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eve_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall Thoughts:
⁕ The pacing of this book redeemed the slower second installment that was A Torch Against the Night. I put off reading this one because I was worried that it would also be full of slow, quest-based traveling, but it was not! The action once again picked up and I could not put the book down!
⁕ Helene/The Blood Shrike is given a spot in the limelight and I am absolutely obsessed with and attached to her character. No longer is she the lovesick schoolmate of Elias, but a woman and warrior caught between family, duty, and justice. I absolutely ATE up her arc and I can't wait for more.
⁕ SPOILER: Even though this might go against popular opinion, I dislike the decision to make Cook Laia's long thought dead mother. It is such a rushed revelation at the end of the novel, and there is no prior hint or clue ever given as to her true identity. It didn't feel like the mind blowing plot twist I think it was intended as.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online/
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
⁕ The pacing of this book redeemed the slower second installment that was A Torch Against the Night. I put off reading this one because I was worried that it would also be full of slow, quest-based traveling, but it was not! The action once again picked up and I could not put the book down!
⁕ Helene/The Blood Shrike is given a spot in the limelight and I am absolutely obsessed with and attached to her character. No longer is she the lovesick schoolmate of Elias, but a woman and warrior caught between family, duty, and justice. I absolutely ATE up her arc and I can't wait for more.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online/
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Torture, Death, Violence, War, Death of parent, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
catorureads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Blood, and Death
fremzz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Torture
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Laia takes a very long time to figure out what she should be doing. Elias knows what he should be doing but keeps trying to figure out a way to not do it and get the same result. Helene knows what she is doing but no idea if things will work out in the face of the malevolence around her.
There's a revelation about one character's identity which ended up feeling very anticlimactic for me, as I'd guessed it when I read the first book. It felt a bit like nothing else would have made sense. That's good, since it means the writing up until the reveal completely supported the revelation and was reliably telegraphing the direction of the story. It reinforced a feeling of frustration with how this character does things and why, while also not adding much in the moment.
This continues some things left hanging from the second book, and the things it wraps up are interesting but don't feel as emotionally significant. As the third book of four, it moves a lot of things into place which seem like they'll be critical for the final book. Book one was slavery and escape, book two was a months-long journey culminating in a rescue attempt, but this third book focuses more on trying to make certain bad things not happen. Best case, it's a holding action, worst case it's a series of disasters, and either way it ends feeling strange. Laia and her brother are working with a new contact to make weapons and get those weapons into the right hands, but not everyone agrees over what the right hands are. Helene is trying to keep her pregnant sister alive, and to foil the Commandant wherever she can. Elias is learning his new role in the Waiting Place, finding out just what that entails and how much it will distort his original humanity. The pregnancy and the weapons-making are almost new storylines, but they did have their start at the very end of the second book. Laia, Elias, and Helene are the main narrators, with brief appearances from the Nightbringer at the beginning and end of the book. Their voices are consistent with the previous books, while feeling distinct from each other.
Several things are left hanging for the final book to address, including but not limited to Elias's and Laia's fates, the devastation of the cities, and the final stages of the Nightbringer's plan. I can't think of anything major that was both introduced and resolved. Most of the important things were at least mentioned as possible plans in the second book. It leaves this murky feeling that this book is essential for the overall arc of the series, with several extremely important moments within it, but the ebb and flow of the story itself feels very forgettable.
It would not make sense to start with this book and not have read either of the others. This is a narrative bridge to get from the second book to the finale, it's full of revelations and secrets which have lingered for a while. Once those things are brought to light, the characters can act on them in the final book, but encountering them here as the introduction would feel largely pointless. There's worldbuilding for the Mariners, who haven't appeared until now, but other than that a lot of the background is carried over from the first two books and only lightly re-explained.
