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misterwisp's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It's a satisfying fast paced read with good characters. It was compelling enough to stay up for. Plague is part of the story so you might expect this to be really dark but it came across more as melancholy but not in a depressing way. There is somehow a hopeful centre to it all that felt genuine and not naive. It's good! You should read it :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Confinement, War, Abandonment, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Murder, Animal death, Torture, and Pregnancy
lennie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Violence, Animal death, Confinement, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit, Drug abuse, and Body horror
kestrel's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book so much! It's an overall well-crafted story with characters that feel real, and with a very cozy atmosphere despite the horrible things that happened in the past and the new danger in the present. While I can think of possible additions that could have made the book perfect (like perhaps a few pages more with the main antagonist), I feel so emotionally connected with this story that I don't care.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Infertility, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Vomit, and War
kbairbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was fantastical enough where it brought the sense of escapism, but realistic enough to feel the hit. I will say I feel like the author left a loose end with the whole sewing ghosts aspect, but I did appreciate how Cas went back and buried Jehan’s body and her guards bodies. With so much experience in hurt and pain and death Cas was still such a kind soul. This book had a simple feel to it like a story told around a fireplace but also it felt like Graceling to me. The main character/narrator had a simpler feel to them than in the books I normally pick up. Nonetheless this was a delightful read and I devoured it in two days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Alcohol and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal death
azrah786's review
4.5
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I was gifted a finished copy of the book by Hodderscape for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**
CW: plague/illness, implied torture, violence, gore, blood, death, animal death, vomit, amputation, human experimentation, immolation. neglect
A brilliant standalone, historical fantasy-mystery mashup that is bound to have you engrossed from the very first chapter.
Year of the Reaper transports us back in time and place to a fictional medieval land that has been ravaged by war and plague. We follow a young Lord named Cas who after surviving both imprisonment and illness is returning to his home town in the mountains after 3 years of being away. However, the home he returns to is no longer just his own as it is now acting as refuge for the King and Queen – a union formed just a year past between the rivalling kingdoms of Oliveras and Brisa.
Upon his arrival Cas happens to intervene on an assassination attempt, one that is targeting those close to the queen and thus he gets drawn into a mystery which could very much threaten the newfound peace between the two nations.
Lucier’s decision to go with setting a story in the aftermath of disaster rather than bang in the middle of one is just one of the things that really makes this story a standout. Not only do you get absorbed by the central mystery, which is masterfully put together and keeps you guessing page by page, but this book focuses just as much on the resilience of humanity in the face of adversity.
**I was gifted a finished copy of the book by Hodderscape for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**
CW: plague/illness, implied torture, violence, gore, blood, death, animal death, vomit, amputation, human experimentation, immolation. neglect
A brilliant standalone, historical fantasy-mystery mashup that is bound to have you engrossed from the very first chapter.
Year of the Reaper transports us back in time and place to a fictional medieval land that has been ravaged by war and plague. We follow a young Lord named Cas who after surviving both imprisonment and illness is returning to his home town in the mountains after 3 years of being away. However, the home he returns to is no longer just his own as it is now acting as refuge for the King and Queen – a union formed just a year past between the rivalling kingdoms of Oliveras and Brisa.
Upon his arrival Cas happens to intervene on an assassination attempt, one that is targeting those close to the queen and thus he gets drawn into a mystery which could very much threaten the newfound peace between the two nations.
Lucier’s decision to go with setting a story in the aftermath of disaster rather than bang in the middle of one is just one of the things that really makes this story a standout. Not only do you get absorbed by the central mystery, which is masterfully put together and keeps you guessing page by page, but this book focuses just as much on the resilience of humanity in the face of adversity.
"Loss is a part of life, my lord Cassiapeus, and grief is constant. It is unbearable at first. Then you find you can indeed bear it. Over and over again. As many times as necessary."
Though action/battle scenes are few and far between, at its core this is a dark and brutal book. The writing immediately draws you into the bleak atmosphere of a place that is recovering from tragic events however, Lucier balances this brilliantly with the emotions and persistence of the various characters which adds an air of hope to it all. The fantasy elements are also on the subtle side but wow are they effective, particularly in helping capture the spirit of the setting as well as shaping the main protagonist.
I liked Cas as soon as he was introduced, his perspective was so interesting to follow. Though haunted by his past experiences, they have not totally hardened his personality. We follow him on a journey of rediscovering his world with a more mature perspective and on finding his place amongst his people again. In fact we see much of the people in this world re-accustoming their lives and learning to form new relationships with others.
There were some wonderful platonic and familial relationships presented in this book but my favourite has got to be the relationship that formed between Cas and Lena - the young and steadfast historian from the royal court. Their banter and understanding of one another brought them together beautifully, resulting in a slow burn romance that was soft and comfortable over angsty but one that pulls on your heart strings all the same.
"I'm not sure how to be around other people."
"By giving it one day...And then one day after that, and another after that. And if, after all those days, you still don't like people, what of it? It's no great crime to prefer the quiet."
My only complaint would be that I wish the book was longer because despite the 300 or so pages providing an ideal duration for the mystery storyline, the world building felt a little sparse in places and I would have loved to learn more about it all. I also wish we could have gotten a little more from the fantasy elements and time with some of the side characters too.
However, the fact that not all the secrets are given away in this standalone story opens up the possibilities of the author returning to this world and these characters and I would very much welcome that.
All in all this was an utterly satisfying and riveting standalone that I would recommend to YA fantasy and mystery lovers alike!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Gore, Blood, Death, Animal death, and Medical content
Moderate: Vomit and Grief
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