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litliz'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Kidnapping, Medical content, Self harm, Stalking, Suicide, Body horror, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Gore, Bullying, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, and Vomit
emilywemily6's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Blood, Child death, Classism, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Violence, Body horror, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Medical content
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, and Homophobia
n0elle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, and Vomit
jinx_mars's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Blood, Hate crime, Body horror, Xenophobia, Violence, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Addiction and Alcohol
oh_roudha_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Child death, Colonisation, Cursing, and Transphobia
Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, Violence, Body shaming, Car accident, and Grief
persikan_05's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Blood, Body horror, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death of parent, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Vomit, Death, Drug use, and Fatphobia
awxiee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Torture, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Cursing, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
giannaroberts'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
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Racism
Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Sexism
cinnasbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Summary: I struggled a bit for a lot of this book. It's very political and I read to escape the politics of the every-day. It was pretty slow but picked up really well towards the end. Great characters that I became attached to and I love the setting and little clue trail plot.
Characters: 8 - I adore Roma and Juliette - also the play on their names from the Shakespeare story. Both characters have a lot of death though this book mostly focusses on Juliette and really develops her character. I would love to see Roma developed more in future books. My favourite character is Marshall. He's my baby. There was never confusion with characters for me as I occasionally find in complex YA.
Atmosphere: 7 - The setting is another aspect of this story that I adore. I love 1920's Shanghai and Chloe Gong's descriptions of it. The story is mainly plot driven and not lyrical in writing. Nevertheless, I like the historical fiction aspect, it sets up the story very well.
Writing: 8 - The writing is not simple but not complex, either. It is easy to read and highly enjoyable. My favourite part is the incorporation of so many languages, though again, it is never confusing.
Plot: 7 - It started out so so slowly. It always felt pretty frustrating like they had done so much, yet got nowhere, making it feel like they had done nothing. Towards the end, however, when everything was being revealed and the climax happened, THAT is when I enjoyed it and had to know what was on the next page.
Intrigue: 8 - This book is pretty well hyped and very well loved. Tik Tok didn't make me do it (fairyloot did) but I went in with no expectations other than it would be good.
Logic: 8 - I hope there's a bit more explanation to the fantasy/ fiction aspect of this novel in the following books because it has left me with questions.
Enjoyment: 6 - This is a fairly low number because of that slow beginning... I really did love the last maybe 1/4... 1/6? and the clue trail, but again, felt like they, and therefore me as the reader, got nowhere for a lot of it.
WARNINGS: major gun violence, gangs
RECOMMED: for lovers of YA, a bit of gore and some will-they/ wont-they romance. 13+
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Death, and Drug use
introvertinterrupted's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Xenophobia, Murder, Medical content, Gore, Death of parent, Deadnaming, Blood, Animal death, Alcoholism, and Addiction
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Torture, Terminal illness, Stalking, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Hate crime, and Animal cruelty