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adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
This is one of the rare few books I’m certain I’ll reread at some point, simply because I loved it so much. It brilliantly surpassed my expectations, with intricate world building, complex characters, absolutely beautiful writing, and a sapphic relationship. The several character perspectives felt a little confusing at first but as the book progressed you get to know and recognise each of them intimately. Talking dragons are always a nice cherry on top also.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Violence, War
Moderate: Sexism
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, War
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Confinement, Homophobia, Infertility, Sexism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic
DNF'd at 45%. It was an absolute slog to get through and every two pages worth of action was followed by about a few dozen of not much happening.
The way the characters were written felt super disconnected from themselves and from the narrative at large. Not only that, but most of the PoV characters were extremely unlikeable and I was not able to enjoy reading from their perspectives. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I was supposed to be rooting for them.
I also wasn't a fan of the disjointed world-building, it felt like it was trying to do too much and too little to actually serve the story at the same time, and I ultimately found that it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me either.
The way the characters were written felt super disconnected from themselves and from the narrative at large. Not only that, but most of the PoV characters were extremely unlikeable and I was not able to enjoy reading from their perspectives. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I was supposed to be rooting for them.
I also wasn't a fan of the disjointed world-building, it felt like it was trying to do too much and too little to actually serve the story at the same time, and I ultimately found that it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Characters: 8/10
I’ve got to be honest: Ead was clearly the author’s golden child, and it shows. I adored her—she’s a badass secret agent witch, and she carries the entire book on her magically reinforced shoulders. But I couldn’t help side-eyeing how everyone else got the narrative crumbs. Tané felt like she wandered in from a different novel and was promptly ignored. Loth was basically a human Uber driver whose main function was to deliver messages. Niclays was entertaining in a “grumpy old disaster gay” way, but sometimes he felt like he was there to remind me that not every POV had purpose. I loved a lot of these characters in theory—just wished they’d all been given the same narrative love.
I’ve got to be honest: Ead was clearly the author’s golden child, and it shows. I adored her—she’s a badass secret agent witch, and she carries the entire book on her magically reinforced shoulders. But I couldn’t help side-eyeing how everyone else got the narrative crumbs. Tané felt like she wandered in from a different novel and was promptly ignored. Loth was basically a human Uber driver whose main function was to deliver messages. Niclays was entertaining in a “grumpy old disaster gay” way, but sometimes he felt like he was there to remind me that not every POV had purpose. I loved a lot of these characters in theory—just wished they’d all been given the same narrative love.
Atmosphere/Setting: 9/10
This world is lush as hell, and I was here for it. Dragons that aren’t just scaly taxis? Yes. Giant matriarchal queendom with religious cults? Absolutely. But for all the richness, sometimes it felt like I was reading a beautifully typeset encyclopedia. The East is fascinating—too bad it’s forgotten for half the book. The religious lore is juicy—until it gets dumped on me in a brick of exposition. Still, when it worked, it worked. I was properly swept away in the lore.
This world is lush as hell, and I was here for it. Dragons that aren’t just scaly taxis? Yes. Giant matriarchal queendom with religious cults? Absolutely. But for all the richness, sometimes it felt like I was reading a beautifully typeset encyclopedia. The East is fascinating—too bad it’s forgotten for half the book. The religious lore is juicy—until it gets dumped on me in a brick of exposition. Still, when it worked, it worked. I was properly swept away in the lore.
Writing Style: 7/10
The prose mostly did its job: it got me from point A to point B without making me want to gouge my eyes out. That’s more than I can say for plenty of fantasy doorstoppers. But was it ever beautiful or memorable? Not really. Sometimes it read like a Wikipedia summary with fancier adjectives. And whenever the dialogue got especially stiff, I half-expected someone to declare, “Verily, I have caught feelings.” Not a dealbreaker, but definitely not why I stayed.
The prose mostly did its job: it got me from point A to point B without making me want to gouge my eyes out. That’s more than I can say for plenty of fantasy doorstoppers. But was it ever beautiful or memorable? Not really. Sometimes it read like a Wikipedia summary with fancier adjectives. And whenever the dialogue got especially stiff, I half-expected someone to declare, “Verily, I have caught feelings.” Not a dealbreaker, but definitely not why I stayed.
