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emilysreadingbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, War, Drug use, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, and Racism
Minor: Confinement, Genocide, and Fire/Fire injury
frantically's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-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? Yes
3.0
Ugh, I'm so torn on this book!
First off, the negatives: I couldn't stand Violet most of the time. There's a very fine line between being a "cool" anti-heroine character and being a pick-me girl and most of the time, she was the latter. There was so little build-up to her and Cyrus' relationship and their characterisation sometimes seemed to change at will.
But there was also a lot of stuff I loved! I wish this had been an adult or new adult fantasy because godddd, were those spicy scenes good. Like, came for the fantasy, stayed for the blood kink. In their makeout scenes, Cyrus & Violet had so much chemistry and especially towards the end, it really turned into a dark romance. Obsessed with that! I also enjoyed the magic system and the main villain.
I wish the next book would be more focused on Cyrus & Violet's relationship and less on the, a bit boring, plot. The writing was so beautiful and especially that last chapter makes me tempted to still read the next one 🤫
First off, the negatives: I couldn't stand Violet most of the time. There's a very fine line between being a "cool" anti-heroine character and being a pick-me girl and most of the time, she was the latter. There was so little build-up to her and Cyrus' relationship and their characterisation sometimes seemed to change at will.
But there was also a lot of stuff I loved! I wish this had been an adult or new adult fantasy because godddd, were those spicy scenes good. Like, came for the fantasy, stayed for the blood kink. In their makeout scenes, Cyrus & Violet had so much chemistry and especially towards the end, it really turned into a dark romance. Obsessed with that! I also enjoyed the magic system and the main villain.
I wish the next book would be more focused on Cyrus & Violet's relationship and less on the, a bit boring, plot. The writing was so beautiful and especially that last chapter makes me tempted to still read the next one 🤫
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Xenophobia, Self harm, Child abuse, and Classism
Minor: War and Death of parent
poppywarphan's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Well shit. Now I have to wait until 2023 for the sequel. This cover! 😌👌 Violet made of thorns is a great and very entertaining debut. As a major fan of morally grey characters, enemies to lovers and dark fantasy this book was perfect for me. People who hate and kiss each other? 😈 Yes please.
Cyrus, a cursed prince who's kingdom's fate relies on him choosing a bride, wants to marry for love. He has been stalling for too long so the king, with the help of his seer, sets him up with a noblewoman. But the seer–Violet– has dreams and visions. The prince's bride is not who she seems to be. Together they work to unravel the secrets to prevent something terrible from happening.
The burning question: Is Violet made of thorns similar to The cruel prince? Not really in my opinion, other than the enchantments and intense love/hate relationship between Cyrus and Violet. I'd say it's a bit more romance focused.
The story is inspired by multiple fairytales. I noticed subtle references to Cinderella, Beauty and the beast and Sleeping Beauty.
I loved Violet for being brutally honest and an unapologetic liar at the same time. Cyrus is a pretentious ass lol. He and Violent were always bickering at the beginning. Later they start to get along better. Sometimes. He wants to have her gone but Violent, well... She's determined to keep her position as the kingdom's seer. Then we have Dante, Cyrus' best friend and confidant,who was also a favorite. He's the neutral middle ground between them. And lastly Camilla, Cyrus' twin sister, a supportive sapphic queen. 😏
The pacing was moderate from the beginning the 2nd half however was packed with twists.
What I was missing were the ✨fantasy names✨ (at least for the main characters) . The names were flowery (and modern?) It felt weird. Then again roses, vines, thorns were significant to the story so maybe it was going for that kind of vibe?
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the author's website:
Content Warnings:
one instance of parent harming child physically, themes of emotional manipulation fantasy-typical levels of violence, including death and body horror
self-harm in a ritual/magical context
some instances of casual racism
Other Notes:
non-explicit sexual content, does not fade to black
Cyrus, a cursed prince who's kingdom's fate relies on him choosing a bride, wants to marry for love. He has been stalling for too long so the king, with the help of his seer, sets him up with a noblewoman. But the seer–Violet– has dreams and visions. The prince's bride is not who she seems to be. Together they work to unravel the secrets to prevent something terrible from happening.
The burning question: Is Violet made of thorns similar to The cruel prince? Not really in my opinion, other than the enchantments and intense love/hate relationship between Cyrus and Violet. I'd say it's a bit more romance focused.
The story is inspired by multiple fairytales. I noticed subtle references to Cinderella, Beauty and the beast and Sleeping Beauty.
I loved Violet for being brutally honest and an unapologetic liar at the same time. Cyrus is a pretentious ass lol. He and Violent were always bickering at the beginning. Later they start to get along better. Sometimes. He wants to have her gone but Violent, well... She's determined to keep her position as the kingdom's seer. Then we have Dante, Cyrus' best friend and confidant,who was also a favorite. He's the neutral middle ground between them. And lastly Camilla, Cyrus' twin sister, a supportive sapphic queen. 😏
The pacing was moderate from the beginning the 2nd half however was packed with twists.
What I was missing were the ✨fantasy names✨ (at least for the main characters) . The names were flowery (and modern?) It felt weird. Then again roses, vines, thorns were significant to the story so maybe it was going for that kind of vibe?
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the author's website:
Content Warnings:
one instance of parent harming child physically, themes of emotional manipulation fantasy-typical levels of violence, including death and body horror
self-harm in a ritual/magical context
some instances of casual racism
Other Notes:
non-explicit sexual content, does not fade to black
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Self harm, Child abuse, and Racism
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