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rdawnl'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? No
4.75
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence
ginamiya's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Trafficking
kazli'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
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Ableism, Blood, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Gore, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Death of parent
themoodreader's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, Animal cruelty, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Death, Medical content, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Abandonment, Bullying, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, War, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Slavery
mozzribo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
In many ways, it is an ambiguous novel, with some qualities shining through the lines, while some problems drag it down into the mediocre. Exposure is often written just a few breaths before they become relevant, while some events are embedded throughout and serve as a genuine surprise in retrospect. It often reads like a young adult novel, with ideas that have been old and overused more than twenty years ago. Yet, there are plentiful gems inside it in terms of engaging, masterful writing and witty thoughts that make it rise above the average young adult novel (and increase my rating). For that alone, it was a worthwhile journey.
Sadly the ending, while pretty much sudden and a cutting off with a cliffhanger, doesn't draw me to explore further.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Animal death, Torture, Violence, Child death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Slavery, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Cursing
kimia_hyperfocuser's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The world building is so creative, and it gives the story such bitter grey vibes. It's set in the distant future when the Sun is not as hot anymore, so the earth is covered with ice except a narrows corridor along the equator. Aliens landed on earth at some point and mixed with humans, which is how we get the magic system. I also loved the combination of the magic system and the theology of the Path. Very original.
The LGBTQ representation is also my favorite kind: casual. The same sex couples are just there, not fetishized but also not hidden. They don't get persecuted within the world of the story (I can forgive the implausibility of an agricultural society not being patriarchal), and their relationship has a role in the plot without taking over their entire characters.
Also, am I reading too much into this or is Nona, the main character, neurodivergent? She's bad with people, she zones out in class, and it annoys her that something square-shaped is called "the ring". It may just be that the writer is trying to give her quirks, tho.
Some things I didn't like: how the
Other than that, though, I'm looking forward to book 2.
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Slavery
nila'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
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, and War
bluejayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Bullying
Minor: Ableism and Gore
ladyaleira's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Violence
thebetterstory'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
The writing is a lively mixture of classic tropes and new twists on the formula. The worldbuilding is doled out my preferred way, in tiny bursts and only when it's directly relevant to the characters lives' in some way. The prose is also pleasantly unpretentious, focusing on imparting clear information rather than dazzling with elaborate descriptions or turns of phrase. It makes this eminently readable, which is great for the tightly-paced plot and action sequences.
Nona, the protagonist, leans into being a power fantasy, which I suppose might annoy people who for some reason do not enjoy watching little girls behead grown men in vengeance, but as she's also being constantly beset by horrible circumstances I'd say she's still quite easy to root for, as is the motley cast of friends she gathers around herself as the novel progresses.
There was one particular bit I found annoying, which had to do with the girls (who do at least have the excuse of being very young) refusing to disclose important information to the adults in their lives because they're scared of the consequences, even when it becomes obvious those consequences could be dire. Luckily, nobody's holding onto the idiot ball for longer than a plot-essential arc or so before it's dropped.
By the time I was a quarter of the way through the book, I was already reserving the rest of the series from the library and settling in to marathon as much as I could. This was my first book by this author, and I'm certain I'll be digging back through his previous trilogies to see if they're as delightful as this one is so far.
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Ableism and Bullying