Scan barcode
azaleas_bouquet's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.75
This. Was. AMAZING.
All of the were so intriguing, I was the edge of my seat the entire second half of the book! Cassius' internal monologue is so rich, I was so invested in his character the entire way through. The author strikes a balance between the mythical plot aspects of the book and the real, relatable character aspects that had me so interested both all the way through. I can't sit here and list ever single amazing thing about this body so I'm just gonna rapid list a bunch my to you to this.
Beautiful prose and writing style that explains both the emotional moments and the other-worldly plot moments well I was new and always intrigued. General air of mystery about absolutely everything and everyone. Social commentary on academia, institutional religion, self preservation in the face of harsh society. Painfully relatable trauma and trauma responses. So much other stuff too.
I’m so hype for the rest of the series!!
All of the were so intriguing, I was the edge of my seat the entire second half of the book! Cassius' internal monologue is so rich, I was so invested in his character the entire way through. The author strikes a balance between the mythical plot aspects of the book and the real, relatable character aspects that had me so interested both all the way through. I can't sit here and list ever single amazing thing about this body so I'm just gonna rapid list a bunch my to you to this.
Beautiful prose and writing style that explains both the emotional moments and the other-worldly plot moments well I was new and always intrigued. General air of mystery about absolutely everything and everyone. Social commentary on academia, institutional religion, self preservation in the face of harsh society. Painfully relatable trauma and trauma responses. So much other stuff too.
I’m so hype for the rest of the series!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia and Child abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Xenophobia
natlren's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have a complicated relationship with this book. On one hand, I love the concept, the atmosphere, and the aesthetic. A world ravaged by creatures of myth? True dark academia complete with the complex issues surrounding morality that make the genre shine? It’s perfect on paper to me, but the execution falls a little flat. While the writing is beautiful for the most part, the pacing is disjointed and the characters — with the exception of Cassius — feel more like a means to an end than something that can stand on their own.
I wanted so desperately to know more about the supporting cast of characters in this book, and I suppose I can understand why we didn’t necessarily learn more about them being solely in Cass’s head, but it’s still disappointing that there were so many mysteries left standing, especially about Leo and Fred.
All in all, I feel very lukewarm about this book but plan on containing the series because the world is just so intriguing!
I wanted so desperately to know more about the supporting cast of characters in this book, and I suppose I can understand why we didn’t necessarily learn more about them being solely in Cass’s head, but it’s still disappointing that there were so many mysteries left standing, especially about Leo and Fred.
All in all, I feel very lukewarm about this book but plan on containing the series because the world is just so intriguing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Homophobia, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, and Suicide
More...