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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
bookwyrmknits's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed this second installment in the series, though not as much as book 1. It took me a while to figure out why: I enjoyed the plot, and Dame Grace was an interesting (if often clueless) MC to follow. The side characters were great. Took me a while to realize it's because I didn't like Avia as much as a love interest. (Unlike Tristan in book 1, whom I loved.) The hard-boiled reporter trope has never been my cup of tea, especially as a love interest, so this is very much a me-thing. Still an enjoyable read—especially since Avia loosens up part-way through, and I got to know her as a person instead of just as a reporter.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Terminal illness
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