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bamfling's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Self harm, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Sexual content
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
4.25
Def read trigger/content warnings especially if you struggle with mental health.
Graphic: Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Child death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm
casey_h'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? No
5.0
And don't get me started on the characters! Everyone had such an intense and unique personality that they felt like real, tangible people. Every person had their own strengths, weaknesses, and traumas to heal from and they were just so human and relatable. I just want to give Malik a hug :(
The representation as well is fantastic, and gets much more nuanced in this book than the first, especially the LGBTQ+ rep. The mental health rep was a lot deeper and more intense in this one too.
All in all, fantastic, I loved it so much, I'm sad it's over, and I hope that this DOES get made into a tv series at some point still bc it would be AMAZING!
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Animal death, Torture, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
megdconway's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Death, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Grief, and Child abuse
oyindaaa'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
Do be aware of content warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
ccrowley18'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
4.0
I loved both MCs character development, Karina going from the reluctant crown princess to knowing that she has to do everything she can to save Ziran. And Malik’s character development took a bit longer I felt as though his didn’t really start until book 2, he was all over the place there was a time I thought he was going to have to die because he seemed so evil.
But most of all the character development I enjoyed the most was Idir!!!!! What?!? Who saw him coming as the voice of reason?! By the end he didn’t even want to get free and he respected Malik too much to try and harm him any more than he’d already been harmed.
I enjoyed the storyline and the plot twists. It wouldn’t be a YA fantasy without some plot twists! I also loved the narrator in book 2, talking about the Farid and Hanane history, it was very well added.
Graphic: Self harm and Trafficking
Moderate: Murder, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
nettle_'s review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
It has a more deep dive into the same topics so many fantasy YA books have so don’t run away because of the content warnings.
Minor: Gore, Kidnapping, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, Trafficking, Violence, Abandonment, Classism, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Torture, Transphobia, War, Sexual violence, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
melinajoy'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? No
4.75
Wow did I love this book! It's book 2 and I found it answered a lot of questions I'd had in the first book and was also just easier to understand. Karina and Malik are amazing characters and I also love Ife. A story of perseverance!
I appreciate how the author presents Malik's mental illnesses, his anxiety, and his self harm, suicidal thoughts/attempts.
I love Karina's queerness.
And I just appreciate most of the characters' tenacity, will, and how very much themselves they are.
I loved the journey we go through with them all separately and then together.
I WISH we got a third book and that this wasn't a duology. We need a part 3 of them living their lives! But I guess I'll just deal with the end chapter.
This book is definitely getting added to my favorites list!
*This book is graphic and contains a lot of trauma. Please check content warnings*.
Graphic: Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Kidnapping, Grief, Violence, Confinement, and Gaslighting
Minor: Chronic illness and Injury/Injury detail
CW: groomingbriely's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Mental illness, and Slavery
koerli'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
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Abandonment
It is a great book, deals amazing with all the problems!