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what_karla_reads'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
fareehareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
All that being said, there was a lot that fell flat in this story. This book is entirely told in the perspective of Laia and Elias whose destinies clearly are intertwined in some way even though they come from vastly different worlds. The character development for both protagonists was severely lacking.
Laia's whole plight is the continuous hope that her brother is alive out there somewhere and her predicament (literally choosing to be enslaved to a ruthless woman) will lead to his freedom. Throughout the entire book she clings to this hope even as she endures violence at the hands of her slaver and abusive men, and constant condescension from her so called allies in the Resistance. She never thinks of herself, only her brother and how she can aid in freeing him. At a certain point, her resilience stop making sense to me, because we never see her falter and for a girl raised in a mostly comforted home life, I don't know why we never saw a breakdown of will. So much of her characterization is hinted at but never explored; like her feeling of being inferior in a family of revolutionaries, the sinking despair that physically personify into ghuls that chase her everywhere,
Now Elias... he's a character archetype I haven't read in years. He has a dark and tragic backstory and is on the "evil" side but in his heart of hearts believes he is not meant for this life and attempts to break out of it after years of grueling training, only to be pulled back in by a greater destiny. He is that typical man man, the most ruthless, the most physically capable fighter, good looking, a natural leader etc etc. He is the type of protagonist most fantasy books feature and that I, personally, wish would die out in popularity. (More soft men in fantasy please). His inner monologue when he even looked at a woman was startling each time and painful to read through. Maybe like 40% of what he thought was grounded in what we learned of him as a character that is plagued by all the death he's wrought as a Mask and his striving to do good and constantly questioning the world he was forced into, but the rest was just heavy handed sexism. What up with that ?
Also the consistent threat of r wording female characters was also very troubling and not at all what I expected to read. I wasn't a fan of Marcus' characterization at all. I understand having foils to the capable morally upright male protagonist, but having that be a r*pist like Marcus... I was not a fan.
Overall I gave this book a 3.5 but it was probably more of a 3.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Blood
chattie_the_mad_chatter'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism, Violence, and Sexual harassment
verk'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: Child death and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
sarahsbookss'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
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
cc0906's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and War
christyreads83's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
veeronald'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
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, War, and Injury/Injury detail
caseythereader'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? No
4.0
- I didn't expect it to be quite as dark as it is, but once I adjusted to that, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
- Given that this book is from 2015, there are some YA tropes that are a bit tired now (she didn't know she was beautiful, a love triangle, etc.) but I was invested in the world nonetheless. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Rape
gracetxgao'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
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Abandonment