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dlrosebyh's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
3.5
People in the city of Eldra are governed by ancient prophecies. Because of the elder seers' forecasts, the high council has maintained its position of authority for ages. Growing unrest after the fulfillment of the last infallible prophesy resulted in murders and, eventually, a rebellion that lasted for more than ten years.
Cassa, the rebels' orphaned daughter in the present, is adamant about taking revenge on the high council, which rules Eldra from within the citadel walls. Cassa struggles to come to terms with the heritage of rebellion her deceased parents have left her and the worry that she may not be able to carry the load because her only companions are the no-nonsense Alys, the laid-back Evander, and the consistently underrated Newt. However, it might be too late for Cassa and her allies to save the city or themselves by the time they solve the enigma of the final infallible prophecy.
I didn't find the book to be in any way poor. The writing was great, the plot was interesting, and the characters were incredibly endearing and diverse. Don't get me wrong, I get why people enjoy this book, especially for the lgbtqia+ members out there; it's just that it didn't really stick out to me. Nonetheless, if you see a found family of teen rebels, I would always be there being their #1 supporter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, and Gun violence
Minor: Body horror and Addiction
lanid's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Grief
quasinaut'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
4.25
At times convoluted, this fantasy adventure with a crew of teens was fun and thrilling. Interesting individual powers and strengths; reminded me of Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death
elwirax's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.0
Pros:
• The representation!
Alys- plus size, PoC, asexual, suffers from anxiety/ panic attacks (I related to her the most)
Cassa- PoC (annoying at times but she kinda grew on me as the story progressed)
Evander- Bisexual, PoC (absolutely loved his personality)
Newt- Gay (what a sweetheart, I wish he was more present as a main character though)
• Truth be told I loved all the characters so I can't even pick a favourite.
• Loved the atmosphere and witty characters.
• I appreciated that their sexualities were actually stated on paper, made me connect with Aly's character that much more
• Quenched my need for a book like Six of Crows. You can definitely see the strong similarities between "Beneath the Citadel" and "Six of Crows" but this just added to my personal enjoyment.
Cons:
• There were certain aspect the author kept repeating throughout the book which after a while got tieresome.
• The relationships weren't as established as I'd hoped, even the brother/ sister bond didn't seem to be all that strong.
• Wasn't as dark as I'd hoped but I suppose that's a personal preference
• Although there were meant to be high stakes I didn't really feel them all that much
• I want to know what the thing in the lake was
Overall, I really enjoyed this, it wasn't perfect but it had a great group of characters and an atmospheric setting which made it difficult to put down. Recommend to Six of Crows fans.
• The representation!
Alys- plus size, PoC, asexual, suffers from anxiety/ panic attacks (I related to her the most)
Cassa- PoC (annoying at times but she kinda grew on me as the story progressed)
Evander- Bisexual, PoC (absolutely loved his personality)
Newt- Gay (what a sweetheart, I wish he was more present as a main character though)
• Truth be told I loved all the characters so I can't even pick a favourite.
• Loved the atmosphere and witty characters.
• I appreciated that their sexualities were actually stated on paper, made me connect with Aly's character that much more
• Quenched my need for a book like Six of Crows. You can definitely see the strong similarities between "Beneath the Citadel" and "Six of Crows" but this just added to my personal enjoyment.
Cons:
• There were certain aspect the author kept repeating throughout the book which after a while got tieresome.
• The relationships weren't as established as I'd hoped, even the brother/ sister bond didn't seem to be all that strong.
• Wasn't as dark as I'd hoped but I suppose that's a personal preference
• Although there were meant to be high stakes I didn't really feel them all that much
• I want to know what the thing in the lake was
Overall, I really enjoyed this, it wasn't perfect but it had a great group of characters and an atmospheric setting which made it difficult to put down. Recommend to Six of Crows fans.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse and Blood
Minor: Addiction
emily_mh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
4.25
This was a really entertaining read as it was just almost constant action. It had a diverse cast of loveable characters who shared realistic and endearing relationships with one another. The magic system was fascinating and quite mind-bending at times, definitely keeping me on my toes. The ending was also really satisfying, although I kind of wish it wasn't a standalone as by the end I wanted to spend more time in Eldra with the characters.
