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hailthejessiah's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
World building kind of cool, but I found the concept a bit strange. It's a sapphic romance but they've built a fantasy setting where the only major prejudices seem to be misogyny and homophones but ONLY against sapphics? Plot was relatively juvenile and protag a bit of a Mary Sue. Lots of redeeming qualities in the setting, and the concepts of the animal people but overall...eh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Violence
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
This was a reread but was just as impactful the second time around. This was also the first book I had read (when this book first came out) that had a list of triggers at the very beginning of the book and honestly, we stan an author who wants to protect their readers. Please be mindful of those triggers when reading the book.
Considering the story of the FMC being taken away from her family to be one of my concubines to a vicious leader, it was a dark read and often difficult to get through but the love story was searing and gut-wrenching. The world-building was immense and the plot was engaging. I cannot wait to see this story continue and eagerly hoping the patriarchy falls apart.
Considering the story of the FMC being taken away from her family to be one of my concubines to a vicious leader, it was a dark read and often difficult to get through but the love story was searing and gut-wrenching. The world-building was immense and the plot was engaging. I cannot wait to see this story continue and eagerly hoping the patriarchy falls apart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Moderate: Homophobia, War, and Death of parent
starr27's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Animal death, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Infertility, War, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
youbelongwithmira's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
thebookdragon_taylorsversion's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, and Rape
pandemonicbaby's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
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? It's complicated
3.0
I was really hoping I'd like this book more. I mean, a forbidden romance between two girls who fight against an oppressive system in search for a future where they can be together??? Sign me up!! I thought I was going to LOVE this. Instead, I just felt kind of lukewarm about it.
And don't get me wrong, I think it's SO important how we are in a time period where we're able to have bestselling YA stories with central queer storylines, stories that deal with the theme of sexual assault but focus on the victims' journeys of healing, presenting these themes in a respectful way to a younger audience. I've been having an unfortunate streak with this type of thing lately, and 2 of the last books I've read have had explicit rape scenes which made me greatly uncomfortable. I was really shocked when this book (a YA novel) had the best, most respectful depiction of it out of the 3, and handled the topic with care, moreso than any of those other books I've read. It didn't have to describe it in detail to be impactful, and fully focused on the victim's feelings afterward.
That being said, otherwise, I think this book maybe wasn't exactly for me. People who know me know I LOVE sapphic romance, and will eat up basically anything, but this romance just felt sort of rushed and not really impactful. I wasn't really excited to see them finally kiss or confess their feelings to eachother like I usually am with any sapphic couple I read about. It just felt a bit, I don't know, spiceless, saltless, like the taste of food that you usually really love but in this specific casw it just feels bland. And I don't really think it has to do with the characters themselves, but more with the way the romance was written. Also, I don't know exactly why, but I felt like I didn't really enjoy the writing style. I'm not sure what I felt was lacking in it, but I just wasn't really digging it all that much.
Also, originally, I thought all castes were human, and had NO idea there were gonna be furries in this LMFAO. That *did* make the scenes with the king especially unbearable, though, and I feel like that was probably the intent.
Anyways, it wasn't really for me, but I really do hope that some readers are able to find something they love in this book. I just really really hoped I would love it too.
And don't get me wrong, I think it's SO important how we are in a time period where we're able to have bestselling YA stories with central queer storylines, stories that deal with the theme of sexual assault but focus on the victims' journeys of healing, presenting these themes in a respectful way to a younger audience. I've been having an unfortunate streak with this type of thing lately, and 2 of the last books I've read have had explicit rape scenes which made me greatly uncomfortable. I was really shocked when this book (a YA novel) had the best, most respectful depiction of it out of the 3, and handled the topic with care, moreso than any of those other books I've read. It didn't have to describe it in detail to be impactful, and fully focused on the victim's feelings afterward.
That being said, otherwise, I think this book maybe wasn't exactly for me. People who know me know I LOVE sapphic romance, and will eat up basically anything, but this romance just felt sort of rushed and not really impactful. I wasn't really excited to see them finally kiss or confess their feelings to eachother like I usually am with any sapphic couple I read about. It just felt a bit, I don't know, spiceless, saltless, like the taste of food that you usually really love but in this specific casw it just feels bland. And I don't really think it has to do with the characters themselves, but more with the way the romance was written. Also, I don't know exactly why, but I felt like I didn't really enjoy the writing style. I'm not sure what I felt was lacking in it, but I just wasn't really digging it all that much.
Also, originally, I thought all castes were human, and had NO idea there were gonna be furries in this LMFAO. That *did* make the scenes with the king especially unbearable, though, and I feel like that was probably the intent.
Anyways, it wasn't really for me, but I really do hope that some readers are able to find something they love in this book. I just really really hoped I would love it too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Police brutality, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death of parent, Genocide, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, War, Grief, and Outing
Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, and Infertility
Unconsensual sexual acts are mentioned various times in this book, some particularly violent. There is one explicit rape scene in this book (albeit not described in detail).kemikemi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? No
3.25
This book has an interesting world and premise, and I will be honest I’m writing this review about a month after I finished it, but when I sat down I was hard-pressed to remember anything about it for a couple minutes. Unfortunately I wasn’t too invested in the main romance between Wren and Lei; I loved that it was sapphic relationship representation and the unique concept of two consorts falling for each other had me greatly anticipating, but something about the way the author wrote it from Lei’s pov didn’t strike with me…I also wished that we had gotten more time with their friendship and bond developing before it becoming romance/attraction. Our main character’s relationship with Aoki was super interesting, though, and I enjoyed seeing it shift throughout the book. This was a fun read, although based on where it leaves you hanging at the end with the last little twist I’m not entirely sure I’m set on reading/finishing the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Murder
graece_03's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
This is the first of a trilogy and was intense and dark enough that I will not be reading the second two
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, and Classism
ahopper7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? No
3.5
I wanted to like this more than I did. The fantasy elements are cool, I love the magic system, and I love a good badass female plot line. But the romance, I mean it’s cute and I will always love a queer couple but the way they “fell in love” didn’t feel organic and for me the tension and chemistry is missing. I still have hopes the remaining books in the trilogy will win me over though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, and Sexual assault
ally_133's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
Was really slow at the start and made it hard to get into the book, but at the end things really start to speed up and get interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Kidnapping