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callmekt's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
This book is similar to the European Renaissance-esque YA novels of my adolescence, with a resourceful and clever protagonist and lovable dolt of a love interest. Except there's hard drugs and casual sex so this is definitely a grown up book. Very much recommend to others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content and Kidnapping
mothie_girlie's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Blood, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship
juliaureads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Even for a fantasy novel, this book has a LOT of made-up words. The entire novel is written in hilarious cockney jargon, which was great and hilarious to start, but I think got in the way of the storytelling toward the end. I found myself having to reread to follow what was going on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Animal death and Cursing
wandering_not_lost's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
...eh. I wish I liked this book more, but though some pieces all were nice (good character voice, sweet romance, hard character learning to love, ensemble heist cast, casual necromancy, and a deep dedication to [if not a great description of] sense of place), in the end I just couldn't get past some of the choices the author made about the plot and plotting.
As others have said, this book has weird pacing and a strange bifurcation of the plot about 40% of the way through. The plot summary on the cover is basically just that first 40%, and after that things A) slow down considerably and B) start taking headscratching turns in the plot department.I never really understood the drug-making plotline...like...why would you think that that is the only way to find the person they're looking for? As opposed to, I don't know, following the runner kid or the attempted abductor back to the place where they SAID they knew the operation was based? Why this plan which basically set them up to be noticed/attacked/ripe for their "product" to be stolen? I mean, I'm not saying that Delly wouldn't come up with that plan (though see below, I have doubts), but why no one else said, "um...why not this less ethically fraught and simpler way instead?" is utterly beyond me. That just really broke my interest in the book. Additionally, not only did they follow what I thought was a boneheaded plan, but they apparently didn't think at all about what I thought were the obvious repercussions of that plan. They didn't think that just sending a sample, with no further information, wouldn't open them up to being attacked or pressured by the Companions? They didn't think that gaining attention in that way might lead to danger for themselves or the people they are supposedly trying to protect? Or that they'd be under surveillance at all? They didn't think that they'd obviously need a TEST SUBJECT FOR A DANGEROUS AND ADDICTIVE DRUG THAT THEY WERE MAKING, and that maybe that in itself was a deep, deep moral issue? Also, the use of Delly's mom as that test subject just really, really made me make horrified faces. So many horrified faces. I mean...ASIDE from the issues with drug addiction and Delly's feelings about it, it could have been dangerous, but hey, why worry about THAT?
Also, the romance? I just...it was there. It was nice to see a lesbian romance be the focus, but Winn's characterization was a bit too one-note and never progressed past "cheerful and nice". I never really GOTthe way she was suddenly ready to freaking propose after what...a few weeks? It didn't really click with me.
As others have said, this book has weird pacing and a strange bifurcation of the plot about 40% of the way through. The plot summary on the cover is basically just that first 40%, and after that things A) slow down considerably and B) start taking headscratching turns in the plot department.
Also, the romance? I just...it was there. It was nice to see a lesbian romance be the focus, but Winn's characterization was a bit too one-note and never progressed past "cheerful and nice". I never really GOT
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, and Animal death
Minor: Forced institutionalization
qingxuanluvr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is everything I've ever wanted in a book! From the romance to the plot to the beautiful and naturally-humorous narration style, it feels like I've been waiting forever to find a fantasy like this. Delly and Winn's relationship was so warm and natural; I haven't read many (or any?) books where the romance is set up quite the same. Although there's a lot of holding back for propriety etc., they get together probably 1/4 of the way through, which means we get to see them as an established couple and get to know their dynamic as such, all the while knowing that's not a guarantee of things going right for them in Leiscourt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
blackrabbitrun's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book will sink or swim for you depending on your opinion on characters who will say "gesticulate towards the firmament" instead of "point at the sky", and use words like "post-bong-etary" and "enkittenated". Because Dellaria Wells is such a character, and she's the narrator.
The language is a bit heavy in the opening chapters, but lightens up quickly once the plot gets underway and Delly becomes too busy vanquishing undead mechanical spiders to think through too many hoops when talking to her new companions. While Delly's narration drops extraneous flourishes, the overall language of the book stays delightfully immersive throughout - religion, history, geography, wealth, class, personality and character development woven deep into characters' word choice and grammar. The fact that there's a plot (and a romance) as well became almost secondary, though the latter deserves praise for avoiding most of the stupidest romance plot contrivances.
The language is a bit heavy in the opening chapters, but lightens up quickly once the plot gets underway and Delly becomes too busy vanquishing undead mechanical spiders to think through too many hoops when talking to her new companions. While Delly's narration drops extraneous flourishes, the overall language of the book stays delightfully immersive throughout - religion, history, geography, wealth, class, personality and character development woven deep into characters' word choice and grammar. The fact that there's a plot (and a romance) as well became almost secondary, though the latter deserves praise for avoiding most of the stupidest romance plot contrivances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, and Murder
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