Scan barcode
bergha1998's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Ayla has run to the Mad Queen’s court in hopes of finding her brother & fighting against Kinok’s evil plan. Crier’s wedding is upon her & she is still trying to get out of marrying a horrible man like Kinok.
LGBTQIA+, Enemies to Lovers
“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.”
“Because you are brilliant and have never once used it to cause harm.”
“You can’t read me once and know everything.” “Then I will read you again and again.”
LGBTQIA+, Enemies to Lovers
“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.”
“Because you are brilliant and have never once used it to cause harm.”
“You can’t read me once and know everything.” “Then I will read you again and again.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder
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
librariangeorgia's review
adventurous
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
4.0
Ughhhh, I just adore Crier and Ayla.
This is another slow burn but it felt like a quick read because of the easy-to-follow writing style. The world building isn’t over described which I prefer as sometimes it can be too much to remember. The characters are well developed, even the background characters have some backstory to them.
I really enjoyed this one, so much so that I read it within a couple of hours.
My favourite bit? The ending. It was everything that I’d spent the 2 books hoping for!
I’d love another book as a prequel with more in-depth detail on how the Automa came to be and the start of the divide between them and humans. It is told in flashes throughout these 2 books, but I want more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, War, Death, and Blood
vaniavela's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Iron Heart is the sequel and conclusion to Crier's War, a duology of a world in which humans and automatons exist.
Crier and Ayla are very strong characters, transforming into the best versions of themselves. Ayla learns that there is more than revenge; her vulnerable side is seen and we find her even more human. Crier brings out her passionate and determined side, defying her father and the government. She gives up her naiveté and stands up for what is right.
Varela's writing is exquisite. This book is written with such elegance and lovely descriptions that we are left craving more and picturing the scenes in our heads.
Iron Heart manages to incorporate colonialism, slavery and revolution into a fantastic world. We read about a world that, like our own, has been built at the cost of thousands of lives.
This book was an excellent combination of slow-burn lesbian romance, political elements, and creative world building.
If you haven't read this duology, what are you waiting for?
rep: lesbian poc mc, bi poc mc, poc cast, side m/nb couple, side mlm & wlw couples
tw: discussions of war, discussions of the suffering & exploitation, past, offscreen death of family, offscreen death of minor characters, self harm, violence, blood, physical combat, body horror, drug use, drug addiction, medical trauma, forced sedation, panick attack, ptsd.
Crier and Ayla are very strong characters, transforming into the best versions of themselves. Ayla learns that there is more than revenge; her vulnerable side is seen and we find her even more human. Crier brings out her passionate and determined side, defying her father and the government. She gives up her naiveté and stands up for what is right.
Varela's writing is exquisite. This book is written with such elegance and lovely descriptions that we are left craving more and picturing the scenes in our heads.
Iron Heart manages to incorporate colonialism, slavery and revolution into a fantastic world. We read about a world that, like our own, has been built at the cost of thousands of lives.
This book was an excellent combination of slow-burn lesbian romance, political elements, and creative world building.
If you haven't read this duology, what are you waiting for?
rep: lesbian poc mc, bi poc mc, poc cast, side m/nb couple, side mlm & wlw couples
tw: discussions of war, discussions of the suffering & exploitation, past, offscreen death of family, offscreen death of minor characters, self harm, violence, blood, physical combat, body horror, drug use, drug addiction, medical trauma, forced sedation, panick attack, ptsd.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Self harm
_persephone_'s review
adventurous
emotional
fast-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 love crier and ayla so much, their development both separately and together was perfect and i think they are might be my new favorite fictional couple
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Violence
Moderate: Death and Body horror
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Slavery
(death of parent is off-page, slavery is off-page and in the past)midem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Really good book, maybe even better than the the first one in the series, and that’s saying something. I really liked the way the character development was so tightly woven in with the plot and how it handled and resolved conflict without it adding unnecessary frustration for the reader. Got through it really fast! There is much diversity(mlnb for example) in the minor characters as well as the main wlw pairing, it paints the relationships in a very relatable way without making it to realistic, still being fantasy and all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Genocide
Moderate: Death, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Violence, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
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
olafsl0stcarrot's review
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Body horror
Minor: War and Death of parent
sssssoup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Violence, Body horror, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Death, Cursing, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child death, Emotional abuse, War, Death of parent, and Genocide
recycled_personalities's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Literally the PERFECT ENDING! This series was very well written and the characters are phenomenally written as well! PLEASE READ IT!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, and Racism
Minor: Ableism and Adult/minor relationship