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valpyre's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
[audiobook]
3.5 stars
i think that YA marketers should lay off comparing things to Killing Eve unless there is actual lesbian rep in a novel -- i was half expecting such a dynamic for most of the start and it just didn't follow through, which is fine! but like don't say it then lol
anyways, for once i actually appreciated the slow pace of a novel -- i think it established the two protags pretty well in terms of their intentions and what happened that made them need to work together. at the same time, as many have pointed out, i feel like the respective POVs were hard to distinguish. the worldbuilding and magic were creative, but ultimately a little too abstract to have real impact on the action.
not a bad listen, but i don't think i'm going to check out the rest of the series.
3.5 stars
i think that YA marketers should lay off comparing things to Killing Eve unless there is actual lesbian rep in a novel -- i was half expecting such a dynamic for most of the start and it just didn't follow through, which is fine! but like don't say it then lol
anyways, for once i actually appreciated the slow pace of a novel -- i think it established the two protags pretty well in terms of their intentions and what happened that made them need to work together. at the same time, as many have pointed out, i feel like the respective POVs were hard to distinguish. the worldbuilding and magic were creative, but ultimately a little too abstract to have real impact on the action.
not a bad listen, but i don't think i'm going to check out the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Violence
ericadawson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It's unfortunate that I didn't begin really enjoying the story until past the halfway mark.
My issues with the book are small but many: a magic system that's complex (good) but poorly explained, with new additions piled on whenever the plot needs it; a political world that is also complex, but which has so many moving parts that it got difficult to keep track of what was happening where and why; a strong voice that occasionally got a bit too thick with prose; and characterization that annoyed me.
Ira annoyed me in the beginning, I'll admit. I just couldn't understand how she'd seriously think her initial plan would work, unless maybe the lack of sunlight got to her. Her complex ancestry made it difficult for me to understand her as a character, and I couldn't quite grasp why she didn't want to lead as an empress. Her reasoning boiled down (to me) to "I don't want to be cooped up in a palace" which....why not just say you'd rather be a Warrior leader instead? Beyond that, Delyse was one of my favorites before she started to annoy me, too. Ira's romance with Kirdan was cliche, but I liked the direction it went in.
Jazyme was a more well-rounded character to me, but her wishy-washyness on romance annoyed me, as well. Otherwise, I had no real issues with her character, and I liked how the author was able to describe Ira through Jaz's POV.
Ultimately, I think there were too many moving parts. Witch's council, Nameless, Obeah/Alumbrar, Unlit, Pirates, Jade Guild, Yielding, Aiyca/Zesia/Skylands and probably another region I'm forgetting, etc.
My issues with the book are small but many: a magic system that's complex (good) but poorly explained, with new additions piled on whenever the plot needs it; a political world that is also complex, but which has so many moving parts that it got difficult to keep track of what was happening where and why; a strong voice that occasionally got a bit too thick with prose; and characterization that annoyed me.
Ira annoyed me in the beginning, I'll admit. I just couldn't understand how she'd seriously think her initial plan would work, unless maybe the lack of sunlight got to her. Her complex ancestry made it difficult for me to understand her as a character, and I couldn't quite grasp why she didn't want to lead as an empress. Her reasoning boiled down (to me) to "I don't want to be cooped up in a palace" which....why not just say you'd rather be a Warrior leader instead? Beyond that, Delyse was one of my favorites before she started to annoy me, too. Ira's romance with Kirdan was cliche, but I liked the direction it went in.
Jazyme was a more well-rounded character to me, but her wishy-washyness on romance annoyed me, as well. Otherwise, I had no real issues with her character, and I liked how the author was able to describe Ira through Jaz's POV.
Ultimately, I think there were too many moving parts. Witch's council, Nameless, Obeah/Alumbrar, Unlit, Pirates, Jade Guild, Yielding, Aiyca/Zesia/Skylands and probably another region I'm forgetting, etc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, War, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, and Cursing
spinesinaline's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape
theroach's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
SCREAMING CRYING SNOTTING
Anyways, this book is so good. Like so good. The power, the intrigue, the plotting, the crisp delicious layers…I’m obsessed.
Anyways, this book is so good. Like so good. The power, the intrigue, the plotting, the crisp delicious layers…I’m obsessed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood and Violence
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is thick! A ton of stuff happened in this and there was a ton of world building and character development. I really enjoyed it, but felt a little bit bogged down in the plot at times. I think it is such an interesting world that is built here and I look forward to what happens next in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Torture, Bullying, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Grief, and Xenophobia
nullandvoidlibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Rape
librarianlex's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and Death
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual assault
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.0
First of all, the narrators for this audiobook were phenomenal. They brought so much to these characters and really brought the story to life. Smart plunges you right into this world she created, and while it took me a minute to get my bearings (a downfall sometimes when listening to fantasy books on audio), I loved the complexity behind the characters. Can't wait for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Violence, Blood, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying and Torture
Minor: Rape
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
**Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for a digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Let me start off by saying that this cover looks like it is going to be absolutely gorgeous! I cannot wait to see it in person.
I ended up needing to sit with this book for a day before I felt like I could write my full review and thoughts out. Even though I had some minor mixed thoughts about the book and how the plot played out, this book was absolutely fantastic in its entirety - especially for a debut book.
I want to briefly mention the only reasons I felt I couldn't give this book a full 5 stars. They might seem minor to some people, but they really pulled me out of the story and stuck with me through most of my reading experience. The biggest thing was the way the beginning of the book was set up. For me, I found it quite confusing in the first 50 pages to follow everything that was happening, all of the characters, all of the terms, the worldbuilding, and the magic system. For a complex fantasy novel, it felt like far too much thrown at me at once. This book does begin in media res, which is one of my favourites - but I felt for too long like I was lacking the knowledge to truly grasp what I was reading. I am wondering if I had gotten some explanations sooner, or if some characters weren't introduced immediately, if it would have made it less confusing and overwhelming. It was somehow both a lot but not enough - I think I needed some of the information spread out and clarified just a little more for it to feel like a more natural in media res that drew me in. I wonder if the chapters weren't so short for the first bit, if we had gotten to stay with each character just a little longer to set things up, I think that could have made a huge difference. But, I digress.
The only other thing that I struggled with is that the plot of this book is entirely based on lies and miscommunication. While I loved it, it was incredibly frustrating at times, because everyone is lying to each other and simple conversations could be had to avoid catastrophic events. I do understand that this is kind of the point, since they have all been enemies for so long and are after their own agendas, but for 400 pages, it becomes a little tedious and frustrating at times. I just wanted a truth or trust, like, once...
BUT in comparison to what I loved about this book, those are quite minor things. If you like morally grey characters, is this ever the book for you! I don't think I have ever found a book with so many morally grey, chaotic neutral (or possibly even chaotic evil?) characters. It was kind of fun in a lot of ways - when it wasn't entirely frustrating... haha! Jazmyne has such an intriguing character arc. I thought her character was going an entirely different way than where she ends up at the end of this book - and it was actually really refreshing to see from the typical character arcs that we get in YA fantasy novels. And Ira (Iraya) - what can I really say except for that she is a sarcastic and sassy badass, and I actually really loved her character! I was surprised because I thought her character would be frustrating - distrustful, somehow both selfish and selfless, reckless, a warrior - and while she makes TERRIBLE choices at times, she is actually relatable in a lot of ways. And I loved her character and arc. Kirdan was my favourite character though - he is such a great character full of mystery and intrigue. You have no idea what is happening with his character most of the time and I LOVED it.
I also loved the addition of the other characters - Anya, and the Obeah like Delyse, Shamar, and Ford. They were all really well-done characters.
The magic system didn't have as many rules outlined as I personally like, and I found some of it a bit confusing at first, but it is a really unique and amazing magic system integrated into the story and the background history for the novel. It really helps to set up the divides in a way between the Alumbrar and Obeah, and I found it so interesting. I know that the Obeah and their magic was based on some specific Jamaican culture, which is so amazing to see integrated. The worldbuilding was well done - I was reading an arc in digital, so I am curious if there is a map in the finished copy, because that would be stupendous! You can see the influence of Jamaica in the world building, and in the conversations between characters. I really enjoyed it!