Plot: 6/10
This story is the definition of “slow burn…sprint finish.” The beginning was so glacial I considered mailing Samantha Shannon a nice little editorial pruning kit. Then suddenly everything exploded into a rushed climax that wrapped up like the last five minutes of a sitcom. It was like watching a chef spend ten hours crafting the world’s most elaborate cake, only to frost it with store-brand canned icing. There are amazing ideas here—but the pacing was a mess.
This story is the definition of “slow burn…sprint finish.” The beginning was so glacial I considered mailing Samantha Shannon a nice little editorial pruning kit. Then suddenly everything exploded into a rushed climax that wrapped up like the last five minutes of a sitcom. It was like watching a chef spend ten hours crafting the world’s most elaborate cake, only to frost it with store-brand canned icing. There are amazing ideas here—but the pacing was a mess.
Intrigue: 7/10
I stayed curious, mostly because I genuinely wanted to see how all these plotlines would crash into each other. And for a while, I was genuinely hooked. But I’d be lying if I said my interest didn’t waver. Some chapters flew by; others felt like homework. By the time the Big Bad showed up to monologue, I was already halfway out the mental door.
I stayed curious, mostly because I genuinely wanted to see how all these plotlines would crash into each other. And for a while, I was genuinely hooked. But I’d be lying if I said my interest didn’t waver. Some chapters flew by; others felt like homework. By the time the Big Bad showed up to monologue, I was already halfway out the mental door.
Logic/Relationships: 7/10
Ead’s plot armor was thicker than dragon hide. Every choice she made turned out to be correct, morally justified, and applauded by the universe. I was desperate for her to screw up in a way that actually mattered. And the romance—look, I wanted to root for it, but it felt more like the author decided it should happen than that the characters earned it. Also, can we talk about the travel logistics? Everyone just conveniently zips around the world like they’re on broomsticks. Sure, okay, fantasy, but I need a little sense of scale.
Ead’s plot armor was thicker than dragon hide. Every choice she made turned out to be correct, morally justified, and applauded by the universe. I was desperate for her to screw up in a way that actually mattered. And the romance—look, I wanted to root for it, but it felt more like the author decided it should happen than that the characters earned it. Also, can we talk about the travel logistics? Everyone just conveniently zips around the world like they’re on broomsticks. Sure, okay, fantasy, but I need a little sense of scale.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Despite all my complaints, I genuinely had a good time. I love big, ambitious fantasy that isn’t afraid to be unabashedly queer, feminist, and earnest. Even when the pacing drove me up the wall and the prose made me roll my eyes, I was still having fun. It’s a beautiful, messy, overstuffed beast of a book—and I’d rather read that than another generic grimdark slog any day.
Despite all my complaints, I genuinely had a good time. I love big, ambitious fantasy that isn’t afraid to be unabashedly queer, feminist, and earnest. Even when the pacing drove me up the wall and the prose made me roll my eyes, I was still having fun. It’s a beautiful, messy, overstuffed beast of a book—and I’d rather read that than another generic grimdark slog any day.
Final Verdict: 7.3/10 – A gorgeous, chaotic buffet of dragons, sapphics, and political intrigue. It’s like being served a five-course meal by someone who forgot which course comes first, but damn if it isn’t delicious anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, War
Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Classism
The book is not gratuitously graphic, but it doesn’t shy away from depicting violence, death, and loss. The tone is generally hopeful, but with heavy themes around duty, sacrifice, and the costs of leadership. The queer relationships are treated as normal within the story’s cultures. The most distressing content is probably the miscarriage and some battlefield deaths.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters: 9/10
Oh, the characters. Ead Duryan? Certified badass with secret magic, bodyguard duties, and enough moral complexity to make a therapist weep. Sabran? Queen, icon, drama queen, and absolutely dripping in high-pressure “have-a-daughter-or-the-world-ends” anxiety. Then there’s Tané, our overly ambitious dragonrider-in-training with a guilt complex big enough to have its own ZIP code. Even the secondary cast—like Loth, the soft-hearted noble turned unwilling spy, and Niclays, the exiled grumpy gay alchemist with a wine dependency—had clear arcs and juicy flaws. I could pitch their personalities in a bar after two drinks and a shot of espresso. That’s saying something.
Oh, the characters. Ead Duryan? Certified badass with secret magic, bodyguard duties, and enough moral complexity to make a therapist weep. Sabran? Queen, icon, drama queen, and absolutely dripping in high-pressure “have-a-daughter-or-the-world-ends” anxiety. Then there’s Tané, our overly ambitious dragonrider-in-training with a guilt complex big enough to have its own ZIP code. Even the secondary cast—like Loth, the soft-hearted noble turned unwilling spy, and Niclays, the exiled grumpy gay alchemist with a wine dependency—had clear arcs and juicy flaws. I could pitch their personalities in a bar after two drinks and a shot of espresso. That’s saying something.
