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samasaurus_reads'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
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
chloenk_1011's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
sarahsbookss'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
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
cc0906's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and War
booksthatburn'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? It's complicated
5.0
For those who enjoy love triangles, this has an innovation on the form: Laia and Elias each have two people to choose between. As the protagonists they're of course drawn to each other, but Laia has a smoldering attraction to one of the rebels, and Elias is slowly realizing he might have romantic feelings for his best friend (the only female Mask in his generation). These tensions aren't completely resolved in this book either, leaving room for this to develop more in the next one. I like both options for each of them, and it feels like there's a genuine question over what they'll choose. For those who are a little less into such plots, it's a consistent but not overwhelming thread and there's plenty else to like.
The plot begins with Elias and Laia on two sides of the same raid, where Laia's grandparents are killed and her brother is kidnapped, while Elias is one of the Masks carrying out the invasion. The chapters frequently overlap, with each narrator sometimes beginning their chapter by telling their perspective on an event or a slice of time which was just told by the other. Since they generally have completely different experiences, I like this overlapping style but it took a little getting used to. It made it feel more like they were each narrating what was important to them, uncaring and unknowing of what the other described. Laia asks the Rebels for help getting her brother back, and is placed as a slave to the Commandant of the Academy where Elias is. Elias was planning to escape, but is told by an Augur that the only way to actually be free is if first he stays. The rest of the story unfolds as Laia tries to get information to the rebels and survive her enslavement, while Elias tries to survive the gauntlet of challenges to be the next emperor (a title he doesn't even want).
One thing I appreciate about this book is that in a system so controlling and overseen by (basically) mind-reading (probably) immortal Augurs who never explain their own goals, it would make very little sense for the heroes to have genuine agency over their lives at a macro level. So they don't. They don't have control over how things will go, their plans keep working out very differently than they even dared to hope, and they frequently suffer for it. They're constantly in danger and often get hurt, Laia from the Commandant's whims or Elias from the challenges themselves. When things do go well, an Augur usually turns up to tell Elias how he's done what they wanted, yet again. It's frustrating but completely in keeping with the brutality and sheer mind-fuckery of the situation. Because they have so little control, most of the plot focuses on how they feel and what they decided to do in the small moments they do have.
I enjoyed this and plan to read the rest of the series, this is an exciting and well-paced beginning to the quartet.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Rape, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicide and War
bfirstedition's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, and Sexual harassment
griffinthief's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Trafficking
luliposatieris'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
4.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War
angstifies'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
3.5
the narrators and characters were so annoying, the main characters are 17 and 21 but i felt like i was being told a story by a fucking child.
but the absolute worst thing about this book was the <b>overuse of misogyny and sexual violence against women.</b> i get it, some books’ worlds and settings are sexist but it was so overused. there are so many mentions of rape/threats of rape when it’s not even needed, and it was absolutely pointless. and the sexism was absolutely disgusting, even the male main character himself is so fucking misogynistic and constantly objectifies the “love interests”, i could not believe this was written by a woman.
i’m gonna make examples that infuriate me about <b>Elias specifically and his misogyny:</b> using “don’t act like a girl” as a degrading insult to Helene (a woman) SO MANY TIMES, even in his internal monologue + saying things like “oh they’re women! that’s how they are!”, shut the fuck up. sexualising both Laia and Helene basically always. feeling bad for a literal abusive RAPIST. letting marcus win knowing that now he can do whatever he wants with Helene and she can’t say no to him, all for a girl with no personality he met less than 2 months ago.
the characters were almost always insufferable and the romance was shit, i at least enjoyed the overall plot and the last 80 pages were great.
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent