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stargazer_ley's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Xenophobia, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Racism, Grief, Gaslighting, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Slavery, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Cursing
cookiecat73's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Self harm, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual content
torturedreadersdept'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: Confinement, Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, and Kidnapping
marleywrites'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
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death of parent, and Torture
Minor: Alcohol
kirstenf'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
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement and Slavery
flyintothestorm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Confinement
thecatconstellation'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
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Slavery
Minor: Cursing and Alcohol
brittanyboston18'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
3.0
Moderate: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Gore, Confinement, Death of parent, and Violence
kbairbooks'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: Blood, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Alcohol, and Animal death
beautifulpaxielreads'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? No
3.0
First, to the good stuff. I liked how Abdullah intertwined the best-known Arabian Nights stories into her tale, incorporating
It wasn't long after our narrators - Loulie, Mazen and Aisha (as well as Qadir) - set out on their journey (not a spoiler as it's in the official blurb) that I started to get confused. It was still incredibly gripping to read - but I was no longer as invested as I was in the beginning.
So what went wrong? For me, it was a number of things. A few plot holes which I couldn't rationalise to myself. Too many convenient escapes where someone or something turned up at just the right moment. The characters felt too thin and weren't developed enough to make me care about them. I was confused about jinn lore and exactly how the magic worked. And I think it was too long, with twist upon twist until it became impossible to keep track of who knew what and when.
In conclusion, a strong start and some clever ideas, but the worldbuilding and character development left a lot to be desired.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm
Minor: Pregnancy
Many murders and violence occur through magical means.