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booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- 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
IRON HEART follows what happened after Crier ran away from her wedding, and Ayla ran away from her failure to kill Crier.
The worldbuilding from CRIER'S WAR is built on and complicated slightly in IRON HEART. This is everything from revealing the true nature of heartstone's production, to making it clear that humans and Automae have fallen in love before. My favorite bit is the technically-not-zombies, they're handled in a pretty cool way and make several appearances. I also love Queen Junn, she's a fantastic character.
This is the second book of a duology, and the the whole point of it is to wrap up things left hanging from CRIER’S WAR, which it does admirably. It gives resolutions to a bunch of characters (major and minor), untangles several heartstone-related mysteries, and handles atrocities, both recent and longstanding. There’s a minor storyline which begins and ends in this volume, and this focuses more on journeys than the first one did. As the final book it deals with systemic injustices which were established in the first one, doing so in ways that free most individuals from the oppressed/oppressor dynamics which were getting in the way of this sapphic love story. It wrapped up hanging plot threads and provided closure for several characters in ways I wasn’t expecting, which is nice. The point-of-view characters are the same, and they're consistent with their previous voices even though they've grown and changed throughout both books.
The story is complete enough and backstory recapped succinctly such that someone could probably pick up this book without having read the first one and have a good experience. It'll definitely be better for anyone reading the whole duology, but the recaps at the beginning are well done and the story can stand alone enough to makes sense.
The main plot alternates at first between Ayla in Queen Junn's court and Crier on the road, eventually merging the two threads when Ayla also has to travel. Their individual goals complement each other, but they have different pieces of the puzzle that a bunch of people are trying to solve, and don't realize it at first.
I originally had misgivings about this as an oppressor/oppressed romance, but I waited to see how things ended up. I'm so pleased about the choice to address the systemic inequalities rather than just having Ayla and Crier defy the odds or something. Even better, IRON HEART makes it clear that they aren't the first Automa/human couple and they won't be the last. They individually join up with existing efforts to solve the problems, not trying to reinvent the networks that other people have put in place over years. Also, Crier and Ayla have unique access to specific information, and particular connections with others that let them do what they're doing, but a bunch of other people's specific efforts are highlighted throughout. It makes them feel like people who happened to be in a position to do something to help, not destined heroes whose presence magically fix things it shouldn't have fixed.
The worldbuilding from CRIER'S WAR is built on and complicated slightly in IRON HEART. This is everything from revealing the true nature of heartstone's production, to making it clear that humans and Automae have fallen in love before. My favorite bit is the technically-not-zombies, they're handled in a pretty cool way and make several appearances. I also love Queen Junn, she's a fantastic character.
This is the second book of a duology, and the the whole point of it is to wrap up things left hanging from CRIER’S WAR, which it does admirably. It gives resolutions to a bunch of characters (major and minor), untangles several heartstone-related mysteries, and handles atrocities, both recent and longstanding. There’s a minor storyline which begins and ends in this volume, and this focuses more on journeys than the first one did. As the final book it deals with systemic injustices which were established in the first one, doing so in ways that free most individuals from the oppressed/oppressor dynamics which were getting in the way of this sapphic love story. It wrapped up hanging plot threads and provided closure for several characters in ways I wasn’t expecting, which is nice. The point-of-view characters are the same, and they're consistent with their previous voices even though they've grown and changed throughout both books.
The story is complete enough and backstory recapped succinctly such that someone could probably pick up this book without having read the first one and have a good experience. It'll definitely be better for anyone reading the whole duology, but the recaps at the beginning are well done and the story can stand alone enough to makes sense.
The main plot alternates at first between Ayla in Queen Junn's court and Crier on the road, eventually merging the two threads when Ayla also has to travel. Their individual goals complement each other, but they have different pieces of the puzzle that a bunch of people are trying to solve, and don't realize it at first.
I originally had misgivings about this as an oppressor/oppressed romance, but I waited to see how things ended up. I'm so pleased about the choice to address the systemic inequalities rather than just having Ayla and Crier defy the odds or something. Even better, IRON HEART makes it clear that they aren't the first Automa/human couple and they won't be the last. They individually join up with existing efforts to solve the problems, not trying to reinvent the networks that other people have put in place over years. Also, Crier and Ayla have unique access to specific information, and particular connections with others that let them do what they're doing, but a bunch of other people's specific efforts are highlighted throughout. It makes them feel like people who happened to be in a position to do something to help, not destined heroes whose presence magically fix things it shouldn't have fixed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit, Child death, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Drug use, Death of parent, and Self harm
thecourtofreading's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
"it's you, the wash of starlight, the old paradox: if the universe were static, i could stand anywhere in this world and i swear my line of sight would end on you. i swear i'd find you in the dark."
this, right here, is one of my favourite duologies. i adore this series to the moon and back, not purely because it's sapphic and i feel seen in this absolutely gorgeous book about girls falling in love despite everything trying to get in their way, but because it's so beautifully written. i would read this series again and again and i would fall in love with ayla and crier again and again because they are just so loveable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, and War
Minor: Death of parent, War, and Vomit
abby_shupe's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
I loved it!! Even more than Criers War, this book is just amazing. Diversity woven in beautifully, absolutely nothing felt forced. The romance goes so hard in this book - it had me squealing.
The budding tension between Ayla and Crier was just amazing. Their entire dynamic, the dual POVs, and the glorious world building continued to amaze me on how well they were pulled off.
I definitely think Iron Heart is the better of the duology, just because there are so many moments in Criers War where I didn’t get enough i information (yet), to piece everything together. In Iron Heart, almost everything blended together well and left me satisfied.
I love that a lot of the main characters in the story are good or bad, they’re both. Getting the opportunity to read so many character arcs, especially Aylas, and following along as they find their footing was pure gold.
I will say, those shades are FUCKING CREEPY!! I can’t remember the last time I’ve read something as horrifying as what Varela was describing the rotting, black veined, zombie-like corpse people. Absolutely harrowing and had me on the edge of my seat every time a person had come across one.
One of my favorite elements in the novel was Crier’s continued remembrance of queer stories. She kept thinking back to ones including a prince and a male commoner, and of course the one of Winter and her lover. It was a great touch on the author’s behalf, and really added a lot to the story.
The budding tension between Ayla and Crier was just amazing. Their entire dynamic, the dual POVs, and the glorious world building continued to amaze me on how well they were pulled off.
I definitely think Iron Heart is the better of the duology, just because there are so many moments in Criers War where I didn’t get enough i information (yet), to piece everything together. In Iron Heart, almost everything blended together well and left me satisfied.
I love that a lot of the main characters in the story are good or bad, they’re both. Getting the opportunity to read so many character arcs, especially Aylas, and following along as they find their footing was pure gold.
I will say, those shades are FUCKING CREEPY!! I can’t remember the last time I’ve read something as horrifying as what Varela was describing the rotting, black veined, zombie-like corpse people. Absolutely harrowing and had me on the edge of my seat every time a person had come across one.
One of my favorite elements in the novel was Crier’s continued remembrance of queer stories. She kept thinking back to ones including a prince and a male commoner, and of course the one of Winter and her lover. It was a great touch on the author’s behalf, and really added a lot to the story.
I don’t know why I expected a more complicated ending, but this still left me happy. Maybe it was the buildup that led me to believe it would end in a drawn out conclusion but everything was tied up fairly quick. I’m not complaining though, it was nice.
The epilogue was done really well, I truly loved everything about this novel.
The epilogue was done really well, I truly loved everything about this novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Vomit
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