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lucystolethesky'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: Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Deadnaming, Gore, Slavery, Blood, and Trafficking
Minor: Mental illness, Transphobia, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
erynelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
emilyplun's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Pregnancy
I'm not being overly cautious with all the CW labels; there are a LOT of really heavy themes in this bookreadingelli's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Murder, and Pregnancy
kaimetcalfe'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: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
cadence99'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy
jaaay_reads's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
I think the worldbuilding was really good and now that we know the background of the main character and established the situation, I feel like the next books will be even better.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
chaoticweevil'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
4.75
Once it gets going, the plot really pulls you in and just absorbs you. It's easy to get invested in these characters and the world building and magic system is top-notch. And the world building continues throughout as you learn things along with the characters. If you like to get immersed in completely new worlds while following deeply personal individual journeys, definitely pick this up! I can't recommend it enough and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
yourbookishbff'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? No
5.0
There really is no other book (I know of) that serves as a useful/direct comparison, but I do believe readers who love the Locked Tomb series (particularly for Muir's use of an unreliable narrator/second person POV in Harrow) and Legendborn (for Deonn's skillful use of fantasy to create a rich allegory for slavery and colonialism) will enjoy this.
And THE TWISTS. They were perfectly executed. Jemisin weaves clues in so subtly that you don't notice them for what they are until you've reached your first big reveal. I love an author who can pull off a well-deserved twist that all at once feels both obvious and unbelievable because they've laid the foundation so well. It's a pet peeve of mine when fantasy authors deliver a plot "twist" simply by omitting crucial information for the reader (looking at you SJM-House-of-Earth-and-Blood-and-House-of-Sky-and-Breath), and this, thankfully, is not that.
Highly recommend!
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
Minor: Abandonment
codyboteler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Some parts are written in second person…which I don’t hate? But I am still coming to terms with.
There was one twist that I found deeply satisfying, and then another that I found, eh, less satisfying. But it wasn’t something that made me stop reading, by any means. Really great intro to a trilogy.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Child death