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sfeldmann's review against another edition
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism
cadimy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
I get what the author was trying to do with the heavy misogyny and how it affects the MC deeply, so I did appreciate that at times. Unfortunately I had no connection to any of the characters- they fell so flat and there was no chemistry to be found.
Also, little to no backstory on the fairy king?? Why was he hanging around? He was apparently “stuck” on the estate because of the trees and berries everywhere but that doesn’t explain how he escaped to almost steal the MC? She said she saw him all of the time, but how? Not much story building, and the backstory of the north vs south seemed unnecessary other than to sprinkle in some racism for the characters.
I listened to the audiobook on a road trip, and the fact that I finished it gives it 2 stars, maybe 2.5. I was kind of hoping for a dark ending where her love interest was over taken by the fairy king.
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Mental illness, Death, Car accident, Bullying, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Animal death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
tori_borialis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
subtlymelancholy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
For a gothic romance, I found it very safe. I'm sure it's a taste thing, but I don't need to be shocked if the characters are plausibly shocked. I don't think it's a crime that the (admittedly heavy-handed) foreshadowing makes it easy to predict where this book goes. The story and ESPECIALLY the setting made it hard to put this book down, and for that alone it gets an extra half star.
However, I really wasn't impressed with the worldbuilding. It seems to be going for for ambiguous low fantasy, almost steampunk in it's setting that never quite felt cohesive. The romance for me was a little lackluster, it almost felt tacked-on and I would have much preferred a more intimate friendship. I knew right from the beginning and that really cheapened a lot of the really touching and emotional scenes between
The political implications of the countries being at war also never really felt consequential to the world other than further othering Preston, but the shared-yet-distinct feelings of being othered (Effy for her gender and Preston for his nationality) is never explored in a meaningful way I think because it seems like Ava Reid was much more interested in having
I know it sounds like I didn't like the novel but I had a lot of fun reading it. What works REALLY works, and I am always a sucker for an environment that's as alive and as destructive as any human-ish antagonist. The marrying of the sacred and the profane, and trying to juggle them and understand what's "real" and what's not is also something that I adore and fantasy hagiography in particular will always get me.
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
pinkhyxteria's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Xenophobia
mcrespo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Blood
reddeddy's review
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Sexism, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual content, Body shaming, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Classism, Confinement, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Terminal illness, War, Animal death, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, and Deportation
emmieanna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault
justnicole's review
4.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Sexism, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, War, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse
mktraxel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Rape, Death, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse