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cturn's review
- 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
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Blood, Grief, Violence, Death of parent, Rape, Classism, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Infidelity, Slavery, Car accident, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and War
litoreads's review
- 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
5.0
Someone let Miss Tracy Deonn cook and she created a masterpiece. Five Stars.
The story starts with the heartbreaking loss of Bree Matthews' mother. A few months later, she heads off to USC, the same university her mother attended. Shortly after arriving at the school, she stumbles upon the exclusive Order of the Round Table, a modern-day rendition of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
As mysterious and perilous incidents unfold on campus, Bree seizes the opportunity to join the Order as a Page, facilitated by Nick, the prospective King and heir to King Arthur's throne. Amidst her training to be a Squire, escalating violent events prompt the original Knights to call upon their Scions to Awaken, signaling an impending war. The catch is that if Arthur's Scion (Nick) is Awakened and falls victim to the Shadowborn demons,
Simultaneously, Bree undergoes therapy where her therapist unveils
I won't spoil the rest for you; PLEASE READ IT. I couldn't contain my excitement and literally yelled and felt chills when the climax was revealed.
On the downside, I found a minor issue with Bree's frequent lack of awareness in certain situations. For instance, moments where she unexpectedly realizes actions she apparently performed without conscious awareness felt a bit inconsistent for a character with such
Here's what I appreciated:
- The engaging narrative
- Rich lore
- Well-crafted magic system
- Compelling characters, particularly Bree, Sel, Nick, and Alice
Bree's perspective as an intelligent Black woman resonated with me, offering a poignant exploration of how White society incessantly thrusts her race and gender in her face. As a person of color myself, I identified with many parallels, and the portrayal of racist interactions at times moved me to tears.
The inclusion of queer representation in the story is commendable. Same-sex relationships are normalized, and I applaud the matter-of-fact acceptance within the narrative. The diverse sexual orientations of characters, including Sel being bi (we need more bi men in books) and Alice being a lesbian, along with queer figures in high-ranking positions in the Order, is a refreshing and welcomed aspect.
Tracy Deonn's debut novel is a tapestry of adventure, gripping battle scenes, dynamic characters, a captivating magic system, and creative, imaginative lore rooted in Arthurian legend. It lays the foundation for a
Five stars.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Sexism, Misogyny, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, War, Death, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Violence
erinbeee'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: Death of parent, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault
maladaptivebookdreaming's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A fantastic debut and man what a damn writer. I am so excited to get my hands on the second book!
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, War, and Grief
Moderate: Slavery and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual assault
tey_lynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Medical content, Slavery, Gore, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Medical content, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
between_2worlds'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
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexism and Sexual assault
the_vegan_bookworm'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Blood, Sexism, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Gore
Minor: Car accident and Sexual assault
saraseisolieb'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? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Car accident and Mental illness
Minor: Slavery, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Racism, and Pregnancy
decembermagpie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Classism, Gore, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Racism, Sexism, War, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Slavery, Child death, Rape, and Vomit
notsobinaryart'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: Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Sexism, Death of parent, Death, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Alcohol, Homophobia, and Medical content