Scan barcode
sarasreading'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? Yes
3.75
I also would have liked even more world building, especially regarding the Wisdom, because I found it fascinating. I also would have liked some character relationships to have more time. AND more time for the ending as it felt a bit rushed and just cut off at the end. Maybe an epilogue?
I guess I'm saying I would have liked this to be a couple of books lol!
But I enjoyed it. It always left me guessing and kept me on my toes, and I enjoyed how the unlikable main character learned and grew out of the extremist world view she was brought up with.
CW: There are so many, and they're listed in the beginning of the book. Heed them if you need them.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Suicide, Murder, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Rape, Grief, and Ableism
Minor: Abortion
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, War, Suicide, Genocide, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, Torture, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Kidnapping
Minor: Ableism, Outing, Bullying, Abortion, Rape, and Pregnancy
reneekgood'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
4.5
This was a MINDFUCK of a book. You know it’s good when what feels like the last act happens 200 pages in. A chapter starts that makes you go “wait, this didn’t happen this way before.” Feels like if Tamsyn Muir took a Becky Chambers universe and wrote the most pessimistic and upsetting perspective (as opposed to Becky’s hopeful takes). Recommend if you like Murderbot, Gideon the Ninth, sci-fi that'll fuck you up, and loveable aliens that make you smile in the midst of fascist chaos.
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, and Gun violence
Moderate: Genocide and War
Minor: Abortion, Racism, and Pregnancy
rsb12'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Genocide, Murder, Alcohol, Death of parent, and War
kylieqrada'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Transphobia, Ableism, Sexism, Child abuse, Racism, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Rape and Abortion
blacksphinx'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Violence, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide, Homophobia, Transphobia, and War
Moderate: Sexual assault, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Confinement, Sexual violence, Torture, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Minor: Abortion and Bullying
mo345'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Blood, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Grief
Minor: Medical content, Cursing, Alcohol, and Abortion
The xenophobia tag refers to opinions some characters in the book have about aliens.scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Prose: 4★
Pace: 4★
Concept/Execution: 5★/4.5★
Characters: 4.75★
Worldbuilding: 4.5★
Ending: 4★
Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Violence, War, Homophobia, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Gore, Outing, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, and Racism
Minor: Bullying, Blood, Abortion, and Alcohol
analenegrace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The feminism of this book is so important as it takes a character who is a staunch believer in her bio-essentialist community and learns to see the amazingness of the women around her and the women who came before her; especially those who beared children for their community.
Often we not only forget the women who came before us, but forget the women around us, forced to live a bio-essentialist life. This book is an important reminder, especially in a post-Roe world, the importance of who we consider when we discuss feminism, intersectionality, and bio-essentialism.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, War, Body shaming, Classism, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Confinement, Murder, and Outing
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Abortion
ezwolf's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This book brings up a lot of great topics, the faults of humanity in the future, as well as currently. Gaea is everything you would expect from a society that's almost entirely white and able bodied, xenophobic, homophobic, and forces its women to be pregnant for years and years. Of course, this is why Kyr starts off being immensely unlikeable, but she does grow and learn to realize how narrow minded her thinking was and at one point even recognizes that even though she has made progress, she still holds internal biases.
But this is getting a solid 4 stars from me because I could not stand Kyr for a good chunk of the book. I know that was part of the plot and Kyr had to realize that Gaea was brainwashing everyone, but I was never endeared to her. I wanted her to succeed because no one should grow up the way Kyr did but I didn't particularly care about anyone other Yiso, I didn't like any of the characters other than them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Grief, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Misogyny, War, Blood, Death, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Torture
Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Death of parent, Racism, Rape, and Pregnancy