Atmosphere/Setting: 10/10
I was absolutely drowning in this world, and I loved it. Shannon crafted a globe-spanning saga, and each locale—be it the austere, wyrm-fearing Virtudom or the sea-drenched, dragon-revering Seiiki—was distinct and alive. The East/West cultural split wasn’t just flavor text; it was the narrative engine, and it drove everything from politics to religion to personal beefs. And the DRAGONS—holy scale-snapping glory, they’re elegant and strange and absolutely not your generic fire-breathing lizards. Give me more of that weird, mist-emitting, pearl-producing dragon magic, please.
I was absolutely drowning in this world, and I loved it. Shannon crafted a globe-spanning saga, and each locale—be it the austere, wyrm-fearing Virtudom or the sea-drenched, dragon-revering Seiiki—was distinct and alive. The East/West cultural split wasn’t just flavor text; it was the narrative engine, and it drove everything from politics to religion to personal beefs. And the DRAGONS—holy scale-snapping glory, they’re elegant and strange and absolutely not your generic fire-breathing lizards. Give me more of that weird, mist-emitting, pearl-producing dragon magic, please.
Writing Style: 8/10
Shannon’s prose walked the tightrope between lyrical and digestible without falling into purple prose hell. There were moments of quiet beauty (“water made flesh,” describing dragons? Ugh, yes) and others where I could feel her flexing just a bit too hard. But overall, I never stumbled or groaned, and the mix of narration and dialogue flowed like dragonflight. The multiple POVs were handled with a surgeon’s hand, not a meat cleaver, and I’d happily read her in another genre just to see what she'd do with it.
Shannon’s prose walked the tightrope between lyrical and digestible without falling into purple prose hell. There were moments of quiet beauty (“water made flesh,” describing dragons? Ugh, yes) and others where I could feel her flexing just a bit too hard. But overall, I never stumbled or groaned, and the mix of narration and dialogue flowed like dragonflight. The multiple POVs were handled with a surgeon’s hand, not a meat cleaver, and I’d happily read her in another genre just to see what she'd do with it.
Plot: 7/10
This was an epic fantasy brick of a book, and it knew it. The pacing, though? It occasionally thought it was running a triathlon through molasses. There were some draggy middle chapters where I could’ve sworn the plot was chasing its tail. But the payoff—oh boy, the payoff. Assassins, ancient evil, court intrigue, dragon duels, and sapphic romance all smashed together in a gloriously ambitious crescendo. It was a bit like watching a political thriller crash into a dragon anime with a side of secret society drama—and I mean that as a compliment. Mostly.
This was an epic fantasy brick of a book, and it knew it. The pacing, though? It occasionally thought it was running a triathlon through molasses. There were some draggy middle chapters where I could’ve sworn the plot was chasing its tail. But the payoff—oh boy, the payoff. Assassins, ancient evil, court intrigue, dragon duels, and sapphic romance all smashed together in a gloriously ambitious crescendo. It was a bit like watching a political thriller crash into a dragon anime with a side of secret society drama—and I mean that as a compliment. Mostly.
Intrigue: 8/10
Did I ignore real-life responsibilities to see if Sabran would ever get a clue about Ead? Absolutely. Did I barrel through the dragon trials with Tané while side-eyeing the increasingly sketchy magic politics? Yep. Were there moments where I put the book down because I needed a breather from the intensity and not because I was bored? Also yes. My interest level never dipped into apathy, but occasionally the book got a little too obsessed with its own lore. Like, okay, I get it—ancient evil, dragon cults, destiny—can we please move along?
Did I ignore real-life responsibilities to see if Sabran would ever get a clue about Ead? Absolutely. Did I barrel through the dragon trials with Tané while side-eyeing the increasingly sketchy magic politics? Yep. Were there moments where I put the book down because I needed a breather from the intensity and not because I was bored? Also yes. My interest level never dipped into apathy, but occasionally the book got a little too obsessed with its own lore. Like, okay, I get it—ancient evil, dragon cults, destiny—can we please move along?
