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frankie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Violence
ryleebunton's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I didn't mind this book it was just underwhelming. It didn't feel like we got any character development and not much changed with the characters. I didn't feel as attached as I wanted or expected to. It's also so so slow. I haven't read book 2 and I can already say they could have both been shortened and been one book. I liked Akos' chapters much more but was confused as to why they weren't in 1st person if half the book is supposed to be from his perspective. I also kept for getting this book was set in space ??? It feels like it would have been better as a shorter, more condensed fantasy (rather than sci-fi). It could have been much better if so much was cut out because at the end of the book we're not much further along from where we started. eh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, and War
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- 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? No
3.0
I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed the Divergent series from Veronica Roth and I liked her writing style. This book was challenging with all the new world building and characters. But unlike The Chosen One and Divergent – this storyline was slow-paced and took me a while to get into.
In this world everyone has a gift which they call a currentgift. This book is set from two character’s point of view. The first character is Cyra. She is the sister of the brutal tyrant named Ryzek who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — a gift in which she hates and is in total agony but her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows. She is determined free herself from her brother’s control. The second character’s point of view is Akos and his currentgift is unusual. He is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the planet of Thuvhe. Akos is generous in spirit, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get this brother out alive — no matter what the cost. Akos and Cyra are stuck together in a world they want to get out of and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?
The one thing I liked about this book is the multiple POVs, enemies to lovers and the found family tropes. I liked the characters that came from both world who wanted to work together and fix the issues on each planet. Cyra also grew on me during the novel and I liked her character development. I liked Akos from the first chapters because of his actions and his loyalty from the beginning. I just struggled with this book. It was very slow-paced compared to Roth’s other series. I struggled with the world building and the new terminology that I didn’t really understand the first quarter of the novel. Once I got into it, I was just waiting for the big action or the big reveal that didn’t really happen.
I was very disappointed because Roth’s other books are quite strong and this one just didn’t do it for me. I don’t know if it was the space aspect of it or the slowness of the novel, I just really struggled to get through this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Death, Violence, and Death of parent
crochetplush's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
ajboyd_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Violence, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Slavery, and Torture
sophie1_xox's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
mypatronusisajedi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Violence
megannoelle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Chronic illness and Self harm
camigy's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
i picked up this book with no expectations whatsoever and i think that ended up working in my favor. The world building is actually cool, i really like the idea of everyone having a current-gift and it being a reflection of who they are and the life that they lived. Also i rly loved when they traveled to different planets and the idea that a galaxy works kinda like the world where each planet functions kinda like a country and they have laws and bla bla.
Plot-wise it was kinda slow, there was a lot of walking around and showing Akos this new world, which fine whatever show us more about the world, but also something should be happening in the background, right? Then shit starts happening and all i kept thinking was "i've read this before" every single "take down the government" novel is the same as this one, but the world kinda made up for it for me
The characters were fine ig, there's nothing really special about them and i wasn't especially attached, but they were likable, Cyra was one of the very few narrators that didn't annoy the hell out of me half way through the book, Akos was kinda bland and every side character wasn't rly developed so they were j ok
Plot-wise it was kinda slow, there was a lot of walking around and showing Akos this new world, which fine whatever show us more about the world, but also something should be happening in the background, right? Then shit starts happening and all i kept thinking was "i've read this before" every single "take down the government" novel is the same as this one, but the world kinda made up for it for me
The characters were fine ig, there's nothing really special about them and i wasn't especially attached, but they were likable, Cyra was one of the very few narrators that didn't annoy the hell out of me half way through the book, Akos was kinda bland and every side character wasn't rly developed so they were j ok
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Suicide
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