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ashatroyal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Sexual harassment
fclancy93's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Of friends and of faith
Or of watching it all fall
Graphic: Death and Colonisation
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
choicepotatoes_old's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The story is extremely plot-driven, however, and so every now and then the characters will do or say something that feels (sometimes wildly) out of character for the purpose of furthering the plot.
The most frustrating example of this is
Touraine is repeatedly shown to be loyal to a fault. Every decision she makes ties back to her desire to protect her fellow conscripts, who she considers to be her family. Additionally, in the first few chapters of the story, we learn she's been in a years'-long romantic relationship with Pruett, whom she considers to be one of her two closes friends.
Given all of the above, it makes literally zero sense that she develops a giant schoolgirl crush almost immediately after becoming her assistant.
Not only did I have trouble believing Touraine's relationship with Pruett could be thrown aside so easily, the power dynamics between Luca and Touraine make any romance between them extremely problematic and--because Luca's feelings are reciprocated by Touraine in a way that feels reminiscent of a lighthearted romance--I don't think that's successfully addressed in the book.
Personally, I feel like the romance sublot would have worked better if it had been one-sided. Luca--who we're told has a history of taking relatively temporary lovers of all genders--could grow infatuated with Touraine, the one "thing" she can own, but can't *have*.
All of the decisions Luca makes regarding Touraine could stay exactly the same, but she would need to experience extreme character growth--potentially over the course of multiple books--and Pruett would need to be completely out of the romance picture before Touraine might start to have feelings for her.
Another unfortunate consequence of the novel being plot-driven is my inability as a reader to connect with any of the minor characters.
All that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding and the plot. Clark did an excellent job depicting the impact of colonialism on a colonized country, and the politics Luca navigates as future queen of the colonizing country are fascinating.
---
3.75 - the parts that were done well were done really *really* well, but there was at least one major issue that negatively impacted my enjoyment of the book
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism
professor_jango'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
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
alexalily'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: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Self harm, Excrement, and Vomit
kaschaller'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, and Vomit
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
binayocheved's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and War
leaflit'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: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
hellsbellsbeepbeep'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
The book is very a heartbreaking journey and the main character is still someone you can love despite all her choices that cause chaos. I felt moved to finish out of my curiosity for Touraine’s fate and in hopes to find out wether or not the rebels won. I was also just waiting for some justice after all that xenophobic mistreatment to the Qazals or anyone not Balladrain.
With all that said I did enjoy the book, just not as much I hoped I would. With this book I kept getting distracted because it felt too busy at times and didn’t feel gripped by the plot.
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
griffinthief'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
3.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism and Suicide