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alphabetseeds's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
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
4.5
After being thrown wildly back into the plot of Witchmark, the pace barely lets up as Grace wrestles her way to the forefront of the story. Her whole life has been prepared for her in a very particular way - but try as she might to stay in the middle between the status quo and radical change, her choices at the end of Witchmark became the catalyst for her personal growth in this book.
Her views are challenged and she's constantly being undermined and manipulated by her father and former fiance, but that doesn't stop her from running circles - literally and metaphorically - around the major issues threatening Aeland and her people. Grace is a well realized person, and her transformation in this book felt perfect and well earned.
I'm charmed and breathless after this book. I need to get to the library ASAP.
Her views are challenged and she's constantly being undermined and manipulated by her father and former fiance, but that doesn't stop her from running circles - literally and metaphorically - around the major issues threatening Aeland and her people. Grace is a well realized person, and her transformation in this book felt perfect and well earned.
I'm charmed and breathless after this book. I need to get to the library ASAP.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Minor: War
raptorq'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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Murder and Confinement
Minor: War, Forced institutionalization, and Violence
novella42's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.0
This book was way more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and did a good job of convincing me to care about a rich girl developing her ethics and sense of justice. Especially considering all that Grace had to answer for in the first book, I thought it was ambitious of Polk to tackle her as a protagonist. And it was ambitious, but for all the right reasons, and written with the same poise and determination that Grace shows through the whole story. I was a little stunned by just how many threads came together by the end, and how hard Polk worked to earn the changes in these characters. Some things weren't quite earned, but at the scale of this book I can forgive that, especially since I enjoyed it so much.
I enjoyed the queer romance and could've used more of it and less political intrigue, but what's on the page is still fun. Grace and Ava have good chemistry together, and it was fun to imagine them together.
Huge props for the graceful and respectful depiction of disability, specifically an ambulatory wheelchair user. In most cases the tension around the disability came from the inaccessible environment and the worry of caretakers. The character in question still had agency, motives, skills, and a role to play in the story that wasn't really focused on the disability. As a lifelong ambulatory wheelchair user myself, this was very refreshing!
I enjoyed the queer romance and could've used more of it and less political intrigue, but what's on the page is still fun. Grace and Ava have good chemistry together, and it was fun to imagine them together.
Huge props for the graceful and respectful depiction of disability, specifically an ambulatory wheelchair user. In most cases the tension around the disability came from the inaccessible environment and the worry of caretakers. The character in question still had agency, motives, skills, and a role to play in the story that wasn't really focused on the disability. As a lifelong ambulatory wheelchair user myself, this was very refreshing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, War, Death, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Confinement, Body horror, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Violence, Grief, War, Colonisation, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Genocide, and Torture
Minor: Cancer, Torture, and Terminal illness
librarianmage's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Body horror
Moderate: Death, Blood, Genocide, and Violence
Minor: Torture, War, and Cancer
purplepenning's review against another edition
3.5
Still a fascinating series. Book 2 is just a lot more political intrigue than I usually enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Minor: War and Cancer
therainbowshelf's review
adventurous
dark
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
It was great getting a story focused on Grace! The political intrigue, romance, and world building were a lot of fun, and the flow of action was excellent. I did wish Miles and Tristan had been fleshed out a bit more, though. They felt like flat side characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Xenophobia
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Blood, and Mental illness
Minor: War
Murder attemptallisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
In the stunning, whirling politics of this series, we get to see a revolution in motion. In this one, the first cracks are showing in an old system, and both politicians and protestors scramble to react. Here, we follow Dame Grace Hensley, now the Chancellor, who only answers to the Queen. Overworked and trying to balance the demands of many factions, she reacts with poise and laser-sharp insight. Also, thanks to her brother Miles, she is trying to find a new, moral path for herself. The story addresses generational suffering and wealth as Grace tries to understand her own privileges. It also covers the debate between gradual vs immediate change in terms of civil rights policy.
Grace was an excellent, imperfect heroine. In certain aspects, she has seen the error of her ways, and in others, she clings to the familiar establishment that granted her and her family all their power and influence. She also gets a light, lovely sapphic romance with a determined reporter that weaves through the high stakes of the politics-- a luminous, hopeful ribbon in the chaos.
It's also a delightful gaslamp fantasy. I felt more immersed in this one than even the first. It was nice to feel fully prepared to approach the magic system and legal components without a gradual release of information to clue me in. I love the descriptions of fashion and also, oddly for me, modes of transportation. The first book gifted us with bicycle traffic, and this one upped the ante with transport via luxurious sled (snow goggles optional but recommended).
Grace was an excellent, imperfect heroine. In certain aspects, she has seen the error of her ways, and in others, she clings to the familiar establishment that granted her and her family all their power and influence. She also gets a light, lovely sapphic romance with a determined reporter that weaves through the high stakes of the politics-- a luminous, hopeful ribbon in the chaos.
It's also a delightful gaslamp fantasy. I felt more immersed in this one than even the first. It was nice to feel fully prepared to approach the magic system and legal components without a gradual release of information to clue me in. I love the descriptions of fashion and also, oddly for me, modes of transportation. The first book gifted us with bicycle traffic, and this one upped the ante with transport via luxurious sled (snow goggles optional but recommended).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content, Torture, and War
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