I would definitely recommend the book if you like fantasy and are looking for a unique and diverse read.
**Please make sure to check out some own voice reviews!! I of course do not have knowledge on the Jamaican culture and cannot comment on the representation.
Let me start off by saying that this cover looks like it is going to be absolutely gorgeous! I cannot wait to see it in person.
I ended up needing to sit with this book for a day before I felt like I could write my full review and thoughts out. Even though I had some minor mixed thoughts about the book and how the plot played out, this book was absolutely fantastic in its entirety - especially for a debut book.
I want to briefly mention the only reasons I felt I couldn't give this book a full 5 stars. They might seem minor to some people, but they really pulled me out of the story and stuck with me through most of my reading experience. The biggest thing was the way the beginning of the book was set up. For me, I found it quite confusing in the first 50 pages to follow everything that was happening, all of the characters, all of the terms, the worldbuilding, and the magic system. For a complex fantasy novel, it felt like far too much thrown at me at once. This book does begin in media res, which is one of my favourites - but I felt for too long like I was lacking the knowledge to truly grasp what I was reading. I am wondering if I had gotten some explanations sooner, or if some characters weren't introduced immediately, if it would have made it less confusing and overwhelming. It was somehow both a lot but not enough - I think I needed some of the information spread out and clarified just a little more for it to feel like a more natural in media res that drew me in. I wonder if the chapters weren't so short for the first bit, if we had gotten to stay with each character just a little longer to set things up, I think that could have made a huge difference. But, I digress.
The only other thing that I struggled with is that the plot of this book is entirely based on lies and miscommunication. While I loved it, it was incredibly frustrating at times, because everyone is lying to each other and simple conversations could be had to avoid catastrophic events. I do understand that this is kind of the point, since they have all been enemies for so long and are after their own agendas, but for 400 pages, it becomes a little tedious and frustrating at times. I just wanted a truth or trust, like, once...
BUT in comparison to what I loved about this book, those are quite minor things. If you like morally grey characters, is this ever the book for you! I don't think I have ever found a book with so many morally grey, chaotic neutral (or possibly even chaotic evil?) characters. It was kind of fun in a lot of ways - when it wasn't entirely frustrating... haha! Jazmyne has such an intriguing character arc. I thought her character was going an entirely different way than where she ends up at the end of this book - and it was actually really refreshing to see from the typical character arcs that we get in YA fantasy novels. And Ira (Iraya) - what can I really say except for that she is a sarcastic and sassy badass, and I actually really loved her character! I was surprised because I thought her character would be frustrating - distrustful, somehow both selfish and selfless, reckless, a warrior - and while she makes TERRIBLE choices at times, she is actually relatable in a lot of ways. And I loved her character and arc. Kirdan was my favourite character though - he is such a great character full of mystery and intrigue. You have no idea what is happening with his character most of the time and I LOVED it.
I also loved the addition of the other characters - Anya, and the Obeah like Delyse, Shamar, and Ford. They were all really well-done characters.
The magic system didn't have as many rules outlined as I personally like, and I found some of it a bit confusing at first, but it is a really unique and amazing magic system integrated into the story and the background history for the novel. It really helps to set up the divides in a way between the Alumbrar and Obeah, and I found it so interesting. I know that the Obeah and their magic was based on some specific Jamaican culture, which is so amazing to see integrated. The worldbuilding was well done - I was reading an arc in digital, so I am curious if there is a map in the finished copy, because that would be stupendous! You can see the influence of Jamaica in the world building, and in the conversations between characters. I really enjoyed it!
I would definitely recommend the book if you like fantasy and are looking for a unique and diverse read.
**Please make sure to check out some own voice reviews!! I of course do not have knowledge on the Jamaican culture and cannot comment on the representation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Torture, and Vomit
Minor: Rape, Stalking, and Suicide
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