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bendersreads's review
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Racism
dorothysbookshelf's review
dark
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Physical abuse, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Racial slurs
Minor: Cursing, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
strong themes of terrorism and racism between fictitious groupsreadwithde's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-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? No
4.25
Another day, another strong, female YA/NA novel about overthrowing the government.
I have to say, this might be one of my favorite fictional worlds, and the story happening around and to the MCs is so overwhelmingly amazing. Mare, a simple thief and Red girl ends up having an amazing ability, just like the elite Silvers who rule. Like many female leads, she is thrust into this new world of court, politics, and betrayal, where only power and strength are honored.
Unlike the other heroines, Mare remains thoroughly different. She doesn't learn courtly intrigue, she doesn't come to understand the Silvers, and she never chooses romance over her family, her friends, and her Red blood. The comfort and protection and specialness never trick her into forgetting the pain and atrocities of her people. Also, she trains a bit, but she is still outmatched by those who have had decades of work; at the end of the book, she is stronger, but not unrecognizable. It's refreshing.
I saw a few of the twists coming, but it didn't run the story for me. The princes Cal and Maven are interesting and consistent, the Scarlet Guard is active as its own entity (aka not waiting around for the MCs), and the Silvers all have their own games and loyalty.
I loved it, and I'm dying for the next book.
I have to say, this might be one of my favorite fictional worlds, and the story happening around and to the MCs is so overwhelmingly amazing. Mare, a simple thief and Red girl ends up having an amazing ability, just like the elite Silvers who rule. Like many female leads, she is thrust into this new world of court, politics, and betrayal, where only power and strength are honored.
Unlike the other heroines, Mare remains thoroughly different. She doesn't learn courtly intrigue, she doesn't come to understand the Silvers, and she never chooses romance over her family, her friends, and her Red blood. The comfort and protection and specialness never trick her into forgetting the pain and atrocities of her people. Also, she trains a bit, but she is still outmatched by those who have had decades of work; at the end of the book, she is stronger, but not unrecognizable. It's refreshing.
I saw a few of the twists coming, but it didn't run the story for me. The princes Cal and Maven are interesting and consistent, the Scarlet Guard is active as its own entity (aka not waiting around for the MCs), and the Silvers all have their own games and loyalty.
I loved it, and I'm dying for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Xenophobia
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Torture, Racism, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Murder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and War
llsugarspicell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Blood
sofmar917's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Great book, fast plot and good plot twist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Racism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Police brutality, and Genocide
Minor: Death of parent
safety_pin's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
few romance scenes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, and Toxic relationship
linguisticfanatic's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This story is about as standard a plot as you can get. It's been done before and written with more finesse. I made it about 70% of the way through the book before I really had to push myself to finish it. I actually like cliches. I have my comfort zone with them and if they are delivered well then I spend a fun time reading. I might not come out the other side thinking it's the best thing on Earth, but I'll have enjoyed myself.
My main sticking point with the way the book was written was the reaction of Mare to the two princes. Here is a girl who has grown up dirt poor amongst a people enslaved for the color of their blood. They are expendable to the silver bloods and are invisible if they even talk to them. As soon as she's brought into the palace to cover up her having powers she's engaged to the second prince. Ok, fine so far.
However, here's where I get annoyed. Within days (I think it was a couple weeks.) she's suddenly perfectly fine with the second prince figuring out that she's a rebel and is all gungho to work with him. She's perfectly willing to think poorly of the prince who didn't execute her when she tried to steal from him without knowing it. A prince that got her a job so she wouldn't be sent to the front line of the war. A prince that was saying things that showed he considered her to be human when the king was talking to her after her imprisonment. One glance at a room full of armor and war books and she's perfectly fine thinking the worst of him. This is also fine with me if a bit extreme. She has no reason to look for the good in silver blood even when one is trying to show that he's different.
Except, she doesn't show that attitude to the second prince. He's given her no reason to believe all the stuff he's spouting about wanting things to change. He's shown nothing to indicate that he's been doing small things before she met him to take consideration for the red bloods; nothing to show he's different from his mother. I spent the entire book frustratedly waiting to get to the point where he betrayed her just so I could see if the author gave a reason for Mare trusting to easily. It was written as if the mom knowing what Mare's motivations and emotions were would make her trust a silver blood, but that was too flimsy of an explanation for me to take seriously. The author did not handle the emotional and character development for those two well at all to make the subsequent parts of the book feel tense or the betrayal emotional. Instead when Mare is going "I've been so stupid." after everything goes down I just rolled my eyes.
However, here's where I get annoyed. Within days (I think it was a couple weeks.) she's suddenly perfectly fine with the second prince figuring out that she's a rebel and is all gungho to work with him. She's perfectly willing to think poorly of the prince who didn't execute her when she tried to steal from him without knowing it. A prince that got her a job so she wouldn't be sent to the front line of the war. A prince that was saying things that showed he considered her to be human when the king was talking to her after her imprisonment. One glance at a room full of armor and war books and she's perfectly fine thinking the worst of him. This is also fine with me if a bit extreme. She has no reason to look for the good in silver blood even when one is trying to show that he's different.
Except, she doesn't show that attitude to the second prince. He's given her no reason to believe all the stuff he's spouting about wanting things to change. He's shown nothing to indicate that he's been doing small things before she met him to take consideration for the red bloods; nothing to show he's different from his mother. I spent the entire book frustratedly waiting to get to the point where he betrayed her just so I could see if the author gave a reason for Mare trusting to easily. It was written as if the mom knowing what Mare's motivations and emotions were would make her trust a silver blood, but that was too flimsy of an explanation for me to take seriously. The author did not handle the emotional and character development for those two well at all to make the subsequent parts of the book feel tense or the betrayal emotional. Instead when Mare is going "I've been so stupid." after everything goes down I just rolled my eyes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
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