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lorriss'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
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
courtnoodles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement
bluebreex'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: Transphobia
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, and Sexual content
dannavarro'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? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Sexual content
ramreadsagain'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I loved so much about this, the world-building is great (I love reading different approaches to witches in books) and the entire book is also a fuck you to terfs which is always excellent.
I found the first 150 pages quite slow, the book started a couple of chapters too early imo and it took a while for the plot to kick off. Possibly too many POVs as I spent a long while just trying to remind myself who was who.
The characters did feel slightly one-dimensional at times, particularly Elle, but I still loved many of them. I would love to learn more about Diaspora too.
The final 150 pages were excellent, I sped through them so fast. I really enjoyed the plot development and can't wait to read the next one. Glad I already have it!!
Graphic: Transphobia and Murder
Moderate: Death, Violence, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
wishbea'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
It was wonderful to read a fantasy story from the perspective of adult women, where many of them have kids/kid charges and it's an accomplishment that the children were all dynamic characters and not frustrating to read about or detrimental to the plot in a way they sometimes are. Themes of motherhood and found family are very strong here.
The romances and friendships all felt organic to me and I was definitely rooting for the budding new romance in the book.
The trans storyline was by far the strongest and was what made this book 5 stars for me, it used a great many talking points I've heard from trans people, allies and TERFs so it was bone chilling how accurate to real life the arguments the characters were having felt.
We also get POC characters and lesbian characters, but their struggles were sidelined somewhat and I am hoping they will get their chance to shine in the next book.
I'm glad the second book is out because I can't wait to read it and find out where these characters go next.
Edit: After reading the second book I've changed my rating to 4 stars as I realised the ending to this book destroys multiple characters storylines and is partially responsible for book 2 being disappointing.
Graphic: Transphobia, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
l4urenf13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Abortion, Lesbophobia, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Grief
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
frmeden'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Car accident, and War
alexiab'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
5.0
While there are a ton of excellent commentaries happening throughout this story about racism, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism there is also an INCREDIBLE fantasy plot with exciting action and heartstopping twists. I can't BELIEVE the exciting and emotional way it ended, and I am champing at the absolute bit for the next book. I'm obsessed with this writing, the balance of character study/women's fiction aspects, world building, and fast paced plot is fabulous. I would read another one of these books for the characters alone, but THAT PLOT! OOOOH THAT PLOT SHE IS SPICY SHE IS EXCITING SHE IS DESTROYING MY VERY SOUL FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
And god, the social commentary on trans women and their place in women's spaces? The white feminism and how it doesn't benefit women of colour? The raging white women fighting for "women's rights" but only women who look like her?! GOD. JUST AMAZING.
A huge part of me thinks this book was written as a direct response to JK Rowling and her bullshit TERF rhetoric, and my god is it incredible. The setting, the fantasy elements, and the themes work so beautifully together and paint the biggest "fuck you" to every TERF out there, I couldn't be more thrilled.
A huge part of me expected Helena's story to go a very different direction, and I am SO thrilled that this didn't remotely pander to the "we're better than them, show them kindness" bullshit that some people spew. every TERF deserves to burn in hell, I'm not sorry. RIP Helena, you crusty bitch.
Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Dysphoria
Minor: Self harm and Alcohol