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charm0nix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Violence, and Fatphobia
Minor: Trafficking and Slavery
ladydisdain's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Definitely my least favorite of the series. While I love Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy as characters, adn love all their interactions, the "street kid 4 lyfe/rival gangs" subplot really doesn't do anything for me. I do think because it very explicitly not FOR me- I'm a white, lower middle class permanent suburbanite. I can't speak to any echoes of someone else's experience of life as to realism or appropriate amount of character motivation, I simply have no frame of reference for this world beyond other fiction.
To the positive, this villain is CHILLING. I will still have a physical reaction to some of her scenes as an adult. The build and final explosion of the climax saves the whole book for me- Briar unleashed definitely gives shades of Daine's "I got angry" moment in Emperor Mage.
To the positive, this villain is CHILLING. I will still have a physical reaction to some of her scenes as an adult. The build and final explosion of the climax saves the whole book for me- Briar unleashed definitely gives shades of Daine's "I got angry" moment in Emperor Mage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, and Violence
aimiller's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There were many things about this book I liked--I think it handled the mentorship relationship way better than the last one, in that there was just so much more onscreen time between Briar and Evvy (and it was SO CUTE. Every part they were together I kept going "AWWW" and having to put the book down because I was overcome by how adorable they were.)
There was some stuff going on that I did not love--there was a weird amount of fatphobia which like, I get that here fatness is also a sign of wealth and not caring for the poor, but it's also like. Rough in its depiction. It's also much darker than any of the previous Circle books which is not in and of itself a bad thing, but may be worth knowing going into it.
But apart from that, like I said, I really did enjoy this book, and it made me hope that we will see more of Evvy especially in the future!
There was some stuff going on that I did not love--there was a weird amount of fatphobia which like, I get that here fatness is also a sign of wealth and not caring for the poor, but it's also like. Rough in its depiction. It's also much darker than any of the previous Circle books which is not in and of itself a bad thing, but may be worth knowing going into it.
But apart from that, like I said, I really did enjoy this book, and it made me hope that we will see more of Evvy especially in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Fatphobia
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