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bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
I’m actually sad it took me so long to invest myself in this world because Sabaa Tahir is masterful at picking up plotlines laid throughout the rest of the series and giving them real stakes with incredibly complex characters who are very comfortable in their murky gray morality. There’s great payoff without making readers feel like they were purposely led astray with red herrings.
Tahir’s female characters in particular show incredible growth and weave together strength with emotion. Laia’s story embodies the value of empathy and the final scene with Keris is utterly heartbreaking and shows that we as people can suffer greatly and it is our response to that suffering that shapes our future. Helene’s journey is my favorite. She began the series as the token girl having to fight twice as hard as the guys to command respect while nursing feelings for the main male character and being taught those feelings make her weak. She makes mistakes and does horrible things (and has horrible things happen to her) but she learns and grows as she unlearns the awful values passed on by previous generations of the Empire.
There are some heartbreaking character deaths that make sense because of the brutal nature of this world and the Nightbringer’s plan, though that doesn’t make them hurt less. Without them, the story would have felt unbalanced and our main characters need that grief to become the people they’re meant to be.
I cannot recommend this series highly enough! But mind the content warnings if you are sensitive to specific topics.
Content warnings:
Blood, body horror, death, gore, injury, murder, violence, war (on page): this is a story of war between human factions plus humans against magical beings. I don’t recommend this if you cannot stomach violence because it is graphic and prevalent.
Death of parent (on page, flashback):Laia learns her mother is still alive and sees how her father and sister really died.
Domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse (on page):Marcus abuses his wife including while she is pregnant in order to emotionally manipulate Helene who is forced to endure her sister’s torment.
Fire/fire injury (on page):The Jinn burn down a library containing information Laia needs and she is nearly trapped inside.
Classism (on page):The aristocrats of the Empire actively look down on and rebel against Marcus because he is of a lower class than them.
Medical content, pregnancy (on page):Medical content in the form of healing from battlefield injuries & pregnancy content. Livia is pregnant with Marcus’ heir and she experiences some complications including attempts at forcing a miscarriage. Laia delivers her baby during a battle.
Slavery (on page):Scholars have long been enslaved by the Martials. Keris keeps slaves as she attempts her coup. Livia as Empress Regent frees the Scholars.
Sexism (on page):Enemies actively look down on Helene for being a woman. Martial aristocrats do the same before being put in their places.
Sexual content (on page):Consensual encounters between Helene & Avitas and between Laia & Elias. Generally non-graphic and centered on the emotional connection rather than the act itself.
Tahir’s female characters in particular show incredible growth and weave together strength with emotion. Laia’s story embodies the value of empathy and the final scene with Keris is utterly heartbreaking and shows that we as people can suffer greatly and it is our response to that suffering that shapes our future. Helene’s journey is my favorite. She began the series as the token girl having to fight twice as hard as the guys to command respect while nursing feelings for the main male character and being taught those feelings make her weak. She makes mistakes and does horrible things (and has horrible things happen to her) but she learns and grows as she unlearns the awful values passed on by previous generations of the Empire.
There are some heartbreaking character deaths that make sense because of the brutal nature of this world and the Nightbringer’s plan, though that doesn’t make them hurt less. Without them, the story would have felt unbalanced and our main characters need that grief to become the people they’re meant to be.
I cannot recommend this series highly enough! But mind the content warnings if you are sensitive to specific topics.
Content warnings:
Blood, body horror, death, gore, injury, murder, violence, war (on page):
Death of parent (on page, flashback):
Domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse (on page):
Fire/fire injury (on page):
Classism (on page):
Medical content, pregnancy (on page):
Slavery (on page):
Sexism (on page):
Sexual content (on page):
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Murder, Violence, War, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Classism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexism, Medical content, Classism, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Slavery
theespressoedition's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well well well, this might be my favorite book of the series - and that's saying something, considering I still didn't really enjoy it all that much.
Just like the rest of the books, it was insanely slow with a ton of depressing sequences filled with torture and gore. I also got really confused while reading this one because of all the different kinds of mystical creatures: jinn, ghosts, fey, etc. - they all began to muddle together, especially as Elias went back and forth between "himself" and The Soul Catcher. That was another confusing bit: everyone seeming to have multiple names. Helene was also Blood Shrike, Nighbringer was formerly Keenan and also Meherya and The King-of-No-Name. I couldn't keep up with all of the terms and characters as they changed forms or went back and forth in the storyline.
I think my favorite part (sarcasm) was the fact that after Helene lost her parents and one of her sisters, her other sister is killed before her eyes and then her lover is murdered as well. Can this girl get a break?? It was the last book and while she's definitely not my favorite character, I wanted some kind of happy ending for her.
In addition to that, I did NOT want Keris to have any kind of positive ending. The fact that she was able to go to The Waiting Place and pass on with her mother felt way too generous for someone as horrific as her.
Okay, so let's be honest, I could actually pick apart this book in every way, which kind of breaks my heart. Towards the end, I was actually interested for the first time throughout the entire series - and I even cried once (GASP). I only wish it could have been like that earlier on. All-in-all, this series receives a 2-star rating from me. It just isn't the best.
Just like the rest of the books, it was insanely slow with a ton of depressing sequences filled with torture and gore. I also got really confused while reading this one because of all the different kinds of mystical creatures: jinn, ghosts, fey, etc. - they all began to muddle together, especially as Elias went back and forth between "himself" and The Soul Catcher. That was another confusing bit: everyone seeming to have multiple names. Helene was also Blood Shrike, Nighbringer was formerly Keenan and also Meherya and The King-of-No-Name. I couldn't keep up with all of the terms and characters as they changed forms or went back and forth in the storyline.
I think my favorite part (sarcasm) was the fact that after Helene
In addition to that, I did NOT want Keris to have any kind of positive ending. The fact that
Okay, so let's be honest, I could actually pick apart this book in every way, which kind of breaks my heart. Towards the end, I was actually interested for the first time throughout the entire series - and I even cried once (GASP). I only wish it could have been like that earlier on. All-in-all, this series receives a 2-star rating from me. It just isn't the best.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Murder, Slavery, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Grief
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