Scan barcode
alphabetseeds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Animal death
lothtor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
4.75 Rounded up. My only critique is the pacing. Sometimes the pages would drag on and other moments I wanted to stay further in.
I've been waiting for the second installment of this duology since I devoured the first book Godless Heathens. Merciless Saviors starts right off where the first book ended. The book throws you in without a safety net and while there are moments of explanation in case you forgot - for me the first book and this one will be very difficult to forget. There were moments where I thought I was lost in what I was reading, which made sense once I got through that section. It really showcased the confusion that the MC, Gem, was going through during that time.
I highly recommend checking out the trigger warnings that are listed at the beginning of this book as Merciless Saviors dives deeper into the issues more than Godless Heathens. The gender commentary is not as prevalent in this book as it was in Godless Heathens, which did not detract from the impact of it. The first book had it as the forefront where now it goes to the back and is more subtle in its reveals. This book focuses on the trauma and healing of that keeping in mind the logic and emotions of what teenagers feel, no matter how messed up.
Ultimately, the duology and this book in particular are a love story. A story of self-love, looking into yourself and figuring out the jumbled mess of gender and sexuality while finding those that you can be yourself: the good, the bad, and the ugly. And they still love you because of how utterly human you are.
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Sexual violence, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Violence, Rape, and Transphobia
readingwithkaitlyn's review
Graphic: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Genocide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Child death, Sexual content, Animal death, and Child abuse
Minor: War, Excrement, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug use, Deadnaming, Cursing, Rape, and Colonisation