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quasinaut's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
A reread, though I barely remember this book from when I first read it years ago. As always, Tamora Pierce does a masterful job introducing a new setting and characters. I loved Evvy's sass and her cats!
Overall, a solid story that shows Briar begin to reframe his past belief in gangs as necessary for protection, but there were many elements that grated on me -- Rosethorn correcting Briar's speech, Jebilu's negative portrayal through his fatness, the fact that 14-year-olds were made full mages yet weren't told what that would entail for them.
Overall, a solid story that shows Briar begin to reframe his past belief in gangs as necessary for protection, but there were many elements that grated on me -- Rosethorn correcting Briar's speech, Jebilu's negative portrayal through his fatness, the fact that 14-year-olds were made full mages yet weren't told what that would entail for them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fatphobia and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery, Racism, and Xenophobia
charm0nix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Violence, and Fatphobia
Minor: Trafficking and Slavery
coinmanatee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
ladydisdain's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Definitely my least favorite of the series. While I love Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy as characters, adn love all their interactions, the "street kid 4 lyfe/rival gangs" subplot really doesn't do anything for me. I do think because it very explicitly not FOR me- I'm a white, lower middle class permanent suburbanite. I can't speak to any echoes of someone else's experience of life as to realism or appropriate amount of character motivation, I simply have no frame of reference for this world beyond other fiction.
To the positive, this villain is CHILLING. I will still have a physical reaction to some of her scenes as an adult. The build and final explosion of the climax saves the whole book for me- Briar unleashed definitely gives shades of Daine's "I got angry" moment in Emperor Mage.
To the positive, this villain is CHILLING. I will still have a physical reaction to some of her scenes as an adult. The build and final explosion of the climax saves the whole book for me- Briar unleashed definitely gives shades of Daine's "I got angry" moment in Emperor Mage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, and Violence
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