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haley49's review
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The characters are bad people but you still root for them??? They are casually down with murder and classism but are kind of feminists so itโs okay???
My feelings on the main characters are mixed but I loved them evolving together and realizing how alike they were, The pace felt natural and the story was interesting.
My feelings on the main characters are mixed but I loved them evolving together and realizing how alike they were, The pace felt natural and the story was interesting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, War, Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Medical content, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Alcohol
kinskinn's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While the female main character, Alessandra was very self-absorbed and unlikable, the storyline was incredibly engaging. The fake dating and strangers to friends to lovers tropes were incredibly well written. The male main character, Kallias, was very likable towards the end of the book. It really takes awhile for the characters and the storyline to get interesting enough to continue though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Colonisation, Gun violence, Slavery, Sexual content, and Misogyny
star_witch's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Why, oh why did I do this to myself?
So I read it in audiobook because I'm telling you, physically I wouldn't. It was a waste of my time. The characters were, I guess you could say, morally grey. No, ok they were morally grey which is fine, BUT. But... It gave e a weird feeling. It excuses colonization and murder.
Like Kallias -or whatever his name was- is a king, that ruthlessly barges into other countries and colonizes them and expects the residents there to oblige without a revolution. SiR? sIr! And when he finds out that Alessandra murdered someone, he starts laughing and excuses her of all charges. What? How is that acceptable?
Disappointed.
So I read it in audiobook because I'm telling you, physically I wouldn't. It was a waste of my time. The characters were, I guess you could say, morally grey. No, ok they were morally grey which is fine, BUT. But... It gave e a weird feeling. It excuses colonization and murder.
Disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Murder
kylieqrada's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
OK but this was hella cute though. Tricia Levenseller can write a dark romance, mmkay?? Very pleasantly surprised by the strong characterization and rejection of stereotyping and gender roles in this one. ๐ We stan a powerful, assertive queen!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
Minor: Death of parent
anaya_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I had a love-hate relationship with the characters but I enjoyed Alessandraโs cleverness and ruthlessness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Colonisation
nana_7's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
aus_1521's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Sexism, Misogyny, and Colonisation
madarauchiha's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
โค๏ธ ๐งก ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
I... didn't expect to like this so much. It was a potato chip: delicious, not that filling, but if you like the flavor then it brightens your life while it lasts. It's nothing I'd gush over to friends per se, the plot was interesting and the MC was funny and I enjoyed watching her antics.
It does suffer from a white author trying to write Black characters or characters of color. I've noticed that the characters are essentially white. They just happen to have darker skin tones. By that I mean they don't have culture or specific link to a race or ethnicity.
โช Hestiaโs coloring is a rich umber with yellow undertones. She wears her hair short, only about an inch from her scalp, the strands wrapping in tight coils. The lack of length shows off her gorgeous earrings, a pair of garnets encased in complicated brasswork.
โช The strands are the same color as my black hair, but her skin is a bit darker, more amber than my dark beige.
So the MC and a few other characters are technically characters of color. But again, they have no culture, no generational traditions passed from person to person, no communal links to each other. Beyond descriptions there's not really personalized touches, like you'd expect if a black character / character of color was portrayed as actually black / of color.
Have fun, but don't expect much in terms of personal representation if you're a Black reader or Reader of Color.
Content warnings:
minor drugs opium, manipulation, blackmail, torture, murder,
medium colonization, violence, parent death, orphaning, hanging, NSFW, slut shaming, whorephobic language,
major dogs, gambling, death, gore, murder, poison, alcohol use, body horror, murder, parental death, gore, anti sex worker sentiment, gun violence, guns,
I... didn't expect to like this so much. It was a potato chip: delicious, not that filling, but if you like the flavor then it brightens your life while it lasts. It's nothing I'd gush over to friends per se, the plot was interesting and the MC was funny and I enjoyed watching her antics.
It does suffer from a white author trying to write Black characters or characters of color. I've noticed that the characters are essentially white. They just happen to have darker skin tones. By that I mean they don't have culture or specific link to a race or ethnicity.
โช Hestiaโs coloring is a rich umber with yellow undertones. She wears her hair short, only about an inch from her scalp, the strands wrapping in tight coils. The lack of length shows off her gorgeous earrings, a pair of garnets encased in complicated brasswork.
โช The strands are the same color as my black hair, but her skin is a bit darker, more amber than my dark beige.
So the MC and a few other characters are technically characters of color. But again, they have no culture, no generational traditions passed from person to person, no communal links to each other. Beyond descriptions there's not really personalized touches, like you'd expect if a black character / character of color was portrayed as actually black / of color.
Have fun, but don't expect much in terms of personal representation if you're a Black reader or Reader of Color.
Content warnings:
minor drugs opium, manipulation, blackmail, torture, murder,
medium colonization, violence, parent death, orphaning, hanging, NSFW, slut shaming, whorephobic language,
major dogs, gambling, death, gore, murder, poison, alcohol use, body horror, murder, parental death, gore, anti sex worker sentiment, gun violence, guns,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Murder, Alcohol, Body horror, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Torture, and Murder
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