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persephonefoxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
She was as free now as she ever would be. She could choose what she fought for. She could choose who she was willing to die for
This book has me conflicted - while it tells a story that is both confronting and important, there are elements that fell flat for me.
This does an amazing job depicting the horrors of war and revolution, and the desperation of people fighting for their lands, their right to be treated as people, their freedom. It is confronting. It is raw. It is very real in its depiction.
My struggle in this book stems more from the characters. I love a flawed character, it is what makes them real. However, the plot of this book ruminated on the constant backsliding and poor decisions made my Touraine and Luca. And while I believe Touraine completed a character arch, growing and changing (albeit it with constant side switching). Luca almost started and finished in the same place, just with a plethora of poor choices in the middle.
Lastly, there are intricacies when depicting a coloniser/colonised relationship that I do not believe were hit. I am interested to see how the relationship and romance is handled and develops over the rest of the series.
TL:DR - What this book has to say is very important. And Clark doesn’t sugar coat the horrors of colonisation and war. However, some marks outside of action and conflicts were missed. I am tentatively going to pick up the next book, and am curious to see if these marks are hit in the sequel.
Graphic: Racism, Vomit, Violence, Colonisation, Blood, War, Death, Gore, and Confinement
Moderate: Torture, Classism, Sexual harassment, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Rape and Gun violence
lady_valhella'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Genocide, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization
marysunburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Blood, Deportation, Pandemic/Epidemic, Trafficking, War, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Colonisation, Blood, Slavery, Gore, Religious bigotry, Racism, Violence, Death, War, Chronic illness, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, Hate crime, Classism, Kidnapping, Animal death, Vomit, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Cursing
gigi_jodie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Each path seemed like a different kind of powerlessness, but Touraine didn't know where else she could turn."
I honestly can't explain how well Clark wrote about colonialism and displacement, identity and politics in a divided land.
"Touraine was starting to think it was impossible to come from one land and learn to live in another and feel whole. That you would aways stand on shaky, hole-ridden ground, half of your identity dug out of you and tossed away."
It was so important to have both Touraine's and Luca's perspectives. Because as much as Luca is a power hungry monarch, she does genuinely care deep down, even though her actions might not always reflect that.
"'You will never have nothing. Not like we have nothing. Not like
the Sands have nothing. not like the Qazali have nothing- Not like a
carpenter's daughter in Nowhere, Balladaire, has nothing.' You will
never have to sell yourself to live."
"The sharp edge of Luca's voice rested against Touraine's throat. "I'm
letting you walk out of here on one condition. Get the rebels in line,
I don't want any more bloodshed than you do. The sooner they stop
fighting, the sooner I call of my hounds."
"You deserve this fight."
"The civilians, too? The children?"
"You teach the children to spit on us! Crawl out of your books, and
open your fucking eyes, Luca. This is real. We are real."
Sidenote, it was pretty damn cool to have a disabled princess, showing her reality and struggles without making it a weakness.
And that's all not even to mention all the other INCREDIBLE characters. The way they were discribed, the way they talked and moved I imagined them a certain way for it to only be later that their actual physical attributes were talked about and they were exactly as I imagined.
TIBEAU has my heart, he deserved so much better.
Often stories spare not much room outside of the main characters, but even with only 2 POV's the other characters were so outspoken and alive on the pages.
Anyhow. Read it.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Grief, and War
katclaybaugh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Racism, Violence, Colonisation, and Genocide
Moderate: Ableism, Xenophobia, Slavery, Cannibalism, Death, Torture, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
heather667's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Torture, and Vomit
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, and Excrement
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Murder, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Rape
mar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Racism
Moderate: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic, Ableism, Sexual assault, and Torture
Minor: Vomit and Animal death
lanid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Colonisation, War, Racism, Police brutality, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual harassment, Ableism, and Body horror
backitupmoony's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: War, Colonisation, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Torture, Sexual assault, and Ableism