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dmrains's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Rape, Outing, Classism, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Bullying
ally_133'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Kidnapping
lottie1803'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Misogyny, Grief, Sexual harassment, War, Homophobia, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Trafficking, Biphobia, Gaslighting, and Lesbophobia
jvalentine1386's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Xenophobia, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, War, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual content, Classism, Sexual violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Rape, Alcohol, Pedophilia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia
carinaa_khl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent, Slavery, Homophobia, and Alcohol
rsb12'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Classism, Homophobia, Murder, Death, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Outing
Minor: Death of parent, Infertility, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol
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
disneyfreak627'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Sexual violence
tinysierra's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed the moments that Lei founds strength in love and friendship.
In spite of only getting a little glimpse of Lei’s family in the herb shop at the beginning, their bond and the coziness of Lei’s home came across well.
I liked the cultures that the author set up. The world-building was fascinating. Not every character feels the same way about the situation as our main character does, so it makes them feel all the more realistic.
The romance was cute!
Sex work and same sex couples are stigmatized by some characters in the book.
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, War, Homophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hollandjacobs'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
With that out of the way, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a poor girl being forced into a royal court but never loving it. So many books have girls quickly swooning over dresses and pastries. Not Lei. The world is really interesting, the characters complex, the stakes high - it’s a pretty intense book. It didn’t have a super strong chosen one troupe, really just a girl fighting for her own autonomy. Abuse is rampant, but never fetishized. Really I just feel like the author held the balance of all these complex issues really well, it was well written, and I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the series!
Moderate: Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Sexual content