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cgn's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Classism, Grief, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual content
clea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I found it difficult to immerse myself fully into the story until about one third of the book. But then the suspense increased, the stakes got higher and the conflicts intensified, which led to a more engaging read.
My only complaint is that I don't find the villains very intimidating anymore. Most of the time we only hear about the Commandant's cruel actions and we hardly get to experience them. I think this would have added a deeper emotional aspect to the absolutely horrendous things happening in this story.
Especially the Nightbringer lost some of his fearsomeness he had in the first book.
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Torture, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Terminal illness, Slavery, Sexism, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
Minor: Confinement
katsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“Failure doesn't define you. It's what you do after you fail that determines whether you are a leader or a waste of perfectly good air.”
“Don't look so worried. Most successful missions are just a series of barely averted disasters.”
“You are a torch against the night - if you dare to let yourself burn.”
Whoa. This novel was a wild ride, much like it's predecessor which I also enjoyed a lot. The adventure and intrigue were a ton of fun and kept me turning pages, especially during the last half. The plot twists were on point and they just kept on coming. Between presumed deaths, actual deaths, a love triangle and a massive betrayal, the drama almost gave me whiplash, but in the best possible way. Elias is the sweetest while also being a total badass. I love how much Laia's character has grown. And while I started off not really liking Helene's POV, I really appreciated her by the end of the book. I also ended up liking Harper much more than I thought I would. I really liked the more overtly fantastical elements incorporated into this novel (as opposed to the first novel, An Ember in the Ashes) and I'm really excited to see how those elements get fleshed out in the last two novels. There are some significant trigger warnings for graphic violence, torture, child abuse and genocide so please be aware.
REREAD:
This was just as fantastic the second time around. The twists and turns were just as good. I was a little frustrated that I forgot so much about the plot over the last year but that just meant I really got to relive it. And honestly I have so many questions for book 3. The character's are so well written and I'm convinced Tahir is going to rip my heart out in the last two books. So here goes nothing.
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Grief, Murder, Torture, Physical abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content
miraswrld's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Genocide, Blood, Slavery, Xenophobia, Grief, Gore, Confinement, and Child death
slama_llama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The writing style is so smooth and the story flows so freely. This book has definitely brought forth intense reactions- I was crying and screaming and shouting angrily. So many of my annotations and notes is just me yelling at someone, or furiously commenting on something in FULL CAPS; There are so many moments when the plot enraged me (this is not a negative point towards the writing style or the author, it’s just simply how the story plays out).
A dystopian story to the core.
Two books in, there’s a lot that we don’t know, things that need explanations- but it’s well played out and we know all the relevant details till this point that it doesn’t feel like a sloppy attempt at creating mystery.
I’m highly impressed, and despite the anxiety inducing plot, I’m glad I picked it up.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Genocide, and Torture
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, Slavery, and Terminal illness
ramiel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
Imperialism is one hell of a drug. "Mild" are: the emperor is a rapist and makes a lot of threats. Some of the sexual content - such as that between the two main characters - is innocent and not excessively detailed but its there.nefari_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
bookaquarius's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Slavery, and Child abuse
Minor: Animal death and Sexual violence
ehmannky's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This sequel does what any good middle-of-a-series book should do, which is provide a compelling and complete story on its own while still adding to the overall mythos. It picks up almost immediately after the first installment, with Elias and Laia on the run from the Martial Empire. Their rescue mission of Laia's brother is complicated when Elias is poisoned and they are forced to work that into their plans. This book also has the much appreciated addition of Helene, Elias' former best friend and now the second most powerful person in the Empire. It really elevates a character that in the first installment was a little flat. Love it, cannot wait to get my hands on the third installment.
Reread: I found myself fascinated by Helene this time around. Just because she is kind of a truly unsympathetic character in that her main goal is to maintain this unjust system that is the Empire. I don't know, something about her inclusion in the narrative adds such a wrinkle to your understanding of the entire mythos of this series. Also, wow, do I hate Keenan so very much.
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, and Terminal illness
Minor: Misogyny