Logic/Relationships: 9/10
The internal logic of the world was chef’s kiss. The East/West tension made sense, the magic systems were distinct but not handwavey, and I didn’t spot any gaping plot holes big enough for a dragon to fly through. Relationships felt earned and deliciously messy. Ead and Sabran’s will-they-won’t-they (they did!) was tense, slow-burning, and complicated by power, duty, and trauma. Tané’s guilt spiral and her bond with her dragon (and Susa!) had weight. Niclays? My bitter little heart adored his arc of regret, longing, and queasy pragmatism.
The internal logic of the world was chef’s kiss. The East/West tension made sense, the magic systems were distinct but not handwavey, and I didn’t spot any gaping plot holes big enough for a dragon to fly through. Relationships felt earned and deliciously messy. Ead and Sabran’s will-they-won’t-they (they did!) was tense, slow-burning, and complicated by power, duty, and trauma. Tané’s guilt spiral and her bond with her dragon (and Susa!) had weight. Niclays? My bitter little heart adored his arc of regret, longing, and queasy pragmatism.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Was this a dense, intimidating doorstopper of a book? Yes. Did I enjoy nearly every page like a rich, forbidden feast in a court full of backstabbers? Also yes. The blend of court politics, sapphic romance, dragon lore, and world-ending stakes was utterly satisfying. I was invested, emotional, and occasionally yelling “WHAT NOW?!” into the void. And I’d absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants a high fantasy epic that doesn’t erase queer women or relegate dragons to glorified taxis.
Was this a dense, intimidating doorstopper of a book? Yes. Did I enjoy nearly every page like a rich, forbidden feast in a court full of backstabbers? Also yes. The blend of court politics, sapphic romance, dragon lore, and world-ending stakes was utterly satisfying. I was invested, emotional, and occasionally yelling “WHAT NOW?!” into the void. And I’d absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants a high fantasy epic that doesn’t erase queer women or relegate dragons to glorified taxis.
Final Verdict: 8.6/10 – Gloriously queer, unapologetically epic, occasionally long-winded, but worth every word.
If Game of Thrones had less incest, more lesbians, and actual competent queens, it would look a lot like The Priory of the Orange Tree.
If Game of Thrones had less incest, more lesbians, and actual competent queens, it would look a lot like The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Genocide, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Outing, Abandonment
This book contains mature themes, including war, political intrigue, and discrimination, but balances them with themes of resilience, courage, and hope. The LGBTQ+ representation is handled well and integrated naturally into the world. While there are dark elements, the book does not dwell excessively on them, making it intense but not overwhelmingly grim.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautiful lore, and a lot of it. You follow multiple characters throughout their stories. Real and diverse characters with strengths and flaws. I loved this book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Incest, Mental illness, Sexism, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loveedd this book! It hurts a little bit to not give it five stars but I did have some things that I wasn’t fully satisfied with.
We follow 4 main protagonist from different parts of the world that through the course of the story have to work together to defeat a common enemy! (We have a dragon warrior and a mage ;)
This book is for people who enjoy long books, some politics and deep world building! We also have a romantic relationship between two woman which I loved. I heard people say that they have no chemistry and I have to disagree! And while it is not explicitly stated we also have an asexual character!
The relationship between these two woman is one of my favorite things about this novel! Their dynamic is something I haven’t seen a lot and enjoyed immensely because both of them are really strong headed but still they work so good together.
I love Samantha Shannon’s writing style, it’s not overly complicated but still manages to have something really poetic. Her descriptions of the world made it really easy to fell like I am in the world with the characters!
There are a few things the later published prequel does better, in this novel we have some scenes that probably weren’t needed (even though I enjoyed them) and the ending was really good in my opinion but could have been a bit better if it was longer and fleshed out more. I also didn’t enjoy that we get parts of the world building told my a certain character. It only makes sense in specific parts that the character shares this information and I would have preferred if the characters found out this information in different ways through the course of their travels.
This novels deals a lot with the importance of keeping an open mind and questioning the ways you have been thought as well as breaking free from roles that seem set in stone.
I cannot recommend the prequel to this novel enough as it has improved these points immensely. Nonetheless the Roots of Chaos Series will remain one of my absolute favorites! I cannon wait to get into more of Samantha Shannon’s work and see how she keeps improving!
We follow 4 main protagonist from different parts of the world that through the course of the story have to work together to defeat a common enemy! (We have a dragon warrior and a mage ;)
This book is for people who enjoy long books, some politics and deep world building! We also have a romantic relationship between two woman which I loved. I heard people say that they have no chemistry and I have to disagree! And while it is not explicitly stated we also have an asexual character!
