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oakairi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Torture, Blood, and Grief
novel_nibbles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A fast paced (very loose) retelling of Robin Hood with a slow burn enemies to lovers romance.
I’m looking forward to reading more about the political implications following the fallout of the first book and I have already downloaded the second book in the trilogy.
I’m looking forward to reading more about the political implications following the fallout of the first book and I have already downloaded the second book in the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Torture, Death of parent, and Violence
janacc's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
ajpotz's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pretty fun book, definitely not literary art but easy to read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, Blood, Chronic illness, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic
dezzella's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I would say this reads as upper YA dystopian fantasy with dark elements/themes. I was hooked as I started reading this, and very quickly the author had my jaw dropping with surprise. You have this kingdom that is facing an illness, and struggling to give medicine to everyone. Tension is rising and though the king has strict restrictions on the flower that seems to be halting most things, there is an underground market risking their lives to get the medicine - whether for greed or for more.
The romance is definitely a sub plot, and the focus is more on the sickness affecting the kingdom, but I like how it was done. The book feels like a combination of the futuristic dystopian novels and a fantasy setting. There are magical/fantasy elements and I think everything blended pretty well.
Over pretty good and I had a good time reading it, will definitely be continuing to book 2.
The romance is definitely a sub plot, and the focus is more on the sickness affecting the kingdom, but I like how it was done. The book feels like a combination of the futuristic dystopian novels and a fantasy setting. There are magical/fantasy elements and I think everything blended pretty well.
Over pretty good and I had a good time reading it, will definitely be continuing to book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Gore, and Torture
caelfind's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Torture
kfmcf's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
There's something missing from this book for me. I don't know what it is, exactly, but it just feels like there's a layer that just never made it in.
I also think that the pacing is just off. I never really felt the stakes of anything as I moved through the book because I just kept looking at how much was left and going...okay surely they're going to get to *something* and they didn't until the last like 2 chapters.
I'm also just really not of fan of such a textbook ingenue. She has nothing that makes her interesting and yet the MMC is supposed to be so enamored with her. I was really excited in the beginning to have her alchemy be a major part of who she is but it's really not, which is a bummer.
There were parts of the character interactions that I enjoyed, just not the characters themselves. There's some good banter, but it's just intermingled with a whole lot of NOTHING happening. Also OBVIOUSLY Corrick was Wes. We did not need to wait that long for a mediocre reveal. Or if we WERE going to wait that long, there needed to be more stakes of it. She needed to hate Corrick himself and not just government. Ugh. Missed opportunity.
Something about the writing also just didn't gel with me. Maybe it's from just finishing a few books where the prose felt very mature and well written (also YA) and then moving into this just felt a bit patronizing to teens and their reading capabilities at times. Juvenile writing is not a bad thing in moments, but having the actual writing structure of the book feel juvenile was a miss for me. CW: S Assault - Also, the scene where they're in his room after she's caught is CREEPY. It's creepily written and Corrick is creepy, he basically assaults her. And why did her breast need to pop out of her shirt in the struggle? It was gratuitous and made me uncomfortable and I don't think in the way that the writer was hoping for. I didn't feel her vulnerability, it just felt like an edition thrown in with no consideration to how it would affect the character. Also, like a line before it happened she made a joke (WHILST BEING ATTACKED) about his knife maybe being his boner (ala "is that a __ in your pocket or are you just happy to see me"). Took me out of the book, that whole interaction and really put a bad taste in my mouth for Corrick as a character.
However, all that said, I'm interested enough in the story and characters (not Tessa) to read the next one just to see if the exposition of the first book was just set up. If it isn't, then I'll probably drop this rating lower.
I also think that the pacing is just off. I never really felt the stakes of anything as I moved through the book because I just kept looking at how much was left and going...okay surely they're going to get to *something* and they didn't until the last like 2 chapters.
I'm also just really not of fan of such a textbook ingenue. She has nothing that makes her interesting and yet the MMC is supposed to be so enamored with her. I was really excited in the beginning to have her alchemy be a major part of who she is but it's really not, which is a bummer.
There were parts of the character interactions that I enjoyed, just not the characters themselves. There's some good banter, but it's just intermingled with a whole lot of NOTHING happening.
Something about the writing also just didn't gel with me. Maybe it's from just finishing a few books where the prose felt very mature and well written (also YA) and then moving into this just felt a bit patronizing to teens and their reading capabilities at times. Juvenile writing is not a bad thing in moments, but having the actual writing structure of the book feel juvenile was a miss for me.
However, all that said, I'm interested enough in the story and characters (not Tessa) to read the next one just to see if the exposition of the first book was just set up. If it isn't, then I'll probably drop this rating lower.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Violence, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Confinement, Gaslighting, and War
Minor: Sexual assault
middle_name_joy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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
3.75
Though the main themes are beaten to a pulp by the end, this is a decent adventure story with characters you come to be invested in. There are slow sections, but there is also action and shifting loyalties and castle intrigue. Lots of gore, too. I'm going to need a romance cleanser before reading the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Child death, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and Vomit
thecasualbooknerd's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
This was a solid Robin-Hood-esque fantasy that had satisfying twists and turns and none of the cringe YA tropes. It was enthralling and original enough to stand on its own.
Would definitely read again and recommend
Would definitely read again and recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
calicat42's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Torture, Blood, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and War