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kesreads13'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Torture and Colonisation
Minor: Sexism, Transphobia, Blood, Trafficking, Islamophobia, and Slavery
relin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Cursing, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Abandonment and Medical content
Minor: Trafficking and Slavery
Religious differencescarrerabooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
There are so many cute characters. I would definitely love if we got closer to the characters as I typically very easily and strongly bond with them, but I still really enjoyed the little family that was made from the core characters. They still grew and got to be vulnerable and show their love for each other throughout and it’s just lovely. The bits of eccentric personalities in many characters are very fun, and I hope to see them more. I love how diverse they are, culturally, personality-wise, etc.
I would say I overall enjoyed the pacing of this book. It definitely wasn’t slow, but it wasn’t running at the speed of light either. I think near the very end (like last 50 pages or so), I would have enjoyed it being slowed down slightly more, but that’s not to say it was a rushed ending by any means. Things were still wrapped up neatly and there’s room to expand the series if she chooses to! (Fingers crossed!)
Finally, I love the very subtle LGBTQ+ representation in this book. I think it’s so refreshing to see these treated not as a major plot point, conflict, or drama, but simply letting the reader know a little more about the characters and let it be normalized. Of course I love stories centered around queerness, but it feels great to just let it be included without special fanfare. For one character specifically (no spoilers) I absolutely loved the small reveal and just how perfectly it tied into the story without stealing any spotlight. Nothing is forced about it, nothing feels trope-y or stereotypical. It’s just people being people and I love that.
This book is great and I highly suggest reading it! I found it because I had read R.F. Kuang’s releases and saw she had reviewed this on the cover, and I’m so happy to have picked it up.
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Trafficking
fanboyriot'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Death, Misogyny, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Animal death, Slavery, Classism, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Colonisation, Sexism, War, Grief, and Transphobia
Minor: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Rape, Trafficking, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Addiction, Dysphoria, and Pregnancy
emilywemily6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Cursing, Misogyny, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Trafficking, Violence, Physical abuse, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, Gore, Stalking, Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual content, Transphobia, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
imds'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, War, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Misogyny, Trafficking, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body shaming, Animal cruelty, and Slavery
violerwolf's review against another edition
- 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
I do think the prose and framing narrative could use some work, and this book focuses more heavily on plot than character development, but I thought it was a fun read.
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Trafficking, Classism, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Death, Slavery, Cursing, and Alcoholism
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Body horror, and Death of parent
Most of the more troubling topics are part of the worldbuilding or characters’ pasts, not explicit parts of the story.tacochelle'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
4.0
Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, and Transphobia
Minor: Religious bigotry, Slavery, Trafficking, and Alcoholism
kaylasbewks'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
3.5
Rated using the CAWPILE system. :3
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Trafficking
futureofmydays'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: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Islamophobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Genocide, Grief, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Classism, Homophobia, Torture, and Trafficking
Minor: Vomit