Scan barcode
sipnayan's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Torture, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Homophobia, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Vomit, Cursing, and Trafficking
am26's review
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Genocide
morganraine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gore, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Police brutality
runes_reads'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
3.75
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, Medical trauma, Grief, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Kidnapping, Animal death, Trafficking, War, Murder, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
Moderate: Outing, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death of parent, Mental illness, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit
cdoubet'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
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Slavery, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
kassidyreads'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Confinement, Death of parent, Slavery, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Genocide, and Homophobia
poppywarphan'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? It's complicated
3.0
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Plot: 6/10
Worldbuilding: 5/10
Writing: 8/10
This might as well have been a standalone. But it's not because of that extra page at the end. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm invested enough to read any further installments.
The idea was good, the execution not so much. The worldbuilding wasn't really explored. The plot and writing were simplistic. That's not a bad thing, but on one hand it read as a book for younger teens, on the other hand though it discussed mature themes. There's rape. It's not graphic, but there nonetheless. If there's anything that triggers me in books, its sexual assault. The girls are taken as mistresses and must have sex with the king against their will. Yes, they don't object, but it's either that or be killed.
The characters were underdeveloped. The king as a villain was just stupid. He's evil. OK, and? That's it? The paper girls were pretty indistinguishable. Aside from Aoki and Blue whose personality was being a bitch. The relationship between Lei and Wren didn't really have any foundation. It was pretty much just lusting and attraction.
Now, what I did like was what was done with Aoki's character. Not that I like what happened to her, but the book highlights how easy it is to fall victim to an abusive man. Aoki is the youngest out of the paper girls and naive. The king makes her feel special, so she starts having feelings for him. I like how it pointed out (although in a pretty juvenile way) that such a relationship is, in fact, not good (side-eyeing all the romance books that romanticize toxic relationships). Aoki is probably the most nuanced compared to the other two-dimensional characters.
Overall Girls of paper and fire wasn't a terrible book, just underwhelming.
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Body horror
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Racism, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Classism, Bullying, Death, and Genocide
brigid_reads_romance'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: Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Genocide, Classism, and Colonisation
Minor: Death of parent
sofiacazares's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Genocide, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Slavery
planetshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Trafficking, Bullying, Gaslighting, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Outing, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Toxic relationship