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yourmum_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
parkersincrime's review against another edition
4.0
Lindsey Miller’s What We Devour was unlike any other book I’ve read this year.
We’re thrown into a world where some mortals are “blessed”, it just so happens that Lorena, Lore, has been “blessed” twice by the now banished gods; the Noble and the Vile. She’s attempted to keep her powers a secret but this all changes one day when Prince Alistair agrees to make a contract where Lore will aid his research while her family remains safe from the charge of treason the Queen has accused them of until they have a fair trial.
The world-building was so complex that I found myself re-reading chapters just to understand what exactly was happening. Seeing how Alistair, who grew up with his powers always being contained and controlled by intricate and complex contracts, attempt to understand how Lore has grown and interacted with her powers without a contract still remains my favourite part of the book. One views the powers as a parasite while the other has a deeper and more personal understanding of what the powers are and what they require to work.
The only negative thing that I could possibly say is that I found myself trying to learn as much as I could about the Noble and Vile. The ending of this novel left me with so many questions about what could possibly happen next in this world.
* Thank you Netgally and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC *
We’re thrown into a world where some mortals are “blessed”, it just so happens that Lorena, Lore, has been “blessed” twice by the now banished gods; the Noble and the Vile. She’s attempted to keep her powers a secret but this all changes one day when Prince Alistair agrees to make a contract where Lore will aid his research while her family remains safe from the charge of treason the Queen has accused them of until they have a fair trial.
The world-building was so complex that I found myself re-reading chapters just to understand what exactly was happening. Seeing how Alistair, who grew up with his powers always being contained and controlled by intricate and complex contracts, attempt to understand how Lore has grown and interacted with her powers without a contract still remains my favourite part of the book. One views the powers as a parasite while the other has a deeper and more personal understanding of what the powers are and what they require to work.
The only negative thing that I could possibly say is that I found myself trying to learn as much as I could about the Noble and Vile. The ending of this novel left me with so many questions about what could possibly happen next in this world.
* Thank you Netgally and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC *
cyndallrocks's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
linfardts's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
scoutthepages's review against another edition
4.0
Full review will be posted at www.pragmastry.com
I would not recommend for those who may struggle with suicidal ideation or self harm. This book could potentially be extremely triggering for such audiences, so please proceed with caution.
In short, this book is a love letter to the darker half of all our hearts where blunt logic and suffering reside. The writing is stunning, and the found family is great. I love that there is casual asexual representation and that the "romance" (if you want to call it that) doesn't walk that typical Young Adult path. This book had me intrigued the whole time, and I highlighted so many quotes during my reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was even pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It is violent, heartbreaking, and overall a whole mood. I read this book during one of my lowest depressive episodes in a few years, and let me say, this book is the mood I felt and wanted to wallow in. I am going to buy a physical copy for my shelves, which is not something I do often.
I would not recommend for those who may struggle with suicidal ideation or self harm. This book could potentially be extremely triggering for such audiences, so please proceed with caution.
In short, this book is a love letter to the darker half of all our hearts where blunt logic and suffering reside. The writing is stunning, and the found family is great. I love that there is casual asexual representation and that the "romance" (if you want to call it that) doesn't walk that typical Young Adult path. This book had me intrigued the whole time, and I highlighted so many quotes during my reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was even pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It is violent, heartbreaking, and overall a whole mood. I read this book during one of my lowest depressive episodes in a few years, and let me say, this book is the mood I felt and wanted to wallow in. I am going to buy a physical copy for my shelves, which is not something I do often.
articulatedream's review against another edition
4.0
A dark fantasy set in an isolated world where blood and sacrifice are bound to one another.
Lore is one of the wrought, people who carry a piece of long-departed gods within them, though she has kept the extent of her abilities hidden to secure her freedom. When the Heir to the crown shows up and nearly hauls off her father figure as a sacrifice, she makes a deal to come work for him in exchange.
What We Devour is a book with a LOT going on. We’ve got the wrought who can sacrifice blood, bone, the deaths of others, and even memories in order to achieve all sorts of magical effects. They are bound by the crown in a myriad of terrible byzantine contracts that spell out the only ways their magic may be used, and if you think that’s terrible, congrats! You’re right.
The world Lore lives in also kinda…sucks. At least if you aren’t a councillor or of the peerage anyway. They can bribe their way out, or find healers to ensure they are never maimed. But normal folks are routinely killed in accidents at work, or by being sacrificed to the door.
Yeah about that.
