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bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Lor has been a prisoner for half her life and is just trying to survive the brutal life of beatings and sexual assaults for fun inside Nostraza. After being sentenced to two weeks in the Hollow- a pit outside the prison, unprotected from terrifying creatures that roam the forest- Lor is barely coherent when she’s spirited away to luxury and comfort as she finds herself the final tribute in a competition to become the Sun Queen, however not everything is as it seems.
I have mixed feelings about plots that revolve around one character being totally in the dark while everyone else is in on it. Obviously, it creates tension and a way for the audience to learn about the world but it’s annoying when it would take ten minutes and an ounce of kindness to explain. I also got some literary whiplash changing from Lor’s 1st person perspective to Nadir’s chapters in 3rd person. I got used to it though and it made sense to experience Lor’s triumphs and setbacks through her eyes while Nadir is more of a secondary focus here.
Rarely do I wish a book was longer but in this case, I do. The characters were underdeveloped to the point I could predict most of the plot based on their archetypes. Something I liked was that Lor enjoyed the dresses and long hair in her head instead of being not like other girls. Atlas is a walking red flag. The most interesting character was Gabriel because he’s clearly in on some of Atlas’s plan but not all of it and he can’t seem to decide for himself if he wants to help Lor or harm her.
We as readers are also kept in the dark about lots that hasn’t been revealed yet. The hints are not hard to miss- Lor has this gem, the Heart Queen was destroyed, a rose is found in her former lands when everything else is dead, etc- but we did not get a reveal in this book. However, it was a fun read and I am excited to read the next one.
I have mixed feelings about plots that revolve around one character being totally in the dark while everyone else is in on it. Obviously, it creates tension and a way for the audience to learn about the world but it’s annoying when it would take ten minutes and an ounce of kindness to explain. I also got some literary whiplash changing from Lor’s 1st person perspective to Nadir’s chapters in 3rd person. I got used to it though and it made sense to experience Lor’s triumphs and setbacks through her eyes while Nadir is more of a secondary focus here.
Rarely do I wish a book was longer but in this case, I do. The characters were underdeveloped to the point I could predict most of the plot based on their archetypes. Something I liked was that Lor enjoyed the dresses and long hair in her head instead of being not like other girls. Atlas is a walking red flag. The most interesting character was Gabriel because he’s clearly in on some of Atlas’s plan but not all of it and he can’t seem to decide for himself if he wants to help Lor or harm her.
We as readers are also kept in the dark about lots that hasn’t been revealed yet. The hints are not hard to miss- Lor has this gem, the Heart Queen was destroyed, a rose is found in her former lands when everything else is dead, etc- but we did not get a reveal in this book. However, it was a fun read and I am excited to read the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Rape
rainy_daze's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape
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