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lokes's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
This was… well, is was something.
The worldbuilding was a bit sloppy, but interesting, but plot and characters? Icky. Like, really bad.
Not only did it have tropes such as forced marriage and hints of pedophilia (as soon as the guy was always called a “man with his big hands; like a father; etc” and the woman described as “girl with small hands; being generally very young and clueless and in need of constant help”) I had a bad feeling and boy wasn’t I wrong.
I don’t know why so many people like a book which is filled with sexism, weird stereotypes, classism, racism and basically everything you don’t want to read about when it is normalized (or rather being glorified, because you just couldn’t catch a break when reading. It just kept coming)
I do feel like I need to apologize to the person I am now that I read this book because it wasn’t pleasant and I feel like I need to unlearn all of the very harmful stuff I just read about.
The writing style’s not bad though, I could have liked it without the weird content.
The worldbuilding was a bit sloppy, but interesting, but plot and characters? Icky. Like, really bad.
Not only did it have tropes such as forced marriage and hints of pedophilia (as soon as the guy was always called a “man with his big hands; like a father; etc” and the woman described as “girl with small hands; being generally very young and clueless and in need of constant help”) I had a bad feeling and boy wasn’t I wrong.
I don’t know why so many people like a book which is filled with sexism, weird stereotypes, classism, racism and basically everything you don’t want to read about when it is normalized (or rather being glorified, because you just couldn’t catch a break when reading. It just kept coming)
I do feel like I need to apologize to the person I am now that I read this book because it wasn’t pleasant and I feel like I need to unlearn all of the very harmful stuff I just read about.
The writing style’s not bad though, I could have liked it without the weird content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Blood, Child abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, and Confinement
kindredkayjay's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Warning for spoilers.
I've seen the reviews of people disliking this book because of the way Ophelia is hardly treated like a person the entire time, and I understand it. Believe me, I was infuriated for Ophelia 95% of the time, but also? I'm hoping that she'll get herself to a place where she's proven herself and overcomes what she's faced with in the sequels. The tension between nearly all of the characters and the mystery and learning about the different magic systems with Ophelia was so interesting that I couldn't stop reading. I love a genuinely good hearted character, but what I love even more is a character so terrible that you want nothing more than to see their downfall. It's even more interesting when it's a small handful of decent (questionably decent anyway) characters entering a space full of the most vile people. If you don't enjoy being infuriated for the main character the entire time and hating just about everyone else, this book probably isnt for you. But if you do? Absolutely read it. I really liked it, and I'm reading the sequel soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Classism, Violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Child death, Abandonment, and Infidelity
cagneynicole18's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? No
3.0
I don't know where to begin this review. The book is slow and the plot only begins at the end (last 100 pages) yet I couldn't put it down? Probably because the individual chapters were interesting. The characters are mid. If you get a bad vibe from them just know it doesn't change. Main character was cool but nothing crazy. Overall book was mid. I'm going to read the next one only because I want to know if we get plot and romance. I doubt it tho.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Dementia, Ableism, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
If dimentia is a trigger at all for you, skip page 407 (paperback English version). It isn't for me but it was hard to read. It's not actually dimentia (it's an illusion) but still.thoughtsontomes's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was just fine. The world building is cool but I’m not particularly drawn to the characters or romance. The narrator of the audiobook did a great job. I’m not interested enough to continue probably but if I do I’ll continue with the audio.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Bullying
Moderate: Suicide
heoleen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage, Alcohol, Death, Pregnancy, Bullying, Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, and Misogyny
Minor: Rape
robin_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
I’ll hold off on giving this any stars.
It was definitely intriguing and something else entirely. At the same time it’s confusing and the main plot wasn’t clear and still isn’t quite. It’s like following this main character while she navigates the new Ark.
I find it difficult to find words to describe this.
I’ll definitely read the next book and go from there.
It was definitely intriguing and something else entirely. At the same time it’s confusing and the main plot wasn’t clear and still isn’t quite. It’s like following this main character while she navigates the new Ark.
I find it difficult to find words to describe this.
I’ll definitely read the next book and go from there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Bullying
Moderate: Sexism and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Blood
mariagiulia's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Physical abuse
royalraspberry's review against another edition
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a really interesting one because I think it's really outside the wheelhouse of what I normally read - I picked it up for a reading challenge because someone had it listed under "book about your favorite season, winter" and that gets a hard disagree from me, but I did put it under "book with a misleading title".
The writing in this book was absolutely lovely. That said it is 50% world building and 50% political intrigue. And the world building was absolutely spectacular, I really enjoyed all of it. Dabos has created an incredibly interesting world filled with interesting characters (none of whom are trustworthy, but that's part of the fun). But there was just so *little* plot in the book that I really, really struggled.
If you're into fantasy books heavy on character development and world building, this is absolutely the right book for you. It's well written and the narrator for the audio book is completely enchanting to listen to, she brings the rich, beautiful world into a new depth.
The writing in this book was absolutely lovely. That said it is 50% world building and 50% political intrigue. And the world building was absolutely spectacular, I really enjoyed all of it. Dabos has created an incredibly interesting world filled with interesting characters (none of whom are trustworthy, but that's part of the fun). But there was just so *little* plot in the book that I really, really struggled.
If you're into fantasy books heavy on character development and world building, this is absolutely the right book for you. It's well written and the narrator for the audio book is completely enchanting to listen to, she brings the rich, beautiful world into a new depth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Pregnancy, Classism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Confinement, Child abuse, Police brutality, and Murder
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
'A Winter's Promise' by Christelle Dabos is a translated YA fantasy that introduces a whimsical world with darkness just below the surface.
Ophelia is a reader, someone who has the power to read the history of an object with her fingers. Content to work in her family's museum, her life is upended when her family announces that she is to be wed to Thorn, the treasurer of Pole, a distant Ark. Ophelia is whisked away to a world she does not know that is drenched in snow and where she comes to understand that dangerous political plots boil under the surface. As she tries to understand her new home and the family she is joining, she is pulled into the politics of this society while attempting to hide her identity.
Dabos creates a unique world that she populates with a full spectrum of characters. Ophelia is an easy main character to root for, especially considering the other characters she is surrounded by, though she really comes into her own at the end of this first book. Dabos's descriptions create a lush world full of snow, excess, streets inside of buildings, and lots of mirrors. The world was instantly intriguing and one of the pieces that kept me interested throughout the book as we get to know more about Ophelia. Dabos also does a good job of bringing the reader into the same state as Ophelia, questioning the motivations of the characters that surround her as she slowly learns more about the Pole. Though the evocativeness of the writing was a high point, the writing did also wander. Dabos gives a full picture of the world sometimes to the detriment of the plot. Since this is a translated work, it is unclear to me if this is an issue with the translation or if it is true to the story in its original French as well.
I am interested in where the story goes next and will definitely be picking up the next installment. Dabos' worldbuilding is incredibly engaging and she has set up political plots and questions that I think will be explored more fully in the following books.
Ophelia is a reader, someone who has the power to read the history of an object with her fingers. Content to work in her family's museum, her life is upended when her family announces that she is to be wed to Thorn, the treasurer of Pole, a distant Ark. Ophelia is whisked away to a world she does not know that is drenched in snow and where she comes to understand that dangerous political plots boil under the surface. As she tries to understand her new home and the family she is joining, she is pulled into the politics of this society while attempting to hide her identity.
Dabos creates a unique world that she populates with a full spectrum of characters. Ophelia is an easy main character to root for, especially considering the other characters she is surrounded by, though she really comes into her own at the end of this first book. Dabos's descriptions create a lush world full of snow, excess, streets inside of buildings, and lots of mirrors. The world was instantly intriguing and one of the pieces that kept me interested throughout the book as we get to know more about Ophelia. Dabos also does a good job of bringing the reader into the same state as Ophelia, questioning the motivations of the characters that surround her as she slowly learns more about the Pole. Though the evocativeness of the writing was a high point, the writing did also wander. Dabos gives a full picture of the world sometimes to the detriment of the plot. Since this is a translated work, it is unclear to me if this is an issue with the translation or if it is true to the story in its original French as well.
I am interested in where the story goes next and will definitely be picking up the next installment. Dabos' worldbuilding is incredibly engaging and she has set up political plots and questions that I think will be explored more fully in the following books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Suicide, Death, and Child death
chiaraaaa's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Bullying, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Sexism, and Emotional abuse