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pointeshoebookworm'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
3.5
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Death, War, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ctara2123'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
3.75
Graphic: Slavery and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Gun violence
Minor: Death and War
jasper_is_atypical'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
3.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Torture
Minor: Classism, Death, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
binches'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
I enjoyed this book so much.
It had pirates, runes, automatons, and a world inspired by Ancient Greece. The rich worldbuilding also hints at an even bigger picture with so many different and diverse cultures (though this book mainly stays and focuses on the islands the protagonists grew up on).
What I loved the most about this book (besides the very casual queer representation, we have an ace protagonist, a non-binary side character, and an mlm couple) is that it didn't waste time on unnecessary drama. There are no frustrating fights over whether or not
The conflict that DOES happen eventually has such a significant impact because we had a good build-up for the character's relationships. It feels meaningful because the book didn't dwell on minor conflicts prior.
What hindered me from rating this book 'exceptional' instead of 'very good' is that every now and then the prose left me confused about the logistics of the current situation. There were moments when I didn't know where exactly the characters were or who was saying what.
Apart from that, this has become one of my favorite books that I had so much fun with and that I would recommend to everyone who wants to read about ace girls hanging out with pirates and befriending automatons.
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Gun violence and War
the_books_music_life'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
3.0
I was a little wary going into this book since it’s a standalone fantasy/syfy. With most standalone fantasies you get one of two things; a lot of info dumping in the very beginning or you don’t get enough and you’re left confused. You didn’t get a whole lot of info dumping, you got bits and pieces of the history and the world without it overwhelming you. That being said I was a bit confused at the beginning and later on since we didn’t get a whole lot of information but it was cleared up not long after.
I was pleasantly surprised how the author made use of two of the characters pronouns. I have yet to read a book that referenced or made note of it. I also think there was a hint of asexuality rep but it was just a tiny sliver that I'm unsure if it really was there.
I don't have strong feelings for this book. I enjoyed it and liked many aspects of it but it was just okay for me. It might have something to do with the audiobook, I wasn't the biggest fan of the narrators. Or maybe it's because it's syfy and I'm not the greatest fan of it.
Overall this book had a good plot and was fast paced without leaving the reader in the dust. Some of the characters had a good amount of growing as the book progressed.
The ending was ambiguous enough that you can make up what you think/want to happen next, while also giving the story that ending it needs to be a standalone.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Torture and War
sssssoup'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
4.5
The plot wasn’t the most original, but it was well written and done in a new way. The world building was very strong and I could tell the author spent a lot of time on it.
The whole thing felt very different from a lot of young adult fantasy, and it was refreshing to see something unique. It definitely brought something new to YA and I hope to see more stories like this in the future.
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Torture
cameronreads'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
4.25
I loved the plot and the magic system, and I felt both were really unique. I loved the pirate aspect and how even though there were actual robots it felt very historical. The pacing was done really nicely as well, in my opinion, and there was never a dull moment.
The only thing I had a slight issue with was the consistent and repetative self-blaming. Everyone constantly believing everything was their fault and having very similar internal monologues over and over does get a bit tiresome. But in a way it did make the characters' eventual acceptance of themselves even more satisfying. Really, though I could have done without it.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book, and had so much fun with it.
Minor: Death, Gun violence, and Torture
melaniereadsbooks'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
3.5
Moderate: Confinement, Slavery, Violence, Gun violence, Torture, Death of parent, and Ableism
sophiesmallhands'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: Slavery
Minor: Torture