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just_cole'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
3.0
Moderate: Death and Violence
atropea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Body horror, Classism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
thesadhen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Animal death, and Bullying
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Also didn't really like the kind of random make out session in the middle of one of the quests. Really threw me out of the whole thing for that little bit.
I did really enjoy the world though, I'm a sucker for yokai, and I hope Ren will find what she is searching for in the next book because what she is searching for deserves much better. I will still be planning on reading the sequel just for the hope that things turn out positively and some reconciliation will be there.
I also love that this was written by a mixed race author so of course I'm biased to support. Overall liked the writing and story so I hope Ren is less agitating in the sequel.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
maralaene'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
4.5
At times though, I will admit, Ren was not my favorite character. She felt naive and selfish - though she blatantly admitted this many times over.
But Neven - absolutely adored him. He truly loves unconditionally and I feel like that is something critical to the story that we don’t yet get to know.
I can’t wait to keep reading and finish out the story.
✓ Dark Fantasy
✓ Japanese mythology
✓ Sibling bonds
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Xenophobia
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Racism
thenovelbookshelf'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
5.0
When she loses control of her Shinigami powers while being beaten and bullied for being a 'foreigner', she decides to flee everything that she has known, accompanied by her full reaper brother.
Ren must accept an impossible task to become accepted as a Shinigami by the Japanese Goddess of Death, along the way she must find out who she is and what she wants most.
A thrilling story that takes you on Ren's journey on Earth as well as the underworld. Beautiful and strong world building sets the scene for a fast paced fantasy filled with myths and legends of death around the world.
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Bullying
Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Grief, Genocide, Torture, Physical abuse, and Violence
thecriticalreader'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
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Animal death
bittennailbooks'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Keeper of Night is a beautiful retelling of the diasporic Reaper Ren who will do almost anything to stay out of the high Reapers criticizing gaze or abusive reach. Being half British and half Japanese, Ren is consistently kicked down by other Reapers for her "half-breed" status and dreams of running away with her best friend/half-brother in tow.
A reaping night like any other, Ren finally fights back against the other Reapers who torment her, unleashing her long hidden Shinigami powers and thus sealing her fate. She now must flee to a home in Japan she's never known in hopes of finding her birth mother and hopefully, a way to control her Shinigami magic.
I finished this book in one sitting due to its fast paced writing but it sort of felt a little bit empty when I closed in on the big twist. I wish I would have been taken a bit more into the adventure to Japan or that Hiro's advances didn't feel so out left field later on. However, I would definitely continue on with the series as it stands and hats off to Baker for her raw examination of bi-racial experiences.
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Violence and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment
r1vana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Death, Xenophobia, and Violence