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mauripage's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book was definitely an enjoyable read! I loved how it gave me lgbtq Harry Potter vibes (due to its focus on mages and magic) and how extremely funny some of the characters were. The tone was lighthearted and unique, and I enjoyed that the author wasn’t shy to explicitly tell us when a POV was being changed by having their name on the bottom of the chapter number. The characters (all except one) were likable and the dynamics were cute. I love the romantic relationship with the main characters Simon and Baz. They were so cute!
Howver, I do have a few nuances with this novel. For one, the pacing. Though it got to the point, I feel like doing such took away from building upon the relationship between Simon and Baz and of course the world building,.
starting this story relationships are already set as the characters have known one another for seven plus years now. Simon, our ticking time bomb, our “chosen one”, and Baz, our cursed one, are destined to be enemies.
They Are destined to fight to the death and save the magical realm. The author talked so much aboir these destinies and the grips that came with it (neither one wanting to actually kill each other). And the conflicts that provided that fact. So why weren’t we able to even TEASE a bit of it? I feel like this book dragged when it came to setting execution to the world that was provided. The world building was so unique and fun, but we didn’t get too see too much of that. I feel as if the main “plot” was being swept under the rug a bit.
Now for the POV Switches- most of the characters held strong in their tone of voice and I enjoyed their point of view! However, the POV in one of the main characters of the story, Agatha, was absolutely grating to get through.
Her character was a nuscience the entire book, and her personality was a little hard to swallow. In this first book Agatha seems so selfish and self entitled. She’s the character that years for a “normal life” and likes to mind her business, but in being complicit makes me loath her even more.
She doesn’t have a backbone, always follows the rules and the currents that sweep her, and is a bit two faced. She wants a destiny for herself she chooses, which is understandable when dating the “Chosen One”, but to not have the backbone to fight for injustice but also wanting to keep others safe? She’s an irony in itself. She did not grow at all by the end of the book.
Also, the ending was so underwhelming and the big bad plot twist villain was hardly a plot twist, anyone could have seen it from a mile away. All in all this book was good for what’s it for, and I’d definitely read it again. Also! This is a series with two more books on the way to my front doorstep as we speak so I won’t hold off on this series yet as things could change!
Howver, I do have a few nuances with this novel. For one, the pacing. Though it got to the point, I feel like doing such took away from building upon the relationship between Simon and Baz and of course the world building,.
starting this story relationships are already set as the characters have known one another for seven plus years now. Simon, our ticking time bomb, our “chosen one”, and Baz, our cursed one, are destined to be enemies.
They Are destined to fight to the death and save the magical realm. The author talked so much aboir these destinies and the grips that came with it (neither one wanting to actually kill each other). And the conflicts that provided that fact. So why weren’t we able to even TEASE a bit of it? I feel like this book dragged when it came to setting execution to the world that was provided. The world building was so unique and fun, but we didn’t get too see too much of that. I feel as if the main “plot” was being swept under the rug a bit.
Now for the POV Switches- most of the characters held strong in their tone of voice and I enjoyed their point of view! However, the POV in one of the main characters of the story, Agatha, was absolutely grating to get through.
Her character was a nuscience the entire book, and her personality was a little hard to swallow. In this first book Agatha seems so selfish and self entitled. She’s the character that years for a “normal life” and likes to mind her business, but in being complicit makes me loath her even more.
She doesn’t have a backbone, always follows the rules and the currents that sweep her, and is a bit two faced. She wants a destiny for herself she chooses, which is understandable when dating the “Chosen One”, but to not have the backbone to fight for injustice but also wanting to keep others safe? She’s an irony in itself. She did not grow at all by the end of the book.
Also, the ending was so underwhelming and the big bad plot twist villain was hardly a plot twist, anyone could have seen it from a mile away. All in all this book was good for what’s it for, and I’d definitely read it again. Also! This is a series with two more books on the way to my front doorstep as we speak so I won’t hold off on this series yet as things could change!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and War
halaagmod's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
reinik's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death and Cursing
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
4.0
If you liked Harry Potter (especially if you liked Harry/Draco fanfic) you will probably really enjoy this. You've got a UK magical school, a "chosen one" who is more impulse than strategy, a best friend who is a super competent and intelligent girl, a rival who's family is elitist about bloodlines, a headmaster with dubious intent towards the "chosen one," and an animal-loving figure who lives on the grounds of the magic school who treats the "chosen one" like family. The main characters are older and more diverse, the magic system works differently, and there is some great humor along with the action and drama. (For anyone who has had Harry Potter soured for them after J. K. Rowling's words and actions in recent years, this may be a nice alternative that scratches the itch for a similar story and world.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, and Murder
letiross's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
danny_fox's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
When I tell you that I ate this book up-
I have never been so interested in a book that I read it in 3 days, especially a book that has 500 pages.
