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good_names_dont_exist's review
adventurous
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Body horror
aimnorth's review
adventurous
fast-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
4.5
This book has a beautiful cast of diverse characters, relationships, disability representation, etc. It's an interesting world full of twists and turns and revealed secrets.
The only reason I docked a .5 is that, while it wrapped up in a way that hinted at an end, the book needs a third or a spin off. It left a lot of unanswered or unexplained things unexplored. The end felt more like a "to be continued" but a third book or anything hasn't been announced. I hope the author continues.
The only reason I docked a .5 is that, while it wrapped up in a way that hinted at an end, the book needs a third or a spin off. It left a lot of unanswered or unexplained things unexplored. The end felt more like a "to be continued" but a third book or anything hasn't been announced. I hope the author continues.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
celiestaleyendo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Classism, and Blood
some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is so YA Fantasy, in all the good and not so good ways. This includes being full of tropes and this book is packed to the brim with tropes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Police brutality, Torture, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Gore, Hate crime, and Murder
Minor: Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt
maranull's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror and Drug use
dlrosebyh'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
5.0
Automae have ruled Rabu's country for far too long, oppressing its human subjects. But the human revolution has risen, and Ayla is at its center. Ayla, a former handmaiden turned fugitive, almost fled Lady Crier's palace, the girl she would've slain if she hadn't fallen in love first.
Ayla has now committed her loyalty to Queen Junn, who can assist the human revolt achieve its ultimate goal: the destroying of the Iron Heart. The Automae will be reduced to the point of extinction if it loses its strength. Ayla wants to succeed, but she can't get rid of her love for Crier. Unbeknownst to her, Crier has also abandoned the palace, joining a band of wandering rebels in her quest to find and defend Ayla.
Crier's War was my favorite book that I read in 2021. I was dying for this conclusion because I was afraid it wouldn't measure up to my expectations— yet, shockingly, it much exceeded them. Since I read Crier's War about two years ago, I was afraid I'd forget the story and, of course, the world-building. However, Nina Varela did an excellent job recap from Crier's War.
Iron Heart is certainly more political than Crier's War, which is why many people disliked the sequel. Personally, I enjoy political fantasies with a romantic subplot. I like how it's plot-driven, yet you can see Crier and Ayla staring at one other. If you like Crier's War for its romance, I think it's unlikely you'll enjoy Iron Heart as much.
The characters were considerably more developed and seemed more real. The characters were not conventional hero-villain types, yet there had complexity. There are reservations. The characters are ethically ambiguous—difficult it's to choose someone to trust because everyone ends up betraying one another.
It was fascinating to read about the interactions between Automaes and humans, and how they experience the world in such different ways yet still connecting together. I liked how the novel didn't just focus on the characters' romantic relationships, as most YA fantasy stories do, but also on platonic and family ones.
If you're looking for an enemies to lovers sapphic tale, this is a must-read. The representation is fantastic, both LGBTQIA+ and POC. If you're not a big lover of plot-driven novels, you might forgo this one since, as much as I adore the characters, it's somewhere in the midst of being plot-driven and character-driven.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, War, and Panic attacks/disorders
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)kassidyreads's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Violence, and Drug use