Scan barcode
blacksphinx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's not perfect. We have a prologue that leads into a 14-and-a-half years timeskip that really felt like starting the story off by smacking into a pothole due to a lack of explanation. The story then later gives us the infodump of how that 14+ year situation resolved in a dream sequence, which was, certainly a choice. Our protagonist really has no self preservation instinct and almost bleeds to death multiple times. I felt the plot struggled a little because it had to introduce so many characters to us, not all of whom are big movers and shakers in this particular story. But I never felt like putting the book down. Even if I was a touch annoyed at how slowly we collected clues for the mystery, I just kept reading. I found myself thinking about the story and the characters at work. I just had to know more, and as soon as I finished this book I picked up the second book in the series without even pausing to mark this one off as "finished."
[Side note, I've heard Seanan McGuire talk about the language issues in this book and early series before, it's probably that she kept negativity comparing things to "hookers" and women kept calling each other bitches.]
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, and Physical abuse
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Dementia, Vomit, and Sexual content
Whorephobia, drowning.styxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, and Physical abuse
book_gremlin42'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
4.25
Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, and Child abuse
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The strength of the series so far is undoubtedly the world building, how McGuire fit all the species of fae in and around our own modern(ish) world. I'll forgive any number of plot and character sins if it means I get to explore the nooks and crannies. I also really enjoyed the way magic was handled, with the unique scents and constraints on casting. The cast of characters were interesting and varied, but I found myself frustrated by Toby herself. It felt as if she was tumbling from one plot point to the next, getting knocked down only to be revived by her allies over and over. I liked viewing the world from her perspective, but at the same time I wanted to smack her until she let me drive, because she kept being stubborn. I know McGuire's writing enough to know that she's probably going somewhere with this characterization, but it was frustrating throughout this whole first book.
I do intend to continue with this series. I've heard it gets better as it goes along, and I was interested in many of the plot teasers that were dangled in the final chapter. But unfortunately it's a bit of a rough introduction.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity and Physical abuse
maryellen'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
readingelli'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
foreverinastory'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
4.0
Rep: white female MC with PTSD, Asian coded female side character, various other fae race side characters.
CWs: Blood, confinement (in a pond as a fish), death, grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping/attempted kidnapping, medical content, murder, racism (within the fae there is discrimination and prejudice towards changelings and half fae), toxic relationship, violence, emotional abuse. Moderate: Ableism, child death, gore, sexual content. Brief: Dementia.
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Gore, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Dementia
laurajones's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence and Physical abuse
Minor: Dementia