Scan barcode
tania_mybookishsecret's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Religious bigotry, Grief, Death, Blood, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
krisalexcole's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Child abuse, Vomit, Blood, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Torture
ezwolf's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This...was a book. It was definitely a book and it had an interesting summary to draw me in, killing a god to avenge her sister? I was 100% on board. Unfortunately I just didn't realize how this was going to draw on real life commentary of religion.
I was genuinely uncomfortable the entire way through this book and not in the way I think the author intended. I think having a commentary on religion and the way it's used to manipulate people (and young women especially) is great and is something that should make people uncomfortable. But the part that made me more uncomfortable was the way the author seemed to want to be like "See? Following religion blindly is bad!" but then also turned around and had, what I'm pretty sure was a Jesus/cross necklace, be an important memento for Ilva and then Anya. I'm sure there's potentially something more nuanced in there but I was not brought up in a Christian or Christian adjacent household and while no religion is perfect, to have an important figure in Christianity be so important to Anya just felt weird to me. And it also made it confusing if this book was meant to be historical fantasy or an alternate world fantasy or what initially felt like a post-apocalyptic kind of fantasy where we've long forgotten technology and have somehow come back around to the Middle Ages.
The romantic subplot was also wholly unnecessary in my eyes and I'd like to be able to read a book about a family member setting off for their family's freedom or vengeance without it being waylaid by a romance plot.
So if you're looking for a YA book that confronts the expectations of religion and a I'm-a-monster-but-I-wish-I-wasn't romantic interest then this is for you!
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
I was genuinely uncomfortable the entire way through this book and not in the way I think the author intended. I think having a commentary on religion and the way it's used to manipulate people (and young women especially) is great and is something that should make people uncomfortable. But the part that made me more uncomfortable was the way the author seemed to want to be like "See? Following religion blindly is bad!" but then also turned around and had, what I'm pretty sure was a Jesus/cross necklace, be an important memento for Ilva and then Anya. I'm sure there's potentially something more nuanced in there but I was not brought up in a Christian or Christian adjacent household and while no religion is perfect, to have an important figure in Christianity be so important to Anya just felt weird to me. And it also made it confusing if this book was meant to be historical fantasy or an alternate world fantasy or what initially felt like a post-apocalyptic kind of fantasy where we've long forgotten technology and have somehow come back around to the Middle Ages.
The romantic subplot was also wholly unnecessary in my eyes and I'd like to be able to read a book about a family member setting off for their family's freedom or vengeance without it being waylaid by a romance plot.
So if you're looking for a YA book that confronts the expectations of religion and a I'm-a-monster-but-I-wish-I-wasn't romantic interest then this is for you!
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Infertility, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Child death
More...