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melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Torture, Rape, and Ableism
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
madamepincers's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Vomit, Trafficking, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Torture, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Death of parent
firefly's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Death, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Torture, Rape, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
aardwyrm'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Blood, and Ableism
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
The tension between Luca and Touraine is very well handled, as throughout the story their dynamic as a pair constantly shifts, but they're never quite on the same page about the nature of their relationship. It showed over and over how no matter how attracted they might be to each other, the gulf of power between Luca's position and Touraine's means that it's impossible to trust any "Yes" from Touraine when Luca can have her tortured or killed for a "No". This affects everything from their mutual attraction to the treatment of the Sands to the handling of the rebels.
I love the portrayal of the QazÄli rebels, I can't discuss much there without spoilers but they were dynamic as a group and as individuals, each with their own reactions to Touraine and Luca's various intrusions on their lives, as well as the reality of life under Balladaire's oppressive colonial rule.
I'm looking forward to the sequel, I'm a little worried that it'll only get worse for the characters from here but I want to know what happens next.
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Torture, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Terminal illness
Minor: Child death, Rape, and Suicide
CW for major character death (graphic).laurareads87's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Murder, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Torture, and Gore
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
cerilouisereads'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: Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Medical trauma, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Torture
sunflower_emily98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Death, and Torture
deedireads'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
4.25
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Unbroken manages to flip tropes on their heads and make big statements while giving fantasy lovers all the things they love: an underdog, a mystery, magic, and a world worth fighting for.
For you if: Youāre looking for sapphic, BIPOC epic fantasy.
FULL REVIEW:
Here are the things you need to know to get excited for The Unbroken: Itās a sapphic epic fantasy novel set in a place based on Northern Africa about the brutality of colonialism. With disability rep. You in yet??
There are two main characters: Touraine, who is a conscript (read: slave) in the empireās army, and Luca, the empireās princess whose throne is threatened by her uncle. Touraineās company and the princess arrive in QazÄl, the empireās colony where Touraine was born before she was taken by the empire, to try to settle the local rebellion. Soon, Touraine finds herself in Lucaās employ as a negotiator, caught between two worlds (one she doesnāt know, and one who will never accept her), trying to find a way to protect her friends who are sure to be caught in any crossfire.
Let me tell you, this plot is a roller coaster. Soooo much happens. I actually did think that the book felt a little too long, but at the same time, Iām not sure what I would have cut. Itās filled with big, full characters faced with no good choices doing the best they can to achieve their own goals. It was full of action and twists and shocking moments and had a big, exciting ending.
The depiction of colonialism here is one place where it really shines ā because it shows clearly that ultimately, there are no winners, just bloodshed. No good choices, only bloody ones. The impossible dichotomy between greater good and personal safety; the prospect of dying for a cause versus preserving a life that will be, but never quite how you want.
I also always love the power of fantasy to create worlds in which societyās view of gender and sexuality need not be bound by the norms and biases we face in real life. And this book does it very, very well.
A winner, for sure. I canāt wait to read the next one.
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual violence
thoughtsstained's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
- Touraine and the rest of the characters. For me, a book's characters make or break it. This cast within The Unbroken was so good that they didn't break the book. They broke me, instead. Touraine inspires me and frustrates me and baffles me and amazes me. Luca infuriates me and makes me want to shake her shoulders until she listens. And then you have a cast of secondary characters who I am attached to, broken by, opinionated about and have VERY intense feelings. Also, character arcs? Clark invented them, because these are MASTERFUL.
- A complex plot that doesn't shy away. If you've heard anything about this book, you've probably heard that it is a story that faces the consequences of colonialism head on and doesn't stop to make sure the readers are comfortable reading, instead digging down deep and showing you the truth in all of it's complexities. Yet, at the same time, it's so layered and becomes more and more complex the further along the book goes and just...wow. Wow.
- So hard to put down. Like, friends, it's been so long since I snuck in reading time wherever I could find it. From staying up too late and becoming a zombie the next day to sneaking in just one more chapter in-between meetings at work; to today, damned and determined to find out how this book ends, only to have my partner walk into the bathroom and ask if I'd noticed that the water had almost drained out of our bathtub while I read (I had and I was shivering, but I couldn't just get up; I only had 30 pages left!).
- QUEERNORM WORLD. I loved this so, so much. Also, seeing bi characters on the page just warmed my heart in ways I haven't really experienced yet.
Rating
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Ableism and Torture
Minor: Rape