The only reason this isn't a five star read is that the beginning is quite jarring, which had far-reaching consequences. You're dumped in the deep end where the group of rebels have known each other for years and have been caught infiltrating the Citadel, which means the action begins right away before you get the chance to understand the characters and their relationships, which are already fully formed without your observance. It made me feel quite disconnected from them for a large part of the book and as such I couldn't give it 5 stars in the end.
The only reason this isn't a five star read is that the beginning is quite jarring, which had far-reaching consequences. You're dumped in the deep end where the group of rebels have known each other for years and have been caught infiltrating the Citadel, which means the action begins right away before you get the chance to understand the characters and their relationships, which are already fully formed without your observance. It made me feel quite disconnected from them for a large part of the book and as such I couldn't give it 5 stars in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Child death, Murder, and Blood
Minor: Excrement, Vomit, Torture, Cursing, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Alcohol
skypotion's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child abuse
toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book! I really liked the story telling style and switching perspectives and the way relevant things were revealed as they became relevant. The characters and world were super interesting and the story and resolution felt very complex and balanced, just like real life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Confinement, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Gun violence, Torture, Police brutality, and Physical abuse
emmeline's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It’s an enjoyable read, a lot of the world building took place via info dump and I wish there was more explanation on the magic system, it’s rules and the differences between groups.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Blood, Grief, and Medical content
angelareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Dementia, and Gun violence
Minor: Addiction
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beneath The Citadel plays with identity and memory to tell a riveting story of intrigue, revolution, and desperation. It's unapologetically queer in a way that feels like finally breathing, blending sweetness and exasperation to make an amazing ride.
I'm so happy this book exists, and I hope to read many more like it. The characters have complex relationships with each other that are informed by their queerness but not wholly defined by it. I only mentioned it so much because it feels amazing to read a story which doesn't treat straightness as a default. Another thing I haven't seen before is a teen friendship between former lovers where there's no jealousy about one of them moving on to exploring new relationships. I'm always looking at how YA books handle relationship triangles, and I like how this kind of dodges that entire premise while also keeping some of what makes that dynamic fascinating as a trope. As for the flow of the book, there's a really good mix of figuring out the tumult and constant stress of the main action, while also having quiet intimate moments where everyone gets a moment to breath and reassess.
I love the book, I love the premise, I love heist stories... I wish this were a series, but I also feel like it would be a betrayal of the conclusion of the book to try and have a related story in this space. It would be interesting to read more things in this world, but due to its nature as a portrayal of the last gasp of a dying and defunct societal paradigm, it's probably for the best that it's standalone.
I'm so happy this book exists, and I hope to read many more like it. The characters have complex relationships with each other that are informed by their queerness but not wholly defined by it. I only mentioned it so much because it feels amazing to read a story which doesn't treat straightness as a default. Another thing I haven't seen before is a teen friendship between former lovers where there's no jealousy about one of them moving on to exploring new relationships. I'm always looking at how YA books handle relationship triangles, and I like how this kind of dodges that entire premise while also keeping some of what makes that dynamic fascinating as a trope. As for the flow of the book, there's a really good mix of figuring out the tumult and constant stress of the main action, while also having quiet intimate moments where everyone gets a moment to breath and reassess.
I love the book, I love the premise, I love heist stories... I wish this were a series, but I also feel like it would be a betrayal of the conclusion of the book to try and have a related story in this space. It would be interesting to read more things in this world, but due to its nature as a portrayal of the last gasp of a dying and defunct societal paradigm, it's probably for the best that it's standalone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Death
CW for violence, death.
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