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maregred'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
4.5
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Classism, Death, Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, War, Death of parent, Infidelity, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content
th18's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
- Fast pace and seemed more YA than anything, too many modern references for me personally but each to their own.
- This also felt like the second book of the series at the start there was just so much unexplained things thrown in.
- Whilst the book did deal with modern topics such as race and trans rights, I wish it also talked a bit about harmful beauty standards due to Elle literally hiding her true self from her husband.
- I feel like the amount of swear words was also unnneeded.
- I love the idea of queer witches and empowered modern women but I feel like the talk about adulthood was very bleak
- The writing and worldbuilding also felt quite underdeveloped which was disappointing
- Finally the use of the d slur was completely unneeded
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Death, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, Classism, Cursing, Car accident, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Child abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Racism, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Outing, Kidnapping, Self harm, Infidelity, and Abortion
miniingrid'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
La historia es un cliché detrás de otro, y quiero creer que el dumping superficial de la diversidad en los personajes de debe a que es la primera novela de la serie. Quizás sea el tono, que me parece muy básico y simple.
En general me gustan las novelas de fantasía/ciencia ficción que tratan temas importantes y duros, pero sin perder ese punto de desconexión con la realidad que te permite evadirte aunque solo sea un poco. Aquí se recrea tanto en la transfobia sin aportar una réplica al mismo nivel, que me parece una oportunidad perdida y un simple (pero perfectamente comprensible) desahogo. Y me ha dejado con la sensación de estar leyendo a las terfas de Twitter más que una novela de fantasía.
Graphic: Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Violence, Animal death, Infidelity, Outing, Blood, Grief, Hate crime, and Kidnapping
Minor: Domestic abuse and Racism
ramunepocky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I genuinely hated Helena with everything I had to give. She started to wind me up and grate on me very early into the book when she wouldnt listen to Niamh and kept gettijg defensive bc Niamh was her friend so why wasnt she taking her side, and yet Helena wouldnt just trust Niamh's judgement and realising she was doing the right and compassionate thing. And then she got increasingly worse and too stuck in her beliefs and believing she was right to even consider any other angle or listen to anyone who disagreed with her. And then she was down right transphobic and fuck that shit, its so vile and there is no possible justification for being so hateful, even her past abuse is no excuse to be transphobic, fuck. that. shit. Even in her final moments, she blamed her friends for all she'd lost instead of realising she'd done it herself, she'd brougjt it on herself and more tjan anything, SHE would be responsible for triggering the start of the rise of Leviathan and the visions of death and destruction she'd seen. ALSO, when she killed Annie in cold blood, that hurt me so much. And for what??? FOR WHAT HELENA??? WHAT GOOD CAME OF THAT????
Niamh was absolutely my favourite character, I rlly loved her development throughout the book as she opened herself up to love and living again after losing her fiancé in the War. I adored her relationship with Theo, she was so accepting and patient with her, and became so protective of her, which is rlly what Theo needed after all the shit she'd been through since being so small. I love that Niamh acted with compassion to save Theo from being shut in the prison and so rapidly went down the pipeline of almost reluctant foster parent to her new adoptive mother who would actually die to protect her and sacrifice everything. She was just so strong and fierce in her love, and I adored her so fucking much !!!
I loved Theodora so fucking much too, she was so sweet and I loved watching her settle in to living with Niamh, being able to be herself and feel safe and loved. When she had her witch ceremony at the end eith Holly and Snow, I genuinely bawled my eyes out; its what she deserved !!! Im rlly excited to watch her grow more and become the powerful witch she !!
And THAT ENDING?!?!? excuse me, how could she do this to me?!?!?! Im so hyped to read The Shadow Cabinet and also so scared !!!
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Outing, and Murder
Moderate: War, Alcohol, and Racism
Minor: Animal death
meliemelo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Did I have a tremendous amount of fun reading it? YES.
Some parts may seem heavy-handed, and all the Spice Girls reference may not age well, sure. I maintain my five stars, if only because I thoroughly enjoy this novel - which I read entirely within the course of one day and two train journeys. The characters are interesting, the queer rep pretty good, the you-know-who tackles feel great, and most of all I really loved the story and the universe it is set in. Also hands down one of the best (or most fun) closing lines ever.
Graphic: War, Murder, Grief, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual content, Outing, Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Toxic relationship
shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, War, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abortion, Animal death, Child abuse, Outing, Ableism, and Emotional abuse
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, and Transphobia
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Sexism, Dysphoria, Cursing, Confinement, Racism, War, Alcohol, Abandonment, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Domestic abuse
annamorgan27'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Violence, Car accident, Deadnaming, Death, Grief, Misogyny, and Transphobia
amberinpieces's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Cursing, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Outing, Child abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Animal death, Classism, Grief, Car accident, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
taleofabibliophile'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Child death, Gaslighting, Transphobia, Alcohol, Homophobia, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Cursing, War, Misogyny, Racism, Kidnapping, Deadnaming, Grief, Death, Confinement, Suicide, Animal death, Violence, Murder, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Medical content, Fatphobia, Colonisation, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, and Outing
Minor: Gore, Emotional abuse, and Vomit