I adored everything about this book. The characters, the world, the plot, oh my gooood.
I cannot believe this book isn't more popular. I NEED this book to be more popular.
Definitely became one of my all time favorites, and can already see myself coming back to it in the future.
Baz and Simon have officially become my new comfort characters <3
I have never been so interested in a book that I read it in 3 days, especially a book that has 500 pages.
I adored everything about this book. The characters, the world, the plot, oh my gooood.
I cannot believe this book isn't more popular. I NEED this book to be more popular.
Definitely became one of my all time favorites, and can already see myself coming back to it in the future.
Baz and Simon have officially become my new comfort characters <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, and Kidnapping
Minor: Cursing, Violence, Car accident, and War
ameruck's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
evelynyle_88's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
daffodilcherry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was not expecting myself to become emotionally compromised by Simon Snow and Baz Pitch-Grim.
I went into this book expecting it to be an interesting take on a wizard boarding school with a teen chosen one, and ended up reading the Simon Snow trilogy within a week.
I loved the enemies to lovers twist, and how well Rowell wrote the switch between the two. This book is a perfect standalone, but an even better set up for the following two books, which I read immediately after.
Absolutely loved the narration of this audiobook, it definitely helped me cement voices for the characters going forward.
Wheelhouses: magical boarding school, the chosen one, but the chosen one isn't really that good at his job, bitch cracker syndrome, enemies to lovers, oh wait maybe I'm into him, hopeless queer pining, highly competent best friend, the way to saving the world was within you all along, the evil was me all along.
I went into this book expecting it to be an interesting take on a wizard boarding school with a teen chosen one, and ended up reading the Simon Snow trilogy within a week.
I loved the enemies to lovers twist, and how well Rowell wrote the switch between the two. This book is a perfect standalone, but an even better set up for the following two books, which I read immediately after.
Absolutely loved the narration of this audiobook, it definitely helped me cement voices for the characters going forward.
Wheelhouses: magical boarding school, the chosen one, but the chosen one isn't really that good at his job, bitch cracker syndrome, enemies to lovers, oh wait maybe I'm into him, hopeless queer pining, highly competent best friend, the way to saving the world was within you all along,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
4.5
This book reads at first like an excellent Harry Potter parody, lightheartedly poking fun at the plot holes and loose worldbuilding moments of the HP series as the main character, Simon Snow, recounts his misadventures (a humorously self-aware reskinning of many HP plot points) at his magical school during years 1-7.
I was ready for this book to be a Harry Potter parody and nothing more the entire way through (and would have loved every minute of it), but I was very pleasantly surprised to find an actual, original plot that played very well with the humorous setting and premise. The plot and the surprisingly complex characters took this book from parody to a genuinely gripping Harry Potter rewrite that successfully delivered a more complex (and plausible) plot, alongside characters that were more flawed yet more understandable at the same time.
I felt like this book was wholly satisfying as a standalone. I don't really feel any need to read the sequels, though I'm sure I'll get to them someday. For now, I'm left with that same soul-satisfied feeling that I get when I've just finished a 100k word fanfic with no tags and I can't remember what it was like to have ever not known about something so wonderful.
4.5 stars because of complete bi erasure and minor racism (not the inclusion of it in the world but rather minorly problematic descriptions/inconsistent descriptions of poc by the author)
I was ready for this book to be a Harry Potter parody and nothing more the entire way through (and would have loved every minute of it), but I was very pleasantly surprised to find an actual, original plot that played very well with the humorous setting and premise. The plot and the surprisingly complex characters took this book from parody to a genuinely gripping Harry Potter rewrite that successfully delivered a more complex (and plausible) plot, alongside characters that were more flawed yet more understandable at the same time.
I felt like this book was wholly satisfying as a standalone. I don't really feel any need to read the sequels, though I'm sure I'll get to them someday. For now, I'm left with that same soul-satisfied feeling that I get when I've just finished a 100k word fanfic with no tags and I can't remember what it was like to have ever not known about something so wonderful.
4.5 stars because of complete bi erasure and minor racism (not the inclusion of it in the world but rather minorly problematic descriptions/inconsistent descriptions of poc by the author)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Biphobia, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Minor: Ableism, Infidelity, Racism, and Abandonment
Bi erasure details: