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keya_caivalur'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Slavery, War, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Torture, Confinement, Classism, Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping
queergoth_reads'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
3.5
It took me a few chapters to get into the book but I really did enjoy reading it. However, once Aurora woke up it kind of went downhill. Aurora spends her whole time showing that her allyship for the magical creatures from the first book was pretty much all performative. She really can't let go of what Alyce has done (which fair), but keeps putting her through this on again off again things which is just very toxic for everyone involved. Honestly I just stopped liking her and I was rooting for them to completely end their relationship.
Additionally I feel like there were a lot of loose threads that tied up too quickly and in a rather unsatisfying manner.
However it was the last couple of chapters that really frustrated me.
And then there was Aurora getting all the power to unite the kingdoms. I don't think she deserved that at all. And I can't think of anyone worse for the job after the way she acts throughout the book.
Honestly I'm glad Alyce and Aurora don't end up together but I wish it had been a clean break, none of this maybe we'll get back together in 100 years because you are my true love stuff.
Overall I think this book had so much potential. I really do enjoy the author's writing and her characters. I could 100% have read a whole book on Alyce, the dark court and their war. I'd even enjoy Derek being there.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Murder, Toxic relationship, War, Confinement, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
meghansarmiento97's review against another edition
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, Bullying, Death, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Gore
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Prose: 4 ★
Pace: 3 ★
Concept/Execution: 4 ★/3★
Characters: 3.5 ★
Worldbuilding: 3.5 ★
Ending: 3.5 ★
Moderate: War, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, Bullying, Hate crime, Murder, Death, Grief, Slavery, and Blood
Minor: Gaslighting, Body horror, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
frantically's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Murder, Death, Animal cruelty, and Sexual violence
Moderate: War and Racism
Minor: Slavery, Confinement, Child death, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
jay_da_bookworm'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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Classism, Grief, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent and Animal death
booksthatburn's review against another edition
Graphic: Death and Self harm
Moderate: Grief, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Violence, Gore, Blood, War, Physical abuse, Confinement, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Torture, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Child death
shatteredspace'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
4.0
Graphic: War and Death
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Slavery and Torture
theespressoedition'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
3.5
...what I wasn't expecting was for this book to take place 100 years in the future. That threw me for a loop, I'll be honest. It also made me a little bit frustrated because it showed that Alyce really hadn't grown at all in that time, but completely given in to every bit of evil that was plaguing her from the get-go.
However, that meant there was nowhere to go but up. It just took a while to get there.
This book was a great deal slower than the first and didn't really suck me in until the final third of the story. I kept expecting crazy twists or exciting magic but instead, it became a bit boring, focusing more on the political intrigue and how all of the creatures/monsters were harmed or taken advantage of over the years.
That being said, the ending was really well done. While there were plenty of predictable moments throughout the book, the conclusion was something that gave me pause. I wasn't fully expecting the resolution, which was super pleasing. In addition to that, it also made the slower aspects of the story more beneficial. I believe that if I were to reread it, I would appreciate it more for how it turned out.
I also feel the need to mention that I read this over the course of a month (as a buddy-read) when it would typically be a book I would finish in a matter of days. If I pick it up again in the future, I'd be curious to see how it would make me feel if I flew through it a little quicker and if that would make it feel like an easier, less monotonous read.
As a duology, I'd give it 4 stars. It's a unique twist on Sleeping Beauty and I really enjoyed how the classic fairytale was reimagined!
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, Blood, Toxic friendship, and War
Moderate: Grief and Torture
Minor: Self harm
lauraeerika's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Child death