaborate set up for future romance in other books maybe? If anything this is really a political intrigue book with a very subtle romance subplot. If that’s your jam, you’re going to love this.
4. The person I am fairly sure is the future hero is A LITERAL ASSHOLE for 99.9% of the book. Like zero redeeming qualities, not even described as attractive? If you aren’t patient with very long redemptive arcs for characters, or if you can’t tolerate not knowing who the true love interest is, maybe skip this book.
5. The heroine feels really young and also not particularly moral??? Like she is decidedly not justice-motivated. She seems really immature and self interested at times. This makes for a surprising read if I’m honest and I think we will watch her develop a lot in the books. This book feels a bit like a prequel somehow?
6.
7. I would have given up on this book entirely if it wasn’t for some really surprising shit that goes down around the chapter 26 mark that had me WTF-ing all over the place. It’s like it suddenly turned into the book I wanted it to be. The last four chapters are, in my opinion, amazing. They had me on the edge of my seat. I hope they reflect what future books will be like.
Oh, final thought: I think listening as an audiobook kinda made this book worse for me than it was, because the narrator didn’t do distinct voices for the characters, and it made it really confusing. Would recommend reading it as a book.
Lots of content warnings on this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Suicide
Minor: Body shaming, Dysphoria, War, Ableism, and Vomit
kccool12255's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
⚠️SLIGHT SPOILERS⚠️
Rich with a good plot, amazingly written characters, and the beginnings of a steamy romance. I only wish Taryn and Jude’s relationship could’ve been explored better, and that Taryn hadn’t sold her out. I did NOT expect Jude and Cardan to kiss in this book (not that I didn’t want it, but we haven’t crossed over to lovers yet). Overall, an amazing experience. 9/10.
Rich with a good plot, amazingly written characters, and the beginnings of a steamy romance. I only wish Taryn and Jude’s relationship could’ve been explored better, and that Taryn hadn’t sold her out. I did NOT expect Jude and Cardan to kiss in this book (not that I didn’t want it, but we haven’t crossed over to lovers yet). Overall, an amazing experience. 9/10.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Infidelity
Minor: Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
sirkeili's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book started off in a way I've never seen books do before, in that the first chapter was a singular sentence. I was intrigued by how this story followed the old faerie tales style, dark and mysterious, but full of wit and charm.
What broke my heart was Jude putting herself through hell, either in hopes to come out on top or to die in the process, because she felt she had no place in either world. She doesn't care for her humanity, rather she hopes to rid herself of it one way or another.
I do hope she gets what she is owed in the end; revenge against the man who slaughtered her family for the sake of his pride, and to put Locke in his place. I hope her plan to protect Oak works, and even if he doesn't become king, he realizes the sacrifices she made for him.
This book subtly made me fall back in love with faerie tales, the ones who's ending is ambiguous and who's story unravels slowly and yet all at once.
What broke my heart was Jude putting herself through hell, either in hopes to come out on top or to die in the process, because she felt she had no place in either world. She doesn't care for her humanity, rather she hopes to rid herself of it one way or another.
This book subtly made me fall back in love with faerie tales, the ones who's ending is ambiguous and who's story unravels slowly and yet all at once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Bullying, Classism, Violence, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Confinement, Blood, Alcohol, and Torture
Minor: Abandonment, Body shaming, and Dysphoria
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