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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexism
Moderate: Homophobia, Slavery, Cannibalism, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, Murder
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Genocide, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Cannibalism
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cannibalism
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
Loving, sad, and at moments dark. An examination of “what if” that is somehow able to make you laugh at the exact wrong times.
The excellent narration and consistent voices made the audiobook a special treat.
The excellent narration and consistent voices made the audiobook a special treat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism, Murder
Minor: Death, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol
While most of this is minor and par for the course of a spy/romance novel, it discusses in first person terms the conditions during a failed Arctic mission that is presented to have devolved into cannibalism, which I had trouble reading. Skip chapter 8 intro and you won’t miss any of the main story if this is a concern.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Terrible ending, SAD and also a little open-ended. I didn’t love the main character. I feel like there was no redemption for her behaviors until the last few pages. I hated the leading the reader on with a possible future and then it not being that at all and instead being terrible. And my favorite character died. I felt down-trodden after finishing this book.
I feel like I put it in the time - invested - in these characters and there was no payout.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Cannibalism
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was really excited for this novel’s premise/concept, but it honestly didn’t execute it in a satisfying way for me personally. It had lots of interesting things it was trying to do, but in the end seemed muddled. I didn’t really click with the MC, but I loved the historical expat characters- they redeemed the book for me in many ways. The author seemed to try to justify the MC at the end but it came a little too late for me, especially after the government spy plot stuff. The sci-fi aspects were very hit and miss, interesting but also didn’t make a lot of sense- maybe I just didn’t get it/understand all of it. I honestly wished I liked this book more, I love time travel stories so I am kinda disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Murder, Colonisation
Minor: Genocide, Slavery, Cannibalism, War
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
Loved this book. Great storytelling and great character construction. Speculative fiction. It takes a certain amount of charm and forethought to write about a time ‘just - little ahead in time’ and then rely on a tragic adventure in the past as a plot device. I want to read more about those horrible journeys into the frozen unknown in the name of empire (yuck). It also reminded me of Jasper Fforde, the way his characters pop out of the page and into your life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, War
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
Wild ride. I’m still a little confused but I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Murder, War
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Vomit
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
coming back to this review after listening to Kaliane Bradley's interview with Becca from Meet Cute, because I loved this weird and wistful, heady, atmospheric and oppressive (like the London summer) story
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content
Minor: Cannibalism, War