The main plot is a tangle of overlapping threads, making of them picking up on things begun earlier, then culminating in one hectic night which synchronizes them in time but not necessarily in theme or purpose. Helene's story is the strongest for me, with clear goals, a specific enemy, and where it's easy to tell if she fails (if her pregnant sister or the forthcoming baby die, that's a problem). Elias is trying to find out how to do the seemingly impossible task of helping all the ghosts move on, and his path towards that answer is full of a lot of back and forth, exiting and re-entering the forest of the Waiting Place. Laia's goals keep changing, as she wants bad things not to happen and good things to happen, but is having trouble figuring out what bad she's willing to accept in defense of which good. Given that the world isn't perfect (and her particular slice of it is filled with a bunch of people willing to do a whole lot of murder for their own goals), that indecision is giving her trouble.
Overall this feels necessary to the arc of the series while being largely forgettable for long stretches. There's a lot of places in the middle where it feels like it's repeating an emotional beat that already happened, or drawing out something for way too long. The end is very strong and I like the story overall, but it's not my favorite in the series so far.
There's a revelation about one character's identity which ended up feeling very anticlimactic for me, as I'd guessed it when I read the first book. It felt a bit like nothing else would have made sense. That's good, since it means the writing up until the reveal completely supported the revelation and was reliably telegraphing the direction of the story. It reinforced a feeling of frustration with how this character does things and why, while also not adding much in the moment.
This continues some things left hanging from the second book, and the things it wraps up are interesting but don't feel as emotionally significant. As the third book of four, it moves a lot of things into place which seem like they'll be critical for the final book. Book one was slavery and escape, book two was a months-long journey culminating in a rescue attempt, but this third book focuses more on trying to make certain bad things not happen. Best case, it's a holding action, worst case it's a series of disasters, and either way it ends feeling strange. Laia and her brother are working with a new contact to make weapons and get those weapons into the right hands, but not everyone agrees over what the right hands are. Helene is trying to keep her pregnant sister alive, and to foil the Commandant wherever she can. Elias is learning his new role in the Waiting Place, finding out just what that entails and how much it will distort his original humanity. The pregnancy and the weapons-making are almost new storylines, but they did have their start at the very end of the second book. Laia, Elias, and Helene are the main narrators, with brief appearances from the Nightbringer at the beginning and end of the book. Their voices are consistent with the previous books, while feeling distinct from each other.
Several things are left hanging for the final book to address, including but not limited to Elias's and Laia's fates, the devastation of the cities, and the final stages of the Nightbringer's plan. I can't think of anything major that was both introduced and resolved. Most of the important things were at least mentioned as possible plans in the second book. It leaves this murky feeling that this book is essential for the overall arc of the series, with several extremely important moments within it, but the ebb and flow of the story itself feels very forgettable.
It would not make sense to start with this book and not have read either of the others. This is a narrative bridge to get from the second book to the finale, it's full of revelations and secrets which have lingered for a while. Once those things are brought to light, the characters can act on them in the final book, but encountering them here as the introduction would feel largely pointless. There's worldbuilding for the Mariners, who haven't appeared until now, but other than that a lot of the background is carried over from the first two books and only lightly re-explained.
The main plot is a tangle of overlapping threads, making of them picking up on things begun earlier, then culminating in one hectic night which synchronizes them in time but not necessarily in theme or purpose. Helene's story is the strongest for me, with clear goals, a specific enemy, and where it's easy to tell if she fails (if her pregnant sister or the forthcoming baby die, that's a problem). Elias is trying to find out how to do the seemingly impossible task of helping all the ghosts move on, and his path towards that answer is full of a lot of back and forth, exiting and re-entering the forest of the Waiting Place. Laia's goals keep changing, as she wants bad things not to happen and good things to happen, but is having trouble figuring out what bad she's willing to accept in defense of which good. Given that the world isn't perfect (and her particular slice of it is filled with a bunch of people willing to do a whole lot of murder for their own goals), that indecision is giving her trouble.
