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m4ximus_pr1m3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Confinement, Slavery, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Kidnapping, War, Death, and Grief
toni_mahony's review against another edition
3.5
otherwise, i got immersed in the story although it is noticeable that this book is primarily world building and is setting the mood for the other two books. therefore, i recommend reading at least the first two books to get a grasp of the plot of the series.
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Rape, Physical abuse, and Slavery
jeswil62's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Pedophilia
jaxtongray's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Adult/minor relationship
lunahale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
issyharvey'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
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Violence, Murder, Blood, and Sexual content
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Animal death, Incest, Miscarriage, War, Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Torture
samara_surface's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Slavery, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Death of parent
onthesamepage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There is absolutely no whiff of romance in this first book, which is good, because I don't think the story allows for it yet. But the character dynamics are fantastic. Laurent is definitely the most fascinating of the two, because he is more inscrutable. Some of his interactions with Nicaise show genuine compassion. It's also clear that he doesn't hate everyone from Akielos and is, in fact, capable of being kind to the slaves, even as he is a complete bastard to Damen. I think Damen is a naïve idiot, and I say this with love, because I don't buy for a second that Laurent doesn't know exactly who he is, and has known from the beginning, which would also explain why his behavior towards Damen is different compared to how he usually behaves.
I'm definitely invested in them at this point, and I can't wait to see all the ways in which they'll grow.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Rape, and Slavery
Moderate: Drug use and Child abuse
Minor: Animal death
astrozombies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
this book contains gratuitous displays of violence and assault accompanied by some of truly the worst depictions of victims to the point where you ask yourself “is the author enjoying this?” and, worryingly, it seems as though the answer is yes.
the entire plot hinges on the truly wild assumption that nobody in the entire novel would recognize the face of the prince of a sovereign nation. really? you’re saying there was not a single important military figure in the veretian court? do portraits not exist in this world? but honestly, this convenience is something i can get over.
what i can’t get over is the overarching fact that NOTHING MATTERS IN THIS BOOK! nobody learns any lesson.
the differences between slavery in the two nations are seemingly negligible however we are meant to believe that one country is better than the other, and that the slaves in both are happy, actually, unless they’re in the other nation. crazy.
i’ve read dark rise before reading this book but going into this with that (terrible) novel as reference really colors the questionable choices pacat made in hindsight. wild
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Incest and Violence
bea1745'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Violence, Slavery, Torture, and Pedophilia
Minor: Death of parent