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inthearchive's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
megannoelle'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
4.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
booksemmahasread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
anastasia_raf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I still cannot decide if I liked the book or disliked it, or just didn’t care for it. It took me too long to become interested in the story; It started getting intriguing after 200 pages. I believe it’s a bit predictable… I guessed almost everything. It is a unique story, but the characters seemed mediocre to me. The author was so concerned in convincing us of everyone’s “gray morality” that I couldn’t distinguish any personalities within them. It felt like I read everything from the same POV but with just different “magical” abilities each time. Although I have a feeling that it’s going to be improved in the next books. Maybe I just need more time with them! I think I need to see how they behave outside of the society, how they are without one another, what they become on their own.
I liked the writing. The dialogue was pleasing as well! But I’m not sure if it’s enough for me to continue with the second book…
''A flaw of humanity,( said Parisa) the compulsion to be unique, which is at war with the desire to belong to a single identifiable sameness.''
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
alliebliterary'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness
aliyachaudhry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol
booksthatburn's review against another edition
The characters seemed initially pretty interesting, but there's very little description of how their powers actually work. There are discussions of magical theory which I enjoyed, but they were usually couched in ways where the magic is actually secondary, which made them feel unmoored from the world being built.
It's six (sometimes eight) people in a house, talking to each other and slowly changing how they feel about one another, which is not what I was expecting in a book about "magicians living in the Library of Alexandria".
Ultimately I stopped because it became clearly stated that the whole thing is a slow burn trolley problem, and I don't like trolley problem situations.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death and Fire/Fire injury
sheadunlop's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
bookleafcrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
however, it was a really enjoyable concept with an interesting take on the dark academia genre. the shock twist that
nevertheless, i still enjoyed it a fair amount and will pick up the sequel when it's available in paperback. if you can stomach the writing style, definitely give this one a shot.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
the characters (for the most part) are all awful to each other for most of the book so if you don't wanna read about six adults struggling to get along then skip this one lmao