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susanatherly'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
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Genocide, Slavery, and Vomit
pacifickat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
"We'd fought side by side [...], and like I said, there's a bond between men who have placed their lives in a brother's hands and asked that brother to do the same. But there's fanaticism, too. There's faith unbridled and minds unquestioning, the soldier at the order of his commander, the faithful at the word of their priest. [...] My brother trusted me not so much as once he had."
Ok, so first off, my big beef with Kristoff as a writer:
He seems to have ripped off major elements of other writers and creators, such as
Do readers who adore this book simply not recognize all the glaringly obvious borrowed plot elements, or do they enjoy the references and not mind that it makes the storyline easy to anticipate? I felt like this blunted what probably should have been the most surprising plot twists, and saw several big reveals coming a mile away, somewhat gobsmacked the author would so directly pull from other books and media. When I described some of these overlaps with other works to my husband, he asked if I thought the book was partially written by AI. (I don't believe it was, but that would exlpain the number of things pulled from existing sources.)
I also didn't really like how sanguimancy was never really explained other than it fixes a lot of problems in a pinch in the story. Feels very convenient, a very squishy element of the magic system.
Now, on to things I liked:
In the end, I still very much enjoyed the audiobook. The audio narrator did a brilliant job bringing the characters to life with various distinct accents and voice intonations. I honestly probably would have given up on the book otherwise due to all of the seeming copy/paste from works of other creators and the subsequent predictability of the storyline.
I know the author doesn't like the term, but the story is grimdark through and through, meaning no good and noble deed goes unpunished. I like what this kind of story says about those who do good in a bleak world in spite of great personal cost. Kindness and mercy are only extended at great risk. I think this is one of the most compelling things about EotV. Allowing oneself to love takes the greatest sort of courage.
I liked how Kristoff used this dark and bloody setting to explore ideas about faith, fate, fidelity, fanaticism, family, friendship, and the stubborn endurance of hope. (I know, that last one should have started with F as well.) There are elements of the One Faith, the book's thinly veiled version of Christianity, that are just as dark and frightening as the impending vampire invasion: a torturous inquisition, corporal punishments, acts of violence in the name of blind faith, fidelity to the cruel teachings and practices of church leaders, fanatical interpretations of scriptures and prophecies, and an underlying religious lore that makes sacrificing individuals for the sake of the whole an acceptable and honorable wager (in the pattern of the Christ figure they call the Redeemer). This is a world of characters caught between a rock and a hard place, each deciding what to do in the face of their humanity becoming a liability. What will they hope in? What hill will they die on? Who/what will they sacrifice for redemption? This is where the book is at its best.
The best action sequence imo was
I wish that
Anyways, that's my meandering review on this 27+ hour listen. I will likely listen to book 2 next month.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Classism
Religious trauma, religious fanaticism, clergy abuse, fridged female characers, biting, eyeball injuriesmetaphorsandmisc'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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
malreadsthebooks'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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Child death and Suicidal thoughts
garrettcz'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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
avialaeleigh'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? It's complicated
4.25
I like that instead of us readers finding out everything as it is happening we are being told a story of Gabriels life until that point from the man himself. More like someone reminiscing on the past and sharing "war stories" of their youth to their friends and families years after the fact.
I love how you love, hate, fight and grow as Gabriel does during his story telling. You see the man that he currently is but you also see how he came to be that man. You see the friendships made and the friends lost, whether that be to their own missguidance or to the perials of their world. You learn everything that he has gone through from his own perspective not as he might have see it at the time it happened but as someone who is looking back and maybe just a bit wiser because of it.
I cried and yelled and laughed throughout his story. And I can't wait until the next boon come out and we can learn more of his story and how he came to be locked in a tower forced to tell his story to Jean-François.
Also the banter between Dior and Gabriel is *chef kiss*. I can't wait for more of that and also to figure out why Gabriel yalks as if though she is dead or no longer around. I am not sure if my heart can handle learning that she is dead. Much like I died learning the Celene is not dead but Dead and somehow and Anchien Vampire. Not sure how that happened in only 15ish years, from my understanding Anchien vampires are much older but maybe I'm wrong *shrugs*.
I am giving this a 4.25 mostly because I was annoyed that when we would finally be picking up pace in the story Jean-François would interrupt and change the direction of the story telling. Resetting it back to a slow/medium pace. Otherwise it would be a 5 star read. Love the characters, setting, plot, development and between the beautifully crafted and made up phrases all of the characters used I was always entertained whilst reading.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
novaleestar'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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Excrement, and Death of parent
grets_reads'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Slavery
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lifeonasofa'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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, Torture, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Pregnancy