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ladydeathnesta's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
I feel like I’m cheating on Silver Flames because I don’t know if I like this one better.
I love them equally.
I love them equally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, War, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Ableism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Colonisation, Body horror, Child abuse, Animal death, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Genocide, Grief, Bullying, Car accident, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug use, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Deportation, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Addiction
mattiedancer's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Writing: 4⭐️/5
The writing is solid throughout the novel. At points, the writing really shined through, but I found it very hard to parse the novel at the beginning. In fact, the first fifty pages (give or take ten to twenty) felt almost unedited. The grammar and spelling were fine, but the info dumps on every other page lent a sort of unpolished feeling to the opening.
Characters: 4⭐️/5
I felt the characters often had their own identities, even as I noticed a few similarities here or there with characters in her other novels. I found myself liking, agreeing with, and understanding their motives and perspectives. A couple of times, I did feel like they acted incredibly out of character, but it didn’t necessarily take away from the fun of the novel.
Plot: 4⭐️/5
The plot was fun – even with a couple of holes that I wish had been finessed further. I enjoyed reading about the mystery and the romance plot once I got into the novel. Again, the information dump that was the first portion of the novel did take away from this enjoyment.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Sarah J. Maas fans
- Fans of urban fantasy looking for a fun read with a hint of spice
- Readers who like romance-heavy novels that still have interesting plots
Content Warnings?
- Sexual content, sexual harassment, death, injury, animal cruelty, drug use, alcohol use, death of a friend, murder, gore, blood, vomit, gun violence, sexism
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
I enjoyed it enough to say I’ll read the next one for sure!
Final Rating: 4⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Torture, Vomit, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Self harm, Misogyny, and Slavery
gabi_w21's review
This was my second SJM book (the first being yet another self-insert fantasy, Throne of Glass) and I doubt I'll actually ever attempt another book by her. This book was bloated with unnecessary info dumps at inappropriate moments, characters constantly being objectified (a MOC being a slave? In 2022? Really?), mind-melting illogical logic, and a cast of infuriating characters that made me want to bash my head in. Oh, and way to tell on yourself, Sarah, by saying that the oppressed class are awful people for not wanting to be oppressed anymore.
Bryce is your stereotypical party girl who whines about being half-Fae and being discriminated against (even though we never see it; it seemed to me the only real discrimination she faced was whatever self-hate bullshit she spewed) who refuses therapy and whines about her best friend being dead. She seems to be living the high life, as far as I can tell. I think she actually refused therapy so she can pull the “wah, my best friend is dead!” card. She also is supposedly super smart even though we don't see it. She's one of the most infuriating characters I've ever read. She claims she doesn't like “alphaholes” like her dad but that's the only type of guy she even remotely entertains. Oh, and she's a hypocrite—when her ex-boyfriend Reed (Reid?) is on his phone it's an issue but she can be on her phone.
Hunt is an angel enslaved due to his part of a revolt. He's constantly sexualizing Bryce (every instance of them together, he makes a mental comment about her figure) and is SJM's generic brooding, tortured, racially ambigious love interest who treats the FMC like shit. He growls, glowers, threatens people, grins threateningly, and mopes around about his dead girlfriend's twin sister showing up. He's pushy, bossy, and obsessed with seeing Bryce as a sexual object.
Everyone in this book sucks. Nobody is likeable except maybe the Sphyx cat thing and Lehaborah (I think?) There's gratuitous swearing, drug use, blood, and alcohol, like that's what makes adult fiction adult. God, if I could burn this book from my memory, I wouldn't even hesitate.
Bryce is your stereotypical party girl who whines about being half-Fae and being discriminated against (even though we never see it; it seemed to me the only real discrimination she faced was whatever self-hate bullshit she spewed) who refuses therapy and whines about her best friend being dead. She seems to be living the high life, as far as I can tell. I think she actually refused therapy so she can pull the “wah, my best friend is dead!” card. She also is supposedly super smart even though we don't see it. She's one of the most infuriating characters I've ever read. She claims she doesn't like “alphaholes” like her dad but that's the only type of guy she even remotely entertains. Oh, and she's a hypocrite—when her ex-boyfriend Reed (Reid?) is on his phone it's an issue but she can be on her phone.
Hunt is an angel enslaved due to his part of a revolt. He's constantly sexualizing Bryce (every instance of them together, he makes a mental comment about her figure) and is SJM's generic brooding, tortured, racially ambigious love interest who treats the FMC like shit. He growls, glowers, threatens people, grins threateningly, and mopes around about his dead girlfriend's twin sister showing up. He's pushy, bossy, and obsessed with seeing Bryce as a sexual object.