Overall this feels necessary to the arc of the series while being largely forgettable for long stretches. There's a lot of places in the middle where it feels like it's repeating an emotional beat that already happened, or drawing out something for way too long. The end is very strong and I like the story overall, but it's not my favorite in the series so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Self harm
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Torture, Child abuse, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, Death, Child death, Violence, Physical abuse, and War
frantically's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
not even my main girlie helene aquilla can get me to continue reading this, I'M SORRY
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Pregnancy
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture and Child death
semmler's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
You think you know where it's going, you try decrypting the prophecies and everytime you are wrong.
I loved how surprising the plot twisted, it still made sense and didn't seem forced or unrealistic within this universe. The dread looms over you, you know it's coming but you don't know when or how and the characters are as 'clueless' as you which makes it even better to read. With clueless I don't mean that they don't try or that they are dumb, on the contrary; they have super valid theories and you root for them and you try to solve it with them, but the author is a genius playing you and your expectations for ya fantasy like a fiddle.
I loved how true the characters stayed themselves. How the author didn't dimish their personalities for plot or the reader's satisfaction. There is no black and white, no right or wrong. Everything has consequences, that will sooner or later come back to you even if it takes time and it's so great to read! Top book!
The only point of criticism I would have is, that it is fantasy with all that fantasy needs. Magic, ghosts, the power of a story, monsters etc. Which is not bad at all, but I won't be able get my non-fantasy-reading friends to read it and that is kind of a shame.
Their loss, loved it a lot 💕
The 0.25 to the 5 stars are missing, because it doesn't have lines that are so true and clear within themselves that you have to read them over and over again. Because you can relate and it echoes with the understanding of the world and a clearity that is disarming. But that is only my criteria for a 5 star rating. Very cool book still!
I loved how surprising the plot twisted, it still made sense and didn't seem forced or unrealistic within this universe. The dread looms over you, you know it's coming but you don't know when or how and the characters are as 'clueless' as you which makes it even better to read. With clueless I don't mean that they don't try or that they are dumb, on the contrary; they have super valid theories and you root for them and you try to solve it with them, but the author is a genius playing you and your expectations for ya fantasy like a fiddle.
I loved how true the characters stayed themselves. How the author didn't dimish their personalities for plot or the reader's satisfaction. There is no black and white, no right or wrong. Everything has consequences, that will sooner or later come back to you even if it takes time and it's so great to read! Top book!
The only point of criticism I would have is, that it is fantasy with all that fantasy needs. Magic, ghosts, the power of a story, monsters etc. Which is not bad at all, but I won't be able get my non-fantasy-reading friends to read it and that is kind of a shame.
Their loss, loved it a lot 💕
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Murder, and War
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Sexual content and Sexism
therese_nook68's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was such an amazing novel from beginning to end. And once I finished this book, I immediately needed to get the last book in my hands.
There was so much happening in the novel but Sabaa wrote it so well that it was easy to comprehend and get lost in, without getting confused. All of the stories came together so well and once it clicked, it all clicked and I loved seeing every bit of it. It’s rare for me to love every point of view in a book — but I loved them all. I wanted them all (well, save for one) to live, to have a happy life, to be happy with their chosen family. And my heart was torn out in the best way because of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, Animal death, Blood, Death, and Genocide
angstifies's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
this would’ve been probably an objectively better book than the previous one and i would’ve preferred it to the previous books because of the politics, the fact that Elias and Laia aren’t near each other and i liked Musa and his city, but i just don’t fucking care. at one point i realized i just wanted to be done with this and i stopped paying too much attention.
the characters have zero development and are so flat, the romance is fucking terrible and the narration is annoying as fuck. ugh.
the characters have zero development and are so flat, the romance is fucking terrible and the narration is annoying as fuck. ugh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Slavery, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
scandinavian_queen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Genocide
Minor: Gore, Physical abuse, War, Child abuse, Misogyny, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Child death
kristaoz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Pregnancy