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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
ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Sexism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: War, Toxic relationship, Torture, Slavery, and Drug use
yvonne_cl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Torture, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Murder, Confinement, and Child abuse
Minor: War, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Physical abuse
booksthatburn'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
3.5
The romance is fine, I guess, not my favorite but not terrible. It's not the core of the story and I don't think it's trying to be. As a retelling, this doesn't require any knowledge of the source material. While it's more than referential, it remixes and reframes the pieces until it's a new story which can stand on its own. I actually think it reads much better if you're not trying to see where it compares to the older story. I like how it dives into the Fae side of the story without moving the setting away from the kingdom, their lives are affected by the big deeds and magical pacts of hundreds of years prior but they just have to get through today, and the next day.
I was troubled by the way it uses references to the Pleasure Graces without actually clarifying what their role is. It felt like it was heavily implied that they're sex slaves (where slavery feels like too strong of a term for the other Graces even though they're just as trapped, but feels extremely appropriate if the Pleasure Graces have involuntary sex work as part of their Crown-mandated position). If all that's happening is their gift is used in potions that help other people have better sex then I wish the novel had taken the time to clarify that point. Instead, it uses a scene with someone pretending to be a Pleasure Grace, intimating that she's there to provide the kind of service to a new bride that has historically been associated with concubines and sex workers, and doesn't provide clarification. If the Pleasure Graces are sex slaves then that should have been the rallying cry, not the much weaker claims about wishing for the system to be "better" somehow. Basically there's just enough detail to be very uncomfortable and not enough for me to be sure that I'm incorrect about my guess. Ultimately it's a small part of the story and I'll keep an eye on how that aspect is handled (if at all) in the sequel.
Overall this is a solid retelling and a good novel which depicts the slow slide of a trapped young woman into the monster everyone already thought she was.
Graphic: Torture, Blood, and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexism, Misogyny, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Murder, and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
clovelatte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
Moderate: War, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Torture, Murder, Misogyny, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Bullying
Minor: Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
plumpaperbacks'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
Representation
- sapphic protagonist & love interest
- sapphic romance (f/f)
- side characters of color
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content, Child abuse, Drug use, and Torture
Sexual content is brief and not graphic. Child abuse and torture occurred prior to the story. Drug use is mentioned in passing, in regards to a side character.