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warlocksarecool21'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
3.25
and I also want to know what the fuck was up with the witches. like you can’t just say there’s witches and not explain them or where the magic comes from. I didn’t mind the magic of the sea being kind of mysterious because no one truly understands it anyways but I wish there was some foundational explanation of the world history and magic system bc the information we got was kind of vague.
I know it sounds like I hated this but there were some fun elements to this story but I was ultimately a little disappointed.
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Grief and Abandonment
lilycaitlin'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
4.5
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
kananineko'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
3.0
I still think a lot of people will love this book, though. If the description sounds interesting to you, go for it!
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Outing, and Alcohol
ettegoom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The author laid the whole: colonialism is bad, and gender diversity should be normal on pretty thickly. I still enjoyed it though, and found myself rooting for several of the characters.
A nice book for teens.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Rape
_forestofpages'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault
discarded_dust_jacket'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
3.75
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to YA fantasy in particular, is when I can tell that an author is patronizing or talking down to their reader. I think sometimes the distinction between “accessible” and “clumsily over-simplified” can get muddy.
I notice it in particular when I read an author who’s known for their adult books, but who writes YA every now and then. The writing in the YA book will be so obviously adjusted to what, presumably, the author believes will be more “palatable” to a younger audience. I don’t think that’s always being fair to young readers. There’s obviously nuance here, but I think it can seem to communicate a lack of faith in their ability to understand complexity, dark themes, or challenging language.
This book was a pleasant surprise in that regard. I didn’t feel condescended to as I read, but it was still distinctly easy to read. The narrative flowed smoothly and kept my attention. The characters were easy to care about (I appreciated the expanded points of view as the story went on), and the plot didn’t shy away from dark or heavy material (like the impacts of colonialism, the ethics of survival at all costs, etc).
I also loved that the magic system in this book takes the shape of stories and storytelling; I thought that was really beautiful and unique.
There’s quite a few loose threads left dangling at the end of this book, which I hope get picked up in the forthcoming sequel!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence and Murder
Minor: Gore, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, and Death of parent
kibberbl'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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Homophobia
scrambledark'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Slavery
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
dokushoka's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and War
Minor: Child death and Murder
maeverose's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Rape, and Sexual content
Waterboarding, poisoning.