Everyone in this book sucks. Nobody is likeable except maybe the Sphyx cat thing and Lehaborah (I think?) There's gratuitous swearing, drug use, blood, and alcohol, like that's what makes adult fiction adult. God, if I could burn this book from my memory, I wouldn't even hesitate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
spredmore's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Classism, Grief, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Police brutality, and Violence
microbemom's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, War, Gore, Death, and Police brutality
kingrosereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
4.5
I did very much love this book. I ended up staying up all night to finish it before falling asleep 250 short of the end. It is longer than it needs to be but at the same time I like that the investigation is hard and confusion with a lot of dead ends. Like a real investigation. I always knew Micah was shady and his death was HILARIOUS. I was completely shocked at Hunt’s betrayal. I always knew he’d rebel when he got the chance, but not like this. This book puts you through the emotional ringer. I like Bryce a lot. I think she’s funny and a straight badass. I’ve seen other people says she’s a classic “I’m not like other girls”, but I don’t see that at all. I see a normal, young woman that likes to party. I don’t use drugs but I know lots of young people use it recreationally and it made Bryce more real to me. There’s also the obvious consequences of her using drugs the night Danika dies. The revelations of Danika’s death and synth and the Horn were all over the place, but I think that’s the point. The swearing was also like ridiculously on point. My friend and I swear just like this and just as much, so that was very relatable. This book made me laugh, made me cry, and made me happy.
I think that Bryce’s grief and depression were also extremely relatable and written well. And it took a whole book for her to get to a better place. I also LOVE that she uses other people’s preconceived notions about her to her advantage. She’s also pretty sex positive, even though it’s clear she does use sex sometimes as a form of self-medication for her grief and as a way to combat the underlying feelings she has about being seen as a “lesser” being. Bryce is badass. She can fight, shoot, and wear all the girly girl stuff women get bashed about on the daily. I like her attitude and am excited to see where the story goes from here.
I think that Bryce’s grief and depression were also extremely relatable and written well. And it took a whole book for her to get to a better place. I also LOVE that she uses other people’s preconceived notions about her to her advantage. She’s also pretty sex positive, even though it’s clear she does use sex sometimes as a form of self-medication for her grief and as a way to combat the underlying feelings she has about being seen as a “lesser” being. Bryce is badass. She can fight, shoot, and wear all the girly girl stuff women get bashed about on the daily. I like her attitude and am excited to see where the story goes from here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, Slavery, Gun violence, Gore, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicide attempt, War, Death, Police brutality, Self harm, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Abandonment
manonastrid's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
The personal issues each character has makes this book 5/5. The issues targeted you close to home for me and I loved it. The MC isn't perfect, her flaws are clear and she develops into an amazing MC. Her growth is matched by the love interest as well as all of the supporting cast. The twists this takes were not obvious and I literally binged the last half in 3 days. The first half is slow because of world building and stage setting. But I didn't find any filler, everything was necessary to the story. Sarah J. Maas has written probably one of her best books in House of Blood and Earth. I cannot wait to drive into House of Sky and Breath!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Addiction, Bullying, Classism, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Violence, War, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Slavery
arthur_ant18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Gun violence, War, Violence, Death, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Murder, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gore
Moderate: Police brutality, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Slavery, Bullying, and Torture
Minor: Self harm, Cursing, and Death of parent
lisa_m's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book so so much!!! I already knew I liked SJMs writing but this was immaculate!!
After 100 pages I already was quite certain it would be a five star read and now I wish I could give it more than five stars. I just finished it so I might think a bit differently about this in a few weeks but this book is in the top 5 of all books I have ever read. I am still debating whether I liked it more than ACOTAR but I might have..
I was so immersed in the story that I physically could not stop reading. I finished it in 2 days and everytime I wasn't reading I was still thinking about the plot and the characters.
Most of the plot twists I did not expect or even if I expected them, the way it happened was still spectacular.
When I started reading today around 2 pm I wanted to get through about 300 pages and finish it up tomorrow.
I don't know what happened it, feels like time just passed me and I didn't realise what was happening around me. I feel like the world could have ended and I still would not have stopped reading. When I finally finished the 800 pages my whole body hurt and it was already 00:20. I thought it was early afternoon..
This book once again showed me why I like SJMs writing so much and why she is such a popular author. It is not for the smut which some people like to say (and which luckily was only like 2 pages in the whole book). She is incredibly talented and absolutely deserves the hype she is getting!!
