Scan barcode
melist6'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
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, and Bullying
Moderate: Violence, Death, Blood, Classism, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Lesbophobia, and Adult/minor relationship
sapphicsoilscientist'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
2.75
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and War
acidicgoddess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I’ll admit, I wasn’t a fan of Aurora at first. I felt like she only existed as a character to reflect Alyce’s wants and needs - and for most of the book she was - she lacked any personality outside of wanting what Alyce wants. But, by the end of the book, we really get to know her. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t get a taste of it from the beginning of the book, it made the romance aspect feel bland.
Oh, and the one character I was actually finding enjoyable turned out to be one of the bad guys, too. Not a good move on the authors part considering none of the other characters were enjoyable.
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Bullying
Minor: Sexual assault, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide
islesbiyana'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
3.5
Graphic: Torture, Child abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Genocide, Classism, and Xenophobia
solenekeleroux'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I loved the world-building, with the Grace system and how it explores capitalist exploitation of magical beings, that's something I wasn't expecting from this book and I was here for it.
The most lacking part was the romance, especially in the build-up part. It was all tell and no show, so not very believable when something did end up happening. The twists at the end are not bad, but too little too late. I was bored during all the middle part of the book (when the romance was supposed to build-up).
The character development is also a bit weak. It started well with Alyce's character, I loved the storyline of how she discovers herself and her power. But then there's no real growth or transformation, it stays very much on the surface of what she can do with her powers instead of the deep inner exploration of good and evil that I was expecting. Most other characters have little substance and are very black and white, except for the graces (again, I think I would have loved a novel just about the graces because that was the most interesting part), especially Laurel and her political reasoning.
Side-note, I am very pissed off whenever there is a shape-shifter character/storyline and it doesn't lead to a real exploration of gender and identity, especially in what is supposed to be a sapphic novel. Don't give me shape shifters and not make them queer!
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Xenophobia, and Torture
Moderate: Genocide, Drug use, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
kaziaroo'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death, Confinement, Violence, War, Alcohol, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Grief
Minor: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
puffybus21's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
However, despite the pleasantly unexpected ending, this duology isn't compelling enough for me to continue with it. It lacked the to most important qualities I like in books: good prose (not that the prose/writing wasn't good in this, it just pales in comparison to some other books I've read) and interesting characters (Alyce and Aurora were good characters, however, I just didn't feel a connection with either of them).
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Homophobia