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lia_24'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
This ending... That was uncalled for.
Some thoughts tho (includes spoilers):
1. The whole time I was terrified for my boy, my love, my life William. Perfection in person. The light of my life. And I am beyond relieved that he is alive. He better stay that way or I will lose my mind.
2. I have never wanted three people to all be together so much as I do with Bree, Nick and Sel. I am also very conflicted about this want. Mainly it roots in the fact that I can't decide who I want Bree to end up with, and also the fact that Sel and Nick have a lot of chemistry...
3. Alice??? How dare you, author, for blindsiding me with that. I hate it. She better be okay.
4. Speechless.
5. I really love William a lot.
6. I love the entire concept of root magic etc. I'm glad it has taken such a focal role in this book because everything about it is fascinating (and also very heartbreaking when it comes to the history)
That's it, I loved this hook.
Moderate: Slavery, Grief, Racism, and Rape
charliebites'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
Graphic: Grief, Racism, War, and Hate crime
Moderate: Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, and Vomit
musicanys'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? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, and Rape
busyknitting's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Rape
happilyeveralli'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death of parent and Rape
alicia_rausch'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? It's complicated
5.0
Tracy Deonn’s writing ARE YOU KIDDING ME. This felt like a grown-up Percy Jackson adventure and I ate up every second. The writing was gorgeous, the action was nonstop, and every single success felt earned and struggled for. Watching Bree truly grow into her power was so satisfying and the ending (!!). Her and Selwyn's relationship development alongside their personal development through this book was also everything and had me internally squealing and kicking my feet. I’m so excited for the final installment and can’t believe it took me so long to start this sequel. Going onto my list of “sequels that were better than the first book of the series” list right alongside Two Twisted Crowns and The Dragon Republic 👑
Moderate: Violence, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Slavery, Death, and Rape
fleur____'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Racism, and Gore
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Infidelity
some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book has reminded me of how bad I am at spotting plot twists (there is foreshadowing I just can't find them until hindsight kicks in). There isn't rlly an overarching plot throughout the book; it's more of a series of events and characters' reactions to them -> plot harder to follow than that of 1st book. Somehow has more fight scenes than prev books.
Love love love how the magic system & thus world got expanded. Treasured this series so much I was sort of procrastinating reading it so I could keep reading it for longer. This book sure is heavier than the first with how much more racism shows up & affects the plot + Bree's heritage gets explored. Also I just love when writers explore intergenerational trauma. I think Bree's character arc should have had the turning point during the climax instead of after so I felt like the character development could have been stronger.
Two main parts that I am rlly interested in: 1) love triangle & 2) legendborn cycle as ecoliterature
1) Before I read this, I thought that I'd end up shipping the 3 of them tgt as a throuple but now idk if I ship any of them w/ any of the others💀.
2) Aether as metaphor for western imprialism's extractivism that is unsustainable w/ a high price (planet dying just like Abatement) while root as metaphor for a more balanced way of interacting and living in nature.
There are sooooo many good quotes it's unbelievable. I'd like to specifically highlight
"'Think of the power you possess and the woman who gave it to you.' I used to think that woman was my mother, and, through her, you. Tried it her way, and it didn't work." "And why is that?" "Because you all didn't give me my power. I did"
"You said they ran so I wouldn't have to. But I think they ran so that one day I could choose. And today, I choose me."
"By burning away their roots, I am finally free to grow my own."
Has its flaws but it really is something special so 5 stars anyway. (Also I want to come back and see how long of a review I ended up writing lol)
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Confinement, Racism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Death, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Abandonment, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Torture, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Rape
Police brutality is by magic police (or close enough) not actual police.shawnali's review against another edition
4.25
This is a series that deals with grief in a beautiful way, and doesn't make that statement that one should just get over their pain.
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Abandonment
elustrabable's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Bree was the absolute downfall of this book. So many times she had SO many chances to actually be useful and make smart decision but instead she let her stubbornness and hot-headedness ruin any semble of a plan and then go on to cry about it like girl... grow a spine??? SO many times her selfish actions willingly put all the characters around her in danger that at many times I did not feel bad for her. It became so repetitive too. She does something selfish, people around her get hurt, she feels bad about, get depressed, and then go back to do it all again. She does not learn and she does not grow as a character at all. Even more frustrating is that she even ACKNOWLEDGES when she messes up!! And she STILL go on to let her emotions and hot temper ruin a situation.
The whole plot for saving Nick too was such a mess. It just kept going back in circles and every time I think they are FINNALY moving forward, they get right back the beginning with nothing being done to advance the plot because Bree got hurt and nearly died. Again. For someone so powerful, I don't think there ever was a time Bree was ever useful in battle. She got tapped so many times and nearly died during all of it it was very frustrating. I felt so bad for William like he trully was the only thing keeping this story together because of his healing ability. The story wouldve ended like 10 different times if it wasn't for Will healing Bree from death.
The romance was atrocious too the whole time I was literally screaming "BREE YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND!!!" ugh..... Bree downright cheat on Nick but it's all okay because Sel had a crush on Nick when Sel was 14... 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️ This was not a love triangle, this was Bree cheating on her missing boyfriend with the guy who told her to her face he had planned to kill her in the first book. Absolutely no chemistry between them too just a bunch a "oh look he has a hot body" and "oh no I can't do this im dating Nick"
The ending was just terrible. There was no indications, no hints at all that even remotely showed Bree had any clue or plan of what was going on in the story. Throughout the whole book 90% of it was them running around in circles not getting anywhere and then suddenly in the last pages Bree solves the big mystery and then dissappears. What a let down.
This such a shame too because Tracy is an amazing writer who I immediately fell in love with. She has so much skill and range as a writer especially with the themes she tackles. Sucks her main character is so unbearable in this book.
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Slavery