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angstifies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i loved the world building, the magic system, and how the plot developed; but i did not connect much with the characters, and i wished the side characters had been more “flashed out”, and i also can’t say that i was very invested in the story for the first half of the novel.
the latter 50% of the book however was amazing! it was much more interesting and i was truly pulled into the story.
i know this was one of Sanderson’s first published works so i wasn’t too surprised at the slightly weak writing, but the dialogue made me cringe several times, and the lack of female characters & a terrible forced straight romance (that was unbearable for me and had absolutely ZERO chemistry + why is a 21yo dude not leaving this 16yo girl alone???) bothered me.
don’t know if i’ll be reading the sequels of this specific series but i’ll definitely be checking out Brandon Sanderson’s other books.
Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Death, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, War, and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Suicide
maulikki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Slavery, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Racism, Genocide, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, War, Bullying, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Cursing, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Torture
idlecat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Violence and Slavery
Minor: Sexual violence
caityreviews's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Sexual violence
hamstringy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Slavery, Genocide, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Abandonment, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, and Torture
kew16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Death, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape
oldladysadie'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
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Body horror, Blood, and Child abuse
Moderate: Slavery, War, Abandonment, Death, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
caitlinderocker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, Torture, War, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Genocide, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
kokotea's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gore, Death, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, and Slavery
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
kirbylover16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Vin is practically illiterate, as are most skaa, and it comes off quirky? Especially with Vin and Spook, and that rubs me wrong. The whole free will theme and religious tones are huge turnoffs. (apparently, Sanderson is a Mormon) Vin's mentor Kelsior is supposed to be charming, but he's not. He got worse as the story goes. Maybe I'm biased tho? Every mentor, grandfather/or father figure in media tends to be manipulative.
What made me want to read this book was the idea that the prophetic hero fails and the evil rules, but that's all in the background. The bad guy won centuries ago! We slowly get the hero's journal, but the story would be the same without it. (shorter at least) The better description is a magical heist with politics and slavery thrown in. I enjoyed the romance and sexual tension, but I don't think he met latter.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Abandonment, and Body horror
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
There isn't really any sex/skin, just one brief kiss described, some mentions of rape, whore houses, and underage sex. Vin does run around in boys' clothes and in her undergarments. Mostly for comic effect. Also, mental health/postpartum depression/suicide as Vin's mother kills her baby sibling and herself. Oh, and lots of murder, which we get to see very graphically. A shocking amount of beheading.