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risaleel'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, Classism, Torture, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, and War
Moderate: Drug use, Blood, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
Minor: Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
jenna_smuszkiewicz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Grief, Child death, Mass/school shootings, War, Suicide, and Torture
Moderate: Religious bigotry
jokehelldo'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicide
Minor: Sexual harassment
booksthatburn's review against another edition
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Torture, Ableism, Infidelity, and Cursing
Minor: Sexual content
samsearle'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: Torture, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Xenophobia
mari_the_cryptic'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
4.0
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, War, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Medical content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Torture, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Racism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Deportation, Infidelity, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Car accident, Confinement, Infertility, Chronic illness, and Colonisation
takarakei'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
This is quite possibly the best series end book I've read. Fonda is a true master of political intrigue and character development. I was sobbing. I am in awe. It's worth every one of the 700 pages.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Blood, Kidnapping, Racism, Suicide, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Pregnancy, Rape, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Genocide, and Pedophilia
mikarala'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
What I can say is this series has been the first fantasy series I've fallen in love with since I was in middle school. I think the world-building is truly second to none, and the concept and delivery of these books feels refreshingly different to me. The phrase "brought to life" is somewhat overused as a descriptor for writing, in my opinion, but I truly felt it with this series. I found the world and characters incredibly believable. The way Lee writes her characters, the strengths and weaknesses each possess feel like two sides of the same coin in a way that feels very natural, and I believe contributes to their overall credibility and realism. The fact that, despite the evolution and growth of every character throughout the roughly 25-30 year span during which this series is set, these characters retain their believability, is a testament to Lee's ability to create lifelike characters.
I will say the extended time period for the trilogy was something that frustrated me at times. There is an incredible amount of political and corporate intrigue within this series, but so much of it is more...hinted at, rather than fully-explored. I think this trilogy easily could have been a longer series if Lee chose to delve into those aspects more fully. I respect that she didn't want to slow the pacing and action too much, but so many impactful plot details being sidenotes throughout the series made it somewhat difficult to keep track of things at times, in my opinion. Or maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention.
Anyways, despite the occasional frustration, it's a choice that paid off in the end, in my opinion. This extended time period contributes to the epic scale of the story, and allows Lee to give her characters truly fitting and satisfying endings that I don't think would have been so impactful if Lee hadn't shown how the characters and grown and evolved throughout 30 years of their lives.
Also, I just want to say again how much I love the characters. Hilo honestly might be my favourite fictional character ever. I love how dramatic, vindictive, and ruthless he can be, while simultaneously having a huge heart and always putting his family before himself. His growth from a bloodthirsty loose cannon in the first novel to a ruthlessly pragmatic and respectable patriach was such an amazing character journey. I also loved seeing Anden go from insecure teenager to a highly competent and reliable adult. Wen's and Shae's female perspectives within such a male-dominated society added a huge amount of depth to the story, and I enjoyed how Lee portrayed both as having their own strengths and capabilities that contributed to the war effort, while also allowing them to maintain their femininity. And even though his character arc was mostly limited to this final installment, I found Niko's journey to be very eventful and was very fascinated by his portrayal.
I'm so glad I was able to spend time with these characters, and I truly loved this series. Amazing work by Fonda Lee.
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
bookish_afrolatina'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, War, Medical trauma, Murder, Medical content, Torture, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Drug abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Abortion
jessiereads98'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: Confinement, Gore, Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Colonisation, Drug use, War, Xenophobia, and Child death
Minor: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Animal death, Classism, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual harassment