There’s a door in the basement that holds back all the Vile (capital B baddies) from escaping back into the world at large. The catch being it requires sacrifices in order to hold the line. And it’s appetite has been increasing exponentially until we’re looking at the en of the line.
With so much going on it sometimes felt more like the opening to a trilogy or duology than a stand alone novel. It introduced a vivid world but I wish it’d had a bit more depth, or a clearer through line.
That being said, I still REALLY enjoyed this read. It was dark and bloody and had tons of great snarky scenes. Lore was a super relatable character, and the discussions about power, corruption, and sacrifice were well done.
Lore is one of the wrought, people who carry a piece of long-departed gods within them, though she has kept the extent of her abilities hidden to secure her freedom. When the Heir to the crown shows up and nearly hauls off her father figure as a sacrifice, she makes a deal to come work for him in exchange.
What We Devour is a book with a LOT going on. We’ve got the wrought who can sacrifice blood, bone, the deaths of others, and even memories in order to achieve all sorts of magical effects. They are bound by the crown in a myriad of terrible byzantine contracts that spell out the only ways their magic may be used, and if you think that’s terrible, congrats! You’re right.
The world Lore lives in also kinda…sucks. At least if you aren’t a councillor or of the peerage anyway. They can bribe their way out, or find healers to ensure they are never maimed. But normal folks are routinely killed in accidents at work, or by being sacrificed to the door.
Yeah about that.
There’s a door in the basement that holds back all the Vile (capital B baddies) from escaping back into the world at large. The catch being it requires sacrifices in order to hold the line. And it’s appetite has been increasing exponentially until we’re looking at the en of the line.
With so much going on it sometimes felt more like the opening to a trilogy or duology than a stand alone novel. It introduced a vivid world but I wish it’d had a bit more depth, or a clearer through line.
That being said, I still REALLY enjoyed this read. It was dark and bloody and had tons of great snarky scenes. Lore was a super relatable character, and the discussions about power, corruption, and sacrifice were well done.
revolution6786's review against another edition
I was completely lost with what was happening in the first few pages.
sternenstaub's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐
Interesting magic system and world-building. I didn't want to put the book down, so the story was compelling, but I found myself confused and feeling a bit like I had missed a page or two a few different times. Not sure the actions, motivations, and emotions of the characters always rang true to who they had been portrayed to be.
Still worth checking out from the library if you enjoy fantasy worlds on the brink of apocalypse where literally devouring the rich is a viable strategy.
Interesting magic system and world-building. I didn't want to put the book down, so the story was compelling, but I found myself confused and feeling a bit like I had missed a page or two a few different times. Not sure the actions, motivations, and emotions of the characters always rang true to who they had been portrayed to be.
Still worth checking out from the library if you enjoy fantasy worlds on the brink of apocalypse where literally devouring the rich is a viable strategy.
bookedbydanielle22's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 round to a 4 - the first act of this book was r o u g h to get through. The world building hit the ground running fast, but the pace of the rest of the book was pretty slow.
Overall I loved the representation, and a fun new type of fantasy. The ending felt very abrupt after how slow the pacing was throughout the book, but I did thoroughly enjoy. Typically I round down, but I liked it so much I rounded up!
Overall I loved the representation, and a fun new type of fantasy. The ending felt very abrupt after how slow the pacing was throughout the book, but I did thoroughly enjoy. Typically I round down, but I liked it so much I rounded up!
fernforest's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
There was a lot going on in this book. With wonderfully dark fantasy elements and an engaging character cast, this felt so promising. But, on the flip, you know when you pick-up a fantasy book and the first few chapters plunge you into the world and there you are, spending time getting familiar with the particular mechanisms of the world and how things work? Yeah, that feeling never ended for me when I read this. With a slow pace, and information that just kept on coming, I think the plot left me with something to be desired.
I'm so down to delve into books that sweep me away into their weird and wonderfully dark little worlds, but I must admit that this book felt bloated, maybe even convoluted, at times.
There was a lot going on in this book. With wonderfully dark fantasy elements and an engaging character cast, this felt so promising. But, on the flip, you know when you pick-up a fantasy book and the first few chapters plunge you into the world and there you are, spending time getting familiar with the particular mechanisms of the world and how things work? Yeah, that feeling never ended for me when I read this. With a slow pace, and information that just kept on coming, I think the plot left me with something to be desired.
I'm so down to delve into books that sweep me away into their weird and wonderfully dark little worlds, but I must admit that this book felt bloated, maybe even convoluted, at times.