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lais's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fatphobia, Incest, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Suicide
elliekoepke's review
- 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: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Suicide
words_and_dreams's review
- 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? Yes
4.0
Gaia, the youngest daughter of the Sea King is unhappy with her life. The underwater kingdom has a dystopian feel, women have no say and those that are deemed 'unattractive' are sent to live in the outlands, outcasts. She is betrothed to an older man who is a sexual predator. All of the women have repressed lives, controlled by the men.
On her 15th birthday Gaia visits the surface as her right of passage. She there sees and rescues Oliver, a human boy and falls in love. The insta love didn't bother me as that tracks with teens. She makes a bargain with the Sea Witch to get human legs at a price.
Although it was set in modern day, it still had that fairytale feel to it. I liked the portryal of Ceto the sea witch, a being of neither good nor evil and felt more authentic to the original tale. Gaia's journey is an interesting one as she comes of age, and her realisation that the surface world is not much better than the sea world. Men are weak and evil everywhere.
It was a little on the nose at times but it is aimed at a younger audience. I loved the ending but wish it had been drawn out a little longer.
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Blood
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Blood, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: War, Murder, Death of parent, Suicide, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content
kirstenf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol, War, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fatphobia, Ableism, and Suicide
Minor: Rape, Drug use, and Pedophilia
danielle_n's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Death of parent, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, and Infidelity
Minor: Suicide, Fatphobia, Murder, and Lesbophobia
kassidyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Suicide and Homophobia
lsylvie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Self harm, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia
frednamode's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Some of the male characters were a little two dimensional, clearly only there as plot devices, the sexism was a little on the nose: ‘if she wasn’t my daughter...’ we all know how trump finished that sentence so I can’t say the author writes unrealistic characters, but the bad guys felt wholly bad and the good guys were faultless - it would have been nice to see more dimensions and moral dilemmas for our protagonist (but assuming this is targeted as a YA novel it makes sense)
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Eating disorder
Minor: Homophobia