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emmerylynn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Drug abuse and Death
Moderate: Sexual harassment
skudiklier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Child death, Murder, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Ableism, Classism, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Alcohol, Blood, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide
heoleen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
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
- 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
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.
Graphic: Pregnancy and Bullying
Moderate: Sexism and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Blood
bialves's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Slavery, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Alcohol, Classism, Hate crime, and Miscarriage
rorikae's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Suicide, Death, and Child death
serena_hien's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol and Pregnancy
Moderate: Murder and Death
Minor: Death of parent
chiaraaaa's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Physical abuse, Bullying, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Sexism, and Emotional abuse
japanasi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
there’s little romance but I’m assuming it may follow in the sequels; it’s not exactly enemies to lovers but more like “mutual dislike” or indifference to lovers, probably, it’s a slow burn in any case (and we’re talking slow here)
in some parts it didn’t feel like YA novel while in others it certainly did (yay I’m being vague on purpose)
I very much enjoyed this book, I can’t wait to read the sequel(s)!
Moderate: Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Child death, Murder, and Sexual content
rowanrelph's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage