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kendra_taylors_version's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, War, Mass/school shootings, Forced institutionalization, Death, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
phantomgecko'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? No
5.0
The premise is fun. Feels like fantasy until you realize it's actually dystopian scifi. I mean, it's not crazy original, but it's different from what I've read in ways that make it interesting. The themes are similar/the same but that's how the genre goes.
So that's about all I've got. Dynamic characters, nice writing, interesting enough plot. I'm going to read the rest of them. Well...I'm going to read the main series. Not so sure about the prequels and intermediate novels or whatever. But the main 4.
Moderate: Death, Blood, Classism, and Death of parent
bella613's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Took me a few chapters to get into it, and the story was very predictable, but it was entertaining and well written. The beginning of the book kind of dragged, and the premise has definitely been done, and in better ways. It was like every ~girl finds out she has superpowers and learns to control them~ story mixed with every ~dystopian country in an oppresive civil war needs teenage girl to be the face of a rebellion against cruel leadership~ story. But there's nothing wrong with that, and YA readers eat that stuff up. I wish I could have read this in middle school. It still would have been predictable, but my complaints for this book are also true of the hunger games and divergent, and I loved those back then. I'm rating it pretty high because I did enjoy listening and I think I would have loved it if I were the age it's meant for (like 10 years ago).
I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series. I hope that we will get to know Mare's brothers better, that Cal will become a round character, and that we'll get more unique plot points.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, War, Grief, Blood, Classism, Torture, and Violence
knlipke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, and Classism
slahlum'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
4.0
Moderate: Slavery, War, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
cowboylikebrie15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
peregrinwho'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
4.0
Graphic: Classism and Blood
bree_h_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Overall I found it slow and a bit tedious with minimal action happening. Something about the pacing just didn’t grab me. Which was disappointing as I found the concept interesting and thought it could be executed well.
The characters too just felt very flat and one note. I can’t tell you much about any of the characters. I didn’t really find them or their relationships overly compelling. There were a few moments here and there I did think a character or dynamic would really shine, but overall it rarely felt earned.
The writing style also wasn’t all that impressive to me. There were a few instances where something was described in a weird way, but outside of that it read like your typical YA fantasy.
I definitely think the book had some potential, especially the concept. In the end I think it just fell a bit flat.
Graphic: Death, Blood, Police brutality, Racism, Classism, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture
eowyn_zoe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: War, Classism, and Death
Minor: Torture and Murder
maresuju'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Torture, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Slavery, and Murder
Minor: Child death and Death of parent