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aksmith92'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
Set up: The main characters are thrown into every direction as war breaks out between citizens and the infamous Vlag. Empire of Storms follows Aelin, Rowan, Dorian, Manon, Lysandra, Aedion, Elide, Lorcan, and others we know and love. Tower of Dawn follows Chaol and Nesryn as they trek to the southern continent to, hopefully, gain support from the kaghan there in the upcoming war. Also, to see if they can get Chaol walking again. In this book, we meet Yrene again after briefly meeting her in The Assassin's Blade.
What I liked: Lysandra. I also enjoyed Elide's and Lorcan's characters. I liked their romance. Theirs didn't feel forced per se, but their POVs were sometimes redundant. Finally, I was invested in this plot. I wanted to see how SJM wove in all the moving pieces and how it would end. I was invested. I didn't see TOO many plot holes. This is some decent high fantasy plotting.
What I didn't like: Aelin. Always. She's so annoying, even if she spouts some funnies occasionally. I didn't enjoy Rowan and Aelin either. "Just bang!" I would say throughout this novel, and THEN they did, and I was underwhelmed. Something about velvet-strapped steel also just....yuck.
"She really tortured them, she realized, by shoving her way into danger whenever she felt like it. Perhaps she'd try to be better about it if this dread was at all like what they felt." LOL, yeah, AELIN.
This (these) book(s) also did teeter on the ROMANCE scale so much. I was finally glad not to have a love triangle anymore, and thankfully, those (kinda) went away, but everybody is paired with somebody. I'm not sure why it annoyed me because I've read other books where this happens (Roots of Chaos - Samantha Shannon), but I don't think anybody quite hypes it up and makes it a considerable plot point like SJM. I also wished I counted how many kisses characters gave at the "corners of mouths."
"She thought of the new, delicate scars on his back - marks from her own nails (*cough* sex *cough*), that he'd refused to heal with his magic, and instead had set with seawater, the salt locking the scars into place before the immortal body could smooth it over. Her claiming marks, he'd breathed into her mouth the last time he'd been inside her. So he and anyone who saw them would know that he belonged to her. That he was hers, just as she was his." WHAT. First. What? Second. How would people look at his back and be like THOSE ARE FROM F'in! Third. What. Fourth. The dramatics. Fifth. What. Lastly, they can do that with salt water? Since freaking when? This internal monologue was also the start of a BATTLE IN WAR. Lol. Just lol.
Lastly, there is a plethora of toxic perseverance and the glorification of war, which is something I must get used to with SJM writing. In addition [I'm putting a spoiler on this just in case], but
Overall, though, it was fine. This was a solid read (reads). However, I have officially decided that my TBR is too long for any more SJM. I will finish this series with Kingdom of Ash, and I will stop reading her works. Fated mates, toxic perseverance, and unnecessary romanticism of war simply isn't for me and I will officially put the books down after.
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Ableism, Blood, Medical trauma, Sexual content, War, Alcohol, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Suicide
Suicide is mentioned but not talked about in detail (Tower of Dawn)anguawolf'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Slavery, and War
readwithde'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
4.25
But the reason I loved this book so much is Nesryn's story. It was refreshing to have a BIPOC FMC with so many connections and interesting characteristics not become the "love interest" side character for Chaol's MC.
I read this book in tandem with Empire of Storms, and I think both books benefited from that choice. It helped the narrative flow well, giving the reader time to react to both sides, as well as balancing the heavy action of Empire of Storms with the lore of this book.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, Death, Child death, Murder, Cursing, Violence, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Infidelity, Animal death, Ableism, Pregnancy, Stalking, and Alcohol
jijina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, and Cursing
Minor: Pregnancy
itsebrumutlu'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? It's complicated
4.25
The reason I loved this book was actually other characters. First, Yrene. She and Chaol made sense, sure. But she's still too good for that chucklehead.
I knew that Nesryn was too good for Chaol even before and this book ensured me. And Sartaq. My lovely, brave, stupidly in love with Nesryn Sartaq. I freakin' love him. His crush on Nesryn long before meeting her was heartbreakingly good. I went "Aw" so many times.
Borte and Hasar just HAVE TO meet Aelin. Especially Hasar would love Aelin (at least, after a while). I think Borte would stress Aedion all the time like Aelin does. And I think Aedion and Sartaq would like each other very much.
I already cannot wait for Falkan and Lysandra to meet. When I realized that Falkan was related to Lysandra, I was so happy. Damn you, Maas for getting me all invested in all these characters. And making Chaol bearable.
I'm already anxious about the Kingdom of Ash. But I'm starting the book immediately at the same time.
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Cursing, Death, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
sierrabowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Abandonment, Blood, Animal death, Child death, Classism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Vomit, Medical content, Violence, Sexual content, War, and Sexual assault
nerdkitten'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
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Medical content, Grief, Drug use, Violence, Vomit, and Ableism
Moderate: Stalking, Pregnancy, War, Racism, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gore, Chronic illness, Classism, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Misogyny, Slavery, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, Suicide, and Xenophobia
chuckielittle'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? It's complicated
Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Cursing, Grief, Violence, War, Ableism, and Drug use
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, and Vomit
ashleereadsbooks692'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
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Blood, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
helpme71'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: Terminal illness, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Slavery, Pregnancy, and Gore
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content