I loved the characters and I cried for them. I felt their pain and I don't know if I will ever get over this book.
It is the best thing I have read in a long time and I cannot wait to read the next book!
I am really grateful for the ending though. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger so at least I can go to sleep now. :)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Thoughts of my 2. read-through:
THIS BOOK IS MY FAVOURITE BOOK EVER I CAN'T HELP IT.
I also cried again. A lot.
This book hurts like hell but I also giggled SO MUCH.
I love the characters. I love the writing. I love the plot. I love the setting. I love the drama. I love the silliness. I love the friendships. I love everything because this book literally has everything I could ever want.
After 100 pages I already was quite certain it would be a five star read and now I wish I could give it more than five stars. I just finished it so I might think a bit differently about this in a few weeks but this book is in the top 5 of all books I have ever read. I am still debating whether I liked it more than ACOTAR but I might have..
I was so immersed in the story that I physically could not stop reading. I finished it in 2 days and everytime I wasn't reading I was still thinking about the plot and the characters.
Most of the plot twists I did not expect or even if I expected them, the way it happened was still spectacular.
When I started reading today around 2 pm I wanted to get through about 300 pages and finish it up tomorrow.
I don't know what happened it, feels like time just passed me and I didn't realise what was happening around me. I feel like the world could have ended and I still would not have stopped reading. When I finally finished the 800 pages my whole body hurt and it was already 00:20. I thought it was early afternoon..
This book once again showed me why I like SJMs writing so much and why she is such a popular author. It is not for the smut which some people like to say (and which luckily was only like 2 pages in the whole book). She is incredibly talented and absolutely deserves the hype she is getting!!
I loved the characters and I cried for them. I felt their pain and I don't know if I will ever get over this book.
It is the best thing I have read in a long time and I cannot wait to read the next book!
I am really grateful for the ending though. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger so at least I can go to sleep now. :)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Thoughts of my 2. read-through:
THIS BOOK IS MY FAVOURITE BOOK EVER I CAN'T HELP IT.
I also cried again. A lot.
This book hurts like hell but I also giggled SO MUCH.
I love the characters. I love the writing. I love the plot. I love the setting. I love the drama. I love the silliness. I love the friendships. I love everything because this book literally has everything I could ever want.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Drug use, Slavery, Death, Violence, Murder, War, and Addiction
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Bullying, Drug use, Police brutality, Sexism, Torture, Cursing, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Abandonment
michellemaas's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
* Beware of minor spoilers
5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
First Installment in the Crescent City series. This Adult Urban Fantasy novel features the "forced proximity", "forbidden love", "slow burn", and "hurt/comfort" tropes while dealing with themes of loss, elitism, and slavery.
It was amazing! Great variety of mythological creatures, relatable and lovable characters, and the story kept me intrigued up until the very end.
“That's the point of it, Bryce. Of life. To live, to love, knowing that it might all vanish tomorrow. It makes everything that much more precious.”
Bryce is breathing but she is not alive. Things have never been the same since the sudden death of her best friend and when another person turns up murdered the same way, Bryce is the only lead the police have. As a result, she is forced to partner up with the infamous Hunt Athlar in the hopes of finally solving the mystery surrounding her friend's death and bringing her killer to justice.
"With the strength of the most powerful force in the world. The most powerful force in any realm. What brings loyalty beyond death, undimming despite the years. What remains unwavering in the face of hopelessness . . . Through love, all is possible."
Phew, I have a LOT to say so buckle up for a hefty review. This book has exceeded every possible expectation I had of it. Its page count and the fact that it was Urban Fantasy instead of my usual High Fantasy made me weary at the beginning but it was AMAZING. The characters were well developed, the story had me at the edge of my seat, and despite being over 900 pages strong there wasn't a single paragraph I thought was unnecessary.
First and foremost, there was some really good -and surprising- social commentary in this. Mainly the discussion about racism, classism, and politics, but also the discussions about how different people deal with grief and experiencing loss. Bryce working through her loss was a huge theme in this book and I thought it was really well done. It showed how different people dealt with it- Juniper threw herself into her dance. Fury disconnected from her friends. Bryce put on a carefree front because it was easier for her to have people assume the worst than to let them see how broken the loss of her friend left her. Her life was completely ruined by the loss of Danika and since it's not "normal" for her to have been this strongly affected considering they were not blood-related or romantically involved Bryce was always made to feel that she had to hide how not okay she was. As if, if others don't understand why you need to grieve, you're not entitled to it.
“The power shall always belong to those who give their lives to the city.”
Secondly was the good relationship development. Bryce and Hunt felt like such an authentic slow burn. They became friends, they showcased some of their best qualities and they proved their loyalty to one another all before the attraction and eventual love developed.
Then the reveal was so beautifully done. I like that there wasn't a clean, perfect, and logical trail they followed to get the killer. They had to consider several possibilities (most of which were born of luck) and follow some dead ends before reaching their goal. Kudos to Sarah for designing such an intricate plot that kept me guessing up until the twist. Also a big old middle finger to Sarah for making me have an absolute mental breakdown at 1 in the morning after reading the reveal and not being able to sleep or continuing on functioning as a normal human being the next day. But actually though, the power of words on a piece of paper . . . This woman is truly brilliant. Still hate her for breaking my heart beyond repair though but the good kind of hate. The positive kind of hate. I don't react to books very dramatically. I never cry or want to throw books in anger or any of that. And it's not because I don't care, I feel deeply for these characters, I'm just not wired that way. I don't really react in a particularly dramatic fashion to real-life occurrences either but this book elicited SUCH a reaction from me. I actually cried over a book for the first time after 7 years of avid reading. Say what you will about her plots or questionable romances, but if there is one thing no one can take away from Sarah it is what a talented writer she is. She has a way with words that can bring out every single emotion in you, and just really feel for the characters.
“Bryce was a ghost for a long while, Hunt. She pretended she wasn’t, but she was. . . You brought her back to life.”
And on that note, I love that all our characters were so complex and so utterly and beautifully flawed. They all felt so rich and well developed from Viktoria to the Autumn King and of course our main people. Each character had flaws and redeeming qualities, there was no one character I went: that's the morally sound, perfect, and incorruptible character. They were all plagued by some sort of shortcoming even if they were "good characters". That made them feel so REAL and relatable. I don't want characters who are so high and mighty above everyone else, then judgemental when someone can't live up to their own level of perfectness. I want to dimension. I want realistic. And I got it. Not only did that make these characters more relatable but it made them so much better to read about. A hero can be flawed and a villain can be someone with good intentions despite their bad ones. I'll admit that having read 2 ACOTAR books and the first TOG book I didn't really get all the Sarah hype. . . Like yeah the books were good and I liked them. They were entertaining reads with some hard-hitting moments and good romances but I couldn't discern why she- above a lot of other authors who write very similarly- was so popular. This book though . . . I get it now.
Furthermore, I like that this was very distinctly adult with the topics it discussed but there wasn't a huge focus on sex. In fact, our main love interests didn't even have sex with each other (though they did with other people). I feel a lot of authors think "adult (insert genre here)" and go: cool, we'll take a YA story and just add a bunch of sex and innuendos and call it a day. That was not the case at all. The matters discussed were very adult and this book felt challenging in a way I would not have expected from a fantasy novel.
"You’re my friend. Who watches trashy TV with me and puts up with my sh*t. You’re the person I don’t need to explain myself to—not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don’t run away from it.”
Finally, I liked the inclusion of whatever the hell the opposite of toxic masculinity is. Toxic femininity? I consider myself a feminist when the end goal is equality. A lot of feminists believe in lifting up women by degrading men and that's just not the point. Regardless if you're addressing racism, sexism, or any other -ism it's important to realize that it's not about taking turns. It's not: oh well that group of people have been in power and favored for the past few centuries, so now it's our turn and after centuries we can go back . . . No. Women should be lifted up until we have equal rights . . . Not more rights. I love that that was addressed since I've never seen it talked about and also it didn't feel degrading either. Sarah handled it perfectly so that it wasn't offensive just an enlightening moment. For example, Bruce was super big on being an independent woman who didn't need help from anyone. And she was super cautious about accepting help or advice from men because her mother had been caught in a possessive and toxic relationship. However, Hunt talked about wanting the best for her well-being because he cared about her, not because it gave him a power trip to control her. Another time Bryce was on the brink of death and her friend told her not to give up because she had Hunt waiting for her on the other end, and Bryce replied "you're convincing me to live because of a guy" essentially which some might have seen as anti-woman, but her friend replied with "there's nothing wrong with caring enough about someone to want to live out your life with them- regardless of gender". There was such a thing about women being portrayed as weak in earlier years, then it tipped over to the other extreme of them not needing anyone at all but Sarah proved we can have both. Bryce is undoubtedly one of the most badass female characters ever, amplified by the fact that she had no power to rely on- only her own hard work, training, wit, and brains. That's what I think made this particular subplot not be offensive because Bryce could have stayed independent but there is no prize for it just like there's no prize for accepting love. Bryce was able to enter a relationship and rely on someone without that taking away from her skills or abilities. She doesn't need Hunt in a physical sense, but there's no shame in it if she did.
“And why is it a somehow a mark against your strength to admit that there is someone, who happens to be male, worth returning to? Someone who I know made you feel like things are far from f*cked.”
If I had to nitpick, I'd say the world was a little difficult to get used to. I'm a seasoned fantasy reader and even I was struggling with all the different creatures. I was also a little confused throughout different periods in the book (but that was very intentional on the author's part since she is going to do a bunch of big reveals in the sequels).
“Memento Mori. Remember that you will die, and enjoy each pleasure the world has to offer.”
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this to every human ever. It was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, and it was just so damn good. I cannot wait to read the sequel, even if I know that it will likely break me even more than this first installment.
* Please note that this is an Adult novel that deals with very serious and potentially triggering themes, therefore not suitable for minors or sensitive readers. Be sure to check trigger warnings on the author's website before reading. Your enjoyment is not worth risking your mental health for!
5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
First Installment in the Crescent City series. This Adult Urban Fantasy novel features the "forced proximity", "forbidden love", "slow burn", and "hurt/comfort" tropes while dealing with themes of loss, elitism, and slavery.
It was amazing! Great variety of mythological creatures, relatable and lovable characters, and the story kept me intrigued up until the very end.
“That's the point of it, Bryce. Of life. To live, to love, knowing that it might all vanish tomorrow. It makes everything that much more precious.”
Bryce is breathing but she is not alive. Things have never been the same since the sudden death of her best friend and when another person turns up murdered the same way, Bryce is the only lead the police have. As a result, she is forced to partner up with the infamous Hunt Athlar in the hopes of finally solving the mystery surrounding her friend's death and bringing her killer to justice.
"With the strength of the most powerful force in the world. The most powerful force in any realm. What brings loyalty beyond death, undimming despite the years. What remains unwavering in the face of hopelessness . . . Through love, all is possible."
Phew, I have a LOT to say so buckle up for a hefty review. This book has exceeded every possible expectation I had of it. Its page count and the fact that it was Urban Fantasy instead of my usual High Fantasy made me weary at the beginning but it was AMAZING. The characters were well developed, the story had me at the edge of my seat, and despite being over 900 pages strong there wasn't a single paragraph I thought was unnecessary.
First and foremost, there was some really good -and surprising- social commentary in this. Mainly the discussion about racism, classism, and politics, but also the discussions about how different people deal with grief and experiencing loss. Bryce working through her loss was a huge theme in this book and I thought it was really well done. It showed how different people dealt with it- Juniper threw herself into her dance. Fury disconnected from her friends. Bryce put on a carefree front because it was easier for her to have people assume the worst than to let them see how broken the loss of her friend left her. Her life was completely ruined by the loss of Danika and since it's not "normal" for her to have been this strongly affected considering they were not blood-related or romantically involved Bryce was always made to feel that she had to hide how not okay she was. As if, if others don't understand why you need to grieve, you're not entitled to it.
“The power shall always belong to those who give their lives to the city.”
Secondly was the good relationship development. Bryce and Hunt felt like such an authentic slow burn. They became friends, they showcased some of their best qualities and they proved their loyalty to one another all before the attraction and eventual love developed.
Then the reveal was so beautifully done. I like that there wasn't a clean, perfect, and logical trail they followed to get the killer. They had to consider several possibilities (most of which were born of luck) and follow some dead ends before reaching their goal. Kudos to Sarah for designing such an intricate plot that kept me guessing up until the twist. Also a big old middle finger to Sarah for making me have an absolute mental breakdown at 1 in the morning after reading the reveal and not being able to sleep or continuing on functioning as a normal human being the next day. But actually though, the power of words on a piece of paper . . . This woman is truly brilliant. Still hate her for breaking my heart beyond repair though but the good kind of hate. The positive kind of hate. I don't react to books very dramatically. I never cry or want to throw books in anger or any of that. And it's not because I don't care, I feel deeply for these characters, I'm just not wired that way. I don't really react in a particularly dramatic fashion to real-life occurrences either but this book elicited SUCH a reaction from me. I actually cried over a book for the first time after 7 years of avid reading. Say what you will about her plots or questionable romances, but if there is one thing no one can take away from Sarah it is what a talented writer she is. She has a way with words that can bring out every single emotion in you, and just really feel for the characters.