The relationship between these two woman is one of my favorite things about this novel! Their dynamic is something I haven’t seen a lot and enjoyed immensely because both of them are really strong headed but still they work so good together.
I love Samantha Shannon’s writing style, it’s not overly complicated but still manages to have something really poetic. Her descriptions of the world made it really easy to fell like I am in the world with the characters!
There are a few things the later published prequel does better, in this novel we have some scenes that probably weren’t needed (even though I enjoyed them) and the ending was really good in my opinion but could have been a bit better if it was longer and fleshed out more. I also didn’t enjoy that we get parts of the world building told my a certain character. It only makes sense in specific parts that the character shares this information and I would have preferred if the characters found out this information in different ways through the course of their travels.
This novels deals a lot with the importance of keeping an open mind and questioning the ways you have been thought as well as breaking free from roles that seem set in stone.
I cannot recommend the prequel to this novel enough as it has improved these points immensely. Nonetheless the Roots of Chaos Series will remain one of my absolute favorites! I cannon wait to get into more of Samantha Shannon’s work and see how she keeps improving!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Grief, War
Moderate: Incest, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Classism
Minor: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism
It’s very gay
adventurous
dark
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Classism
Minor: Colonisation
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, War
Moderate: Violence
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-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
I really do love a good high fantasy. The world in this book was really well thought out, and unlike most other fantasy books, it felt like a reasonably real place. I rather liked that the plot focused so heavily on the politics of the world, and each nation felt lived in, even if they were pretty clearly variations on existing cultures; Europe (generally), the Netherlands, Spain, feudal Japan, Imperial China, and golden age Ottoman Empire. As lovely as the writing and plot were, I do have a few gripes, namely in how the religions of the world are handled. Mostly, they're pretty good; realistic in how their people live the religion, and fantastical in that all of them are real. Except for one. I find it a cheap cop-out that the Inysh religion is the only definitively false and bad religion. The whole book I was waiting for there to be a moment where both Sabran and Ead realised that both their religions were incomplete, that neither of their founder gods were the perfect flawless deity they thought they were; I was waiting for them to make a discovery that showed that their religions were never meant to be separate, and that their histories were incomplete without the other's perspective. Instead we got smacked with a 'no, actually, only one of these religions is correct and the other was founded by an evil misogynistic man because fuck you'. And because of that, Ead is somehow justified in her resentment and disrespect of a culture who have had no idea that their religion is based on lies (and why would they assume that, literally every other religion is definitively and quantifiable real, this is the standard set by the world, the people have no reason to assume their religion is the exception). For a book that packs such detail into all its other aspects, the 'one of these fantasy religions is wrong and bad, and is also the only wrong fantasy religion' felt really cheap and lacking in nuance that the author shows she is otherwise capable of. In a fantasy world where dragons are gods, and every other religion is true, having exactly one be wrong, just so the primary POV lead can keep her sense of cultural superiority leaves a pretty bad taste in one's mouth, and feels a bit lazy and based. Religious bigotry is still religious bigotry, even if your fake religion of liars is based on Christianity and not one of the 'morally superior' other religions.
Also, Tane did not get nearly enough screen time, so to speak. For a book that had a major selling point as having dragons, Tane and her dragon appear for significantly less than any of the other POV characters, even Niclays, who plays the least significant role in the plot. Tane was a keystone in the whole plot, for pete's sake, yet we don't see her consistently until the last eighth of the book.
Overall great and really enjoyable, but it looses points for playing obvious favourites to Ead and her views, both in terms of prioritizing her in writing appearance over other pivotal characters, and in sacrificing potential for more great world-building and nuanced cultural analysis for the sake of making sure that nothing about Ead's world view is significantly challenged.
Also, Tane did not get nearly enough screen time, so to speak. For a book that had a major selling point as having dragons, Tane and her dragon appear for significantly less than any of the other POV characters, even Niclays, who plays the least significant role in the plot. Tane was a keystone in the whole plot, for pete's sake, yet we don't see her consistently until the last eighth of the book.
Overall great and really enjoyable, but it looses points for playing obvious favourites to Ead and her views, both in terms of prioritizing her in writing appearance over other pivotal characters, and in sacrificing potential for more great world-building and nuanced cultural analysis for the sake of making sure that nothing about Ead's world view is significantly challenged.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Dementia, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism