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leafhead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Torture, Alcohol, Child abuse, Sexism, Confinement, Violence, Classism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Ableism, Xenophobia, Body horror, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Chronic illness, Colonisation, and Gaslighting
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and War
laurenmiller100's review against another edition
4.0
- Characters: 8
- Atmosphere/Setting: 9
- Writing Style: 5
- Plot: 7
- Intrigue: 7
- Logic/Relationships: 6
- Enjoyment: 9
This was awesome. I love mechs and the setting is very evocative. Brought me out of a reading slump! The prose can be a little on the nose at times, but that’s to be expected in a YA novel. I love Zetien and I love the righteous fury, willing-to-do-anything, femme fatale lead. It’s so refreshing to have a female character be so reckless and have the male characters be more submissive. Also,
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexism, Sexual violence, Murder, Body horror, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism
Moderate: War, Torture, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
kemrick19'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Violence, Addiction, Murder, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual assault
cfitz13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Moderate: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, War, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexism, and Classism
Minor: Rape and Alcohol
kristenityyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexism
Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Grief, Body shaming, Homophobia, and Gun violence
indy_go_go22'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: Sexism, Torture, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicidal thoughts
moonsongsiren's review against another edition
the main character is not complex, she is unlikable, and incredibly misogynistic to the girls around her. her love interests at the point i stopped reading were.. mediocre. she is poor “representation” if you can even call her that, but i understand and appreciate that this book was written with a LOT of heart and a LOT of effort was put into it. But that does not make a good story.
What was truly the last straw for me was the main character forcing herself upon one of her love interests (does not, at any point ask him for consent, and he even tells her to stop and wait and she does not comply). To me, that sends the exact opposite message that the book was trying to send.
Over all, EXTREMELY disappointing. i would not recommend this to anyone, there is simply too much it is lacking. but for a debut novel that was clearly a loved passion project, it serves that purpose.
it is self indulgent for the author, it has a very bare bones emotion that drives the story, and it barely scratches the surface of the message it WANTS to convey.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexism, Child death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Genocide, Bullying, Murder, Gore, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, War, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
sleeping_roses'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
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, Addiction, Murder, Misogyny, Alcoholism, War, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Sexism, and Torture
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Biphobia, Gun violence, and Suicidal thoughts
auntquinoa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The character development is was makes this book somewhat immature. The protagonists internal voice is repetitive and doesn’t question her own biases while holding every person around their to theirs (which is her undoing in the aforementioned epilogue). There is ZERO character development in any of the main characters - a striking decision. They never question themselves while trying to wade through very complicated dynamics. At times the dialogue is just downright cringy (page 331 especially).
I read the acknowledgements and understand this book flipped between adult and YA. The faults of the book lie entirely in that indecision by the agent/author/publisher. This is a dark, dark book. Concubine and slavery depictions require nuance which YA doesn’t typically have. The darkness, violence and downright gore do not enmesh well with the immature dispositions of the characters of all ages. It made the book very hard to read without laughing, cringing, or becoming frustrated.
Overall a very bizarre read that somehow still kept me hooked. You must read it for yourself to decide. Does that make it a complete success??
Graphic: Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gore, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and War
jnobrien21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual violence, and Drug abuse
Minor: Murder and Suicidal thoughts