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abookwormspov's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Dementia, Suicide, Grief, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Confinement, Violence, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
mxbluet18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
☆
☆
This story jumps around between perspectives a lot, which I find a little difficult to follow.
~
I was interested in it, but I didn't have an easy time keeping the characters and the timeline straight, which meant I couldn't really work out what was happening a lot of the time, and kept confusing characters and who was who.
~
I think I enjoyed The Starless Sea more than I did this one because I cared more about the characters and events in that one. I'm sure it's a great book for someone, but I wasn't thrilled by it.
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Suicide
purplepenning's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Undeniably beautiful writing in a turn of the century fairytale that is groundedly gritty and soaringly ethereal. I don't care for circuses, but it was the exact right venue for this story. This one didn't knock me off my feet quite as much as The Starless Sea, which I read first and with no expectations. Partly, I think, because I wasn't as enamored with Marco as I maybe was supposed to be and I wasn't as satisfied with the ending here, but mostly because:
"The finest of pleasure are always the unexpected ones."
Definitely recommend for fans of The Starless Sea and Alix Harrow's Ten Thousand Doors of January.
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Grief, Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Violence, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol and Abandonment
Abuse of magic/violation of personal agency: stealing memories, advancing by magically enhanced charm and looksgattolinos_nerdy_nook'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
3.75
Whilst there is a "battle" it is more of a showcase against one another, rather than like a performance where they are trying to out do one another. There is also some romance but I couldn't call it a romantic book. Instead this book does a wonderful job of life in the Night Circus and the characters there. There are so many more characters than the two mages we hear about and their stories are all intriguing and wonderfully written.
I think if you are going to read this book, remember that it is really about the circus and the life that everyone lives in it.
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide, Murder, Blood, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent
bennoyb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, and Self harm
readandfindout's review
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Themes: 3.5 stars
Characters: 2.5 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Blood, Self harm, Animal death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
katvou'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
3.75
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
laneys_library's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment and Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Murder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
maeverose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
This review is for my first re read of this book, which I originally gave 4 or 5 stars (can’t remember)
!!!This will have spoilers so skip if you haven’t read the book!!!
The things I loved:
The things I didn’t like:
Marco’s relationship with Isobel. He was kinda terrible to her. He fell for Celia the moment he saw her, but didn’t break up with Isobel until 15 years later… like yes Isobel could’ve taken the hint that he didn’t like her anymore but it was really sh*tty of him to not just tell her that it was over. He knew Isobel still loved him, or he wouldn’t have broken up with her at all. He just let that go on for 15 years…… another thing about their relationship that bothered me, is if you pay attention, towards the end Isobel says she was younger than Bailey when she met Marco. Bailey was 15 when Isobel met him, Marco was 19 when he met Isobel. So Isobel had to have been 14 at the oldest…. That makes me uncomfortable.
The competition. I liked that it wasn’t action heavy, but I felt like there was so little focus on the competition that it just felt a bit low stakes. Not even just that but it hardly felt like there was a competition at all.
Graphic: Self harm, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Animal death, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Cursing, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Eating disorder
A sort of magical equivalent of terminal illness, stabbing, depression, an unhealthy romantic relationship (side romance), pedophilic relationship (14 & 19 when they get together, side romance)zoeelora's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Infidelity, Murder, Infertility, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide