Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

47 reviews

icelandicbookworm's review against another edition

4.0

I have had this one on my shelf since I got it in a fairyloot box last year. I have been seeing great things about it on tiktok and I'm glad I finally read it. Should have read it sooner! 
Recommend giving this book a try
Please read trigger warnings before you read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Child death, Blood, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Torture

kiwi_00's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, Slavery, and War

librarybookscene's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Violence, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Self harm, Colonisation, Blood, and Classism

dingakaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

This is an incredible debut. Powerful, emotional, raw, the first person perspective and present tense, along with Falaye's skill, bring Sloane's every idea, whim, and feeling out of the page and into your chest. The plot is also interesting and the mythology upon which the story is based keeps the reader engaged and turning pages constantly. The graphic nature of the violence is also very refreshing. Fantasy authors often turn their battles/fight scenes into theatrical or artistic sets. If there is gratuitous violence or killing, it is often seen through a distant lens; Blood Scion zooms into its violence so you experience it on an individual level with all its pain, gore ,and sense of loss. Overall, this is a true thrill ride and is well set up for further installments. 

My only complaints are minor and relate to plot construction and the mechanics of the magic in Sloane's world. These seem more like issues born from this being the first book in a series and Falaye finding her groove rather than fundamental issues with the story. To clarify:
- It is unclear whether the scars/blisters on Sloane's body are visible or not. She references them frequently but often intimates they're "below the surface." Other times it seems like a literal description of the damage her asé does to her skin. However, if the latter is the case, how do the Lucis not see it and question why this new recruit has new blisters and scars popping up at random times?
- If Celeste was gifted with divination, and Theodus gained that ability from her, why is Sloane now gifted with fire? We got some historical perspectives on Scions and Yorubas early in the book and this should have been included in that. I seem to remember it being a hereditary which would make Sloane's powers unexplained. 
- I would have liked more context building with respect to the magic in this story. It's hard to tell exactly how powerful Sloane is and where that power is located within the spectrum of power in this world. When stories want this to be a mystery, it is more clear from the narration. At times, it seems like we shouldn't know how powerful Sloane is and that in itself might become a plot point. At other points, it feels almost assumed thatt she's extremely powerful. 
- There was a lot of double-crossing that drove the plot forward in the last 100 pages. That was fun, but I don't quite understand the context within which it happened. The last 50 pages spends a lot of time explaining Sloane's family tree and how we got to this point in the story, but it's unclear what Theodus' motivations are and how the Blades fit into it all. I'm still not sure if the rest of the Blades knew Theodus' plan or not. 
- I don't really buy that one month is enough to turn a teenager into a killing machine. Whether physically or with training/talent, it just feels like it's not enough. 
- The use of the collar to suppress asé is very interesting. I wonder if Falaye was inspired by the A'dam in Wheel of Time. 
- I'm excited for Falaye to build this world and expand the story. If this will become a trilogy, or something more, we're going to need maps. Geography and geopolitical struggle is a huge aspect of this world and being able to visualize the relative locations of major players is important. 
 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Violence, and Gun violence

The violence in this story is stark and frequent, but it enhances the story instead of detracts from it. Readers should be warned that it includes gun violence, hand-to-hand violence, murder, and gore. There is also ample discussion of fire and killing with fire.

fictionaladventures's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This was not at all what I expected, and at first that threw me off, but I did get more into it as I read. I was expecting a high fantasy, and instead this was a fantasy set in a world very like our own, with guns and airplanes and stuff, and it was way more military-based than I expected. It’s inspired by real-life horrors endured by child soldiers, so it can be incredibly hard to read. It’s definitely not one you read for enjoyment, but it was powerful and brutal and made me furious that anything like this could possibly happen in our world. The stakes were high and things always got worse than I thought they possibly could. I’d recommend this to fans of Children of Blood and Bone and The Gilded Ones. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Child abuse, War, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexual assault

clairew97's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Child death, Blood, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Violence, Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, and Genocide

marareading's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

This book is a ride! Sloane is a fantastic MC. This is a book that I truly had to trust the flow. The stakes felt confusing at first. I had so many questions. All my questions came together and the magic is amazing! I was blown away at this story. It definitely tackles some intense subject matter (which the author addresses in CW/TW at the beginning) in child soldiers among others. The plot started to pick up for me after about halfway through. 

Sloane is a Scion. She was given power as a descent of the ancient Orisha Gods. She is now a child soldier and hiding among the enemy. She wants information, and she is just trying to survive.  The plot thickens as she learns more and more about this enemy from within. She learns more about this world she is fighting to protect, and the lives of those she is fighting with and is pitted against at the same time. 

This book is absolutely brutal, and also amazing. I will be waiting for the sequel. It is an amazing story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and War

jenna_reads_'s review against another edition

This book didn’t peak my interest until 25%. I would have dnf’d sooner but am reading this for a buddy read so I pushed on.  For character growth MCs often start as unlikable. However, at 74% in I still can’t deal with the MCs ego and inability to control herself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Gun violence, Child death, and Slavery

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

dionnesims's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

If you're into Yoruba Mythology, I think this is the darkest YA within the mythology that I've read yet. I thoroughly enjoyed the massive twists at the end (thank god, because otherwise it would have felt predictable) and can't wait for the second book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Violence, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Slavery, and War

sunrae_booknook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

This book came with the trigger warning but it did not let you take a second away from them. It was a very dark and hard read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Torture, War, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Genocide, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Gore, and Hate crime