Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

49 reviews

the_lesbrarian's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really loved this book and can’t wait to read the rest of the series. It suffered from some pacing issues that had me put it down a few times, but it has so much going for it that I kept returning. The characters are rich and nuanced with relationships that feel like they could jump off the page. It uses familiar fantasy tropes and situations (gamelike trials for leadership, a girl trained as an elite warrior, an underground world of crime, a secretive magic) in new and engaging ways, making for a story that feels familiar and exciting all at once. 


 The world is queernormative, all characters are Black, and there is a slow-burn main sapphic romance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent

mj_86's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, and Blood

Minor: Confinement and Sexual content

fairyollie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

it did not take me long at all to absolutely devour this book. full of political intrigue, a bisexual love triangle, complex societal expectations and norms all to similar to our own - this book has it all (and more)!!!

what I especially love about this book, as a queer disabled adult who uses sign language, is that disability, sexuality, gender, alternate/augmented means of communication, etc., are all simply facets of life. never do I see a book in which a main character - or so many characters - are disabled and it is not a "pity, shame, how sad, I could never, this is gonna advance so-and-so's character arc!", plot point or traumatic backstory. it simply is. there is so much more I wish I could say, but for fear of my big mouth and I spoiling a thing, let me leave you with this: I cannot recommend this book more; it is simply impossible. I beg you, please join me in this raw, open-hearted, desperate, vengeful quest for adventure and justice and give this series a try.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

salemander's review against another edition

5.0

one of THE fantasy books ever made truly this shit is so goddamn incredible. the characters are so richly made, the commentary on addiction and the perils of empire, the action, the lesbians!!!!!! so fucking well done. can’t wait to read the next one 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

porcupine_girl'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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Self harm, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, and Fire/Fire injury

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Vomit, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Bullying

thethingwithfeathers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

megansoetaert's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• 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

4.5

y'all....! this book was actually so good!!

i struggled with the first half or so, i'll own my truth. i felt like the basis of the world was basic--especially the hierarchical caste system, it felt so cut and dry. and the action wasn't actioning for me! BUT... once things really started picking up, i was so intrigued. I read the last 1/3 of the book in one sitting. the world is more complex than it initially seems, and i want to know more asap!!!! 

there are so many things beyond the main characters that are so interesting to me. like!

the Ghostings are native!!! everyone can bloodwerk!! THE OTHER COUNTRIES!!!!! i'm so excited to learn more about all of that.

i really hope we get even more of Hassa's POV in book 2. and sylah... girl... you got this (i hope)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Racism, Violence, and Blood

alilbitofeveryth1ng's review against another edition

medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Rape

mar's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• 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

I enjoyed this, though not as much as I expected I would. There's a very fun subversion of the Chosen One trope, the worldbuilding is nicely done and with a couple very memorable elements, and the story incorporates and explores topics of oppression and class division well. 

What I struggled with was the immaturity of the characters, which made it feel too much like reading a YA novel 😭 I found they got on my nerves a lot, but with time I did get a bit invested in both the slowburn romance and Anoor's success in the Aktibar, so I guess it wasn't all that bad. (Also: I adore a deadly magical competition, and with how much time was spent training for each trial it would've been nice to spend a little more time on the actual events themselves).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Slavery, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Gore, Torture, and Grief

Minor: Body shaming and Sexual content