“Bryce was a ghost for a long while, Hunt. She pretended she wasn’t, but she was. . . You brought her back to life.”
And on that note, I love that all our characters were so complex and so utterly and beautifully flawed. They all felt so rich and well developed from Viktoria to the Autumn King and of course our main people. Each character had flaws and redeeming qualities, there was no one character I went: that's the morally sound, perfect, and incorruptible character. They were all plagued by some sort of shortcoming even if they were "good characters". That made them feel so REAL and relatable. I don't want characters who are so high and mighty above everyone else, then judgemental when someone can't live up to their own level of perfectness. I want to dimension. I want realistic. And I got it. Not only did that make these characters more relatable but it made them so much better to read about. A hero can be flawed and a villain can be someone with good intentions despite their bad ones. I'll admit that having read 2 ACOTAR books and the first TOG book I didn't really get all the Sarah hype. . . Like yeah the books were good and I liked them. They were entertaining reads with some hard-hitting moments and good romances but I couldn't discern why she- above a lot of other authors who write very similarly- was so popular. This book though . . . I get it now.
Furthermore, I like that this was very distinctly adult with the topics it discussed but there wasn't a huge focus on sex. In fact, our main love interests didn't even have sex with each other (though they did with other people). I feel a lot of authors think "adult (insert genre here)" and go: cool, we'll take a YA story and just add a bunch of sex and innuendos and call it a day. That was not the case at all. The matters discussed were very adult and this book felt challenging in a way I would not have expected from a fantasy novel.
"You’re my friend. Who watches trashy TV with me and puts up with my sh*t. You’re the person I don’t need to explain myself to—not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don’t run away from it.”
Finally, I liked the inclusion of whatever the hell the opposite of toxic masculinity is. Toxic femininity? I consider myself a feminist when the end goal is equality. A lot of feminists believe in lifting up women by degrading men and that's just not the point. Regardless if you're addressing racism, sexism, or any other -ism it's important to realize that it's not about taking turns. It's not: oh well that group of people have been in power and favored for the past few centuries, so now it's our turn and after centuries we can go back . . . No. Women should be lifted up until we have equal rights . . . Not more rights. I love that that was addressed since I've never seen it talked about and also it didn't feel degrading either. Sarah handled it perfectly so that it wasn't offensive just an enlightening moment. For example, Bruce was super big on being an independent woman who didn't need help from anyone. And she was super cautious about accepting help or advice from men because her mother had been caught in a possessive and toxic relationship. However, Hunt talked about wanting the best for her well-being because he cared about her, not because it gave him a power trip to control her. Another time Bryce was on the brink of death and her friend told her not to give up because she had Hunt waiting for her on the other end, and Bryce replied "you're convincing me to live because of a guy" essentially which some might have seen as anti-woman, but her friend replied with "there's nothing wrong with caring enough about someone to want to live out your life with them- regardless of gender". There was such a thing about women being portrayed as weak in earlier years, then it tipped over to the other extreme of them not needing anyone at all but Sarah proved we can have both. Bryce is undoubtedly one of the most badass female characters ever, amplified by the fact that she had no power to rely on- only her own hard work, training, wit, and brains. That's what I think made this particular subplot not be offensive because Bryce could have stayed independent but there is no prize for it just like there's no prize for accepting love. Bryce was able to enter a relationship and rely on someone without that taking away from her skills or abilities. She doesn't need Hunt in a physical sense, but there's no shame in it if she did.
“And why is it a somehow a mark against your strength to admit that there is someone, who happens to be male, worth returning to? Someone who I know made you feel like things are far from f*cked.”
If I had to nitpick, I'd say the world was a little difficult to get used to. I'm a seasoned fantasy reader and even I was struggling with all the different creatures. I was also a little confused throughout different periods in the book (but that was very intentional on the author's part since she is going to do a bunch of big reveals in the sequels).
“Memento Mori. Remember that you will die, and enjoy each pleasure the world has to offer.”
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this to every human ever. It was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, and it was just so damn good. I cannot wait to read the sequel, even if I know that it will likely break me even more than this first installment.
* Please note that this is an Adult novel that deals with very serious and potentially triggering themes, therefore not suitable for minors or sensitive readers. Be sure to check trigger warnings on the author's website before reading. Your enjoyment is not worth risking your mental health for!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Medical content, Police brutality, Violence, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Torture, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, War, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Slavery
Minor: Deadnaming, Death, Car accident, and Death of parent