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aksmith92's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The story opens with Iris back in Oath, reeling from recent battles and trying to save her brother, Forest. Meanwhile, Roman, now under the influence of the god Dacre, has lost his memories and unknowingly becomes a pawn in Dacre's plans.
Ross masterfully intertwines Iris's and Roman's journeys with a rich tapestry of dreams, enchanted typewriters, and clandestine letters, creating the same type of atmospheric novel as Divine Rivals. We watch as the divine war continues and how Roman and Iris's love evolves in unique and profound ways.
What I Liked: You are a lovely writer, Rebecca Ross. Ross's writing was beautifully atmospheric in this novel and made for such a pleasant experience. The poetic prose brought an added layer of beauty to the narrative. Additionally, my character development itch was scratched in this novel. I loved reading about Iris and Roman and plenty of the other characters, too. Their stories were beautiful, and I loved getting to know them even more. Lastly, love, memory, and resistance themes were skillfully woven throughout the book. Ross questions the nature of heroism and the cost of war, providing readers with more than just a fantasy adventure but a commentary on the human condition. This novel had a dark undertone but somehow intertwined hope and intimacy, making for a well-rounded emotional experience.
I also simply loved when Iris and Roman were intimate - Ross had a very subtle way of talking about them being together, but it was touching and beautiful nonetheless.
Why Not 5 Stars? This was a long book. While I loved Ross's prose, I must admit that the pacing was occasionally slow. Some parts dragged on a bit too long, and honestly, the typewriter scenes didn't hit as hard as the first book, although I still thoroughly enjoyed them. My biggest reasoning for not giving this five stars, though, was because the fantasy element of this novel - the divine war - just didn't make sense to me. Maybe we're not supposed to understand it, because Ross wanted to talk about the impacts of war, but the divine war truly felt like a throw-in to accompany the magical typewriters more than anything else.
Lastly, this novel was a bit YA, and the characters were actually very young, which sometimes cheapened the romance. That is more of me thing than anything else, so I didn't let it sway my rating or review too much.
Overall, Ross knows how to write a book!
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Child death, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
aplain's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Death, Grief, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Gun violence, War, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
spectacles_and_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
And also, Roman and Iris are a romantic couple for the ages.
Moderate: Death and War
Minor: Sexual content
abicaro17's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Gore, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Genocide, Grief, Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Cursing, Physical abuse, Stalking, Kidnapping, War, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Murder
adamari_'s review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual content and Cursing
kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Minor: Violence, Sexual content, War, and Death
heidirgorecki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Some of it felt a little gappy in the descriptions or actions at times, and I felt like I had to infer a lot more when it could have been a little more immersive, but the emotional side of things was well described and written. I enjoyed it a lot.
Moderate: Sexual content
amy_q13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Confinement, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Medical content, Child death, Death of parent, and Sexual content
tiana_king's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content and Torture
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: War and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit