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optionalobjectives's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As a fan of world building fantasy that is suffused with politics, there's a lot here that I enjoyed. Mazes is also unabashedly queer, although that is complicated by the strict gender and caste hierarchy of its world. The issue lies more with the antagonists and their brutality, particularly in the way that the primary antagonist, a young man and the protagonist's little brother, has his mental illness feature so prominently as a motivator for his terrible words and deeds. The author leans into this far too heavily for my liking, especially in the chapters written from his point of view. Even so, I would recommend this for readers looking for a story that embraces complexity, deception, gray areas, and a society in which there are no simple wins or losses. I'm looking forward to how the resulting series develops, even if I would prefer to spend less time with some of these characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Ableism and Homophobia
Minor: Physical abuse and Rape
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