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moodreadererin's review
- 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
Things I liked :
-enemies to lovers execution was fantastic
- one bed trope
-bipoc representation
- exploration of loss , addiction, recovery in face of violence .
-found family
Things I didn't like :
- the pacing was slower than I liked . I didn't like it until the end /last part of the book.
With that said , I still recommend this book. I am looking forward to the sequel .
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Murder, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Vomit, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Stalking
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War
melissaslibraryy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Medical content, War, Addiction, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Self harm
Moderate: Cursing, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking
jassiecones'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: Sexual content, Self harm, Gore, Alcohol, and Death
Moderate: Violence, War, and Body horror
Minor: Sexual assault
missgarceau's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Genocide, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, Gore, Slavery, Torture, War, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Vomit, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death, and Self harm
carmenflorea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Torture, Violence, Child death, War, and Panic attacks/disorders
terezax's review
- 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: Alcoholism, War, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Self harm, Vomit, War, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
sarahfmack's review
- 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
<Spoiler>
Keera is complex and troubled. Her coping with alcoholism is raw and rarely something I read in a fantasy novel.
Even the way her withdrawal played out was gritty and long.
Her relationships with the other halflings and her new comrads don't start out smooth and happy.
Melissa showed the indoctrination of the halflings, and the conflict they felt serving and being a part of the very court that wants them destroyed is nuanced and very VERY real.
She shows the way Halflings have lost a part of their identity, many not knowing where they come from. Which is such a painful and beautiful allegory for what many Indigenous and Black people in America have dealt with because of colonization and slavery. </Spoiler>
I want more of this story as soon as possible. Kthanks.
Graphic: Colonisation, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Self harm, and War
ccouey's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Addiction, Death, Violence, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Colonisation
Minor: War and Trafficking
starrysteph's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Keera is an assassin working for the crown; and as the Blade she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. When a mysterious figure called the Shadow starts making moves against the King, he becomes Keera’s next target. But things aren’t as they seem, and Keera starts to question her loyalty and who her enemy truly is.
This is a first person narration, and Keera is a very compelling, morally gray protagonist. As an orphaned Halfling (half elf and half human), she has no rights and is “owned” by the Crown. She’s constantly torn between her own survival, trying to help her fellow oppressed people, and bitter self loathing. Keera struggles with alcoholism, and I thought this aspect of the story was written with care.
I enjoyed Keera’s journey and her character development. Without sharing spoilers, she learns how to let others in and stand up for her people - something she was unable to do before, without the support of a community. She grapples with her ethics and with her copic mechanisms. She makes tough decisions, but is ultimately quite likable.
This is a story about oppression. The leaders of this world hold all the privilege and all the power, and those beneath them are struggling to adapt and survive in any way they can. A good chunk of A Broken Blade is slower-paced worldbuilding and setup which lingers on this abuse and trauma, but this is the first in a series - a reshaping of the world is in order (starting with book 2?!). The content can be heavy at times, and Blair (who is an Anishinaabekwe author) doesn’t shy away from her themes of colonialism and systemic violence.
At the same time - this book was dedicated to Booktok, and it playfully engages with many of the tropes that Booktok tends to favor. You’ll see a slowburn enemies to lovers romance, an “only one bed” scene, Fae, etc. There are lots of classic fantasy elements, but also some unique storytelling and great representation (many - most? - of the characters are POC and queer).
The ending was a pretty big cliffhanger, and there were also some interesting plot points with unanswered questions. I’m looking forward to the next book!
CW: murder, racism, violence, gore, alcoholism, sexual content (18+), assault, colonialism, slavery, war, depression, grief, suicidal thoughts, self harm, vomit
(I received a free review copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, War, Slavery, Murder, Violence, Gore, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Vomit
kat1105's review
- 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: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Child death, Colonisation, Genocide, and War