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gabe_escobedo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Death, Blood, Colonisation, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Classism
nessynoname's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The concepts are all fantastic: a medical-fantasy story set in a queernormative Persian inspired world, with themes of immigration, xenophobia, conquest and class struggle. It is clear that the author writes from such a informed place as a person with a medical background and both Persian and queer identity. I just wish they would take more time with their exposition and character building.
I feel like I still don't have a very firm grasp on the history/geopolitics of this region because it is all delivered in very quick little spurts throughout the narrative. The characters too, feel... alright, but I don't know that I would really say that I really came to know any of them deeply.
I picked this book up for its asexual representation, and this is definitely an instance of the "it's not a big deal" kind of representation, where main character Firuz has a moment of internal narration noticing their brother acting flirty and sheepish to another character and Firuz ponders the contrast to their own disinterest to romance and sex, and that's all that's made of it. This is perfectly fine and an important form of representation, though I am personally currently hungry for some books of characters exploring their ace identities more at length. For those who are maybe not ace/aro but who prefer books with no romantic themes this will do nicely.
This is a good book, and worth the time, it just needed a bit more to be a great book.
Graphic: Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Body horror, Blood, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Xenophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Death, and Vomit
Minor: Racism and Injury/Injury detail
eni_iilorak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Graphic: Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Medical content, Racism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying
Minor: Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, and Police brutality
trickphoenix's review
- 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
2.5
There were way too many plots going on for a novella, and I felt they didn't get enough time individually to develop. The medical mystery itself I found compelling and it kept me going through the rest, but the interpersonal drama was tense and frustrating without feeling particularly cathartic, and there was never quite enough context given to drive home any of the points about imperialism and changing cultural identity as oppressor vs oppressed, which is a shame since the author seemed to be so thoughtful and knowledgeable on those topics! There just wasn't enough pages to really explore them.
The writing itself was also sometimes confusing; I found myself going back to re-read a few lines to see if I missed some context connecting the thoughts, but didn't find any connection between the two lines at all.
I really liked the extremely diverse inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters, and the seamless inclusion of introductory pronouns and neo-pronouns. I also found the magic system very interesting, and I was excited for the setting. But ultimately I think the delivery wasn't quite there yet. I'd definitely be interested in reading more work from this author to see how they grow and improve though.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Hate crime, Murder, Child death, Violence, Gore, and Classism
Minor: Self harm, Physical abuse, and Torture
lovealwaysadi's review
- 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? No
3.0
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Dysphoria, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Xenophobia, Genocide, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse and Violence
obscurepages's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I thought this was going to be a complex and compelling fantasy, and while this book is that, it's also so much more?? This book explored nuanced topics of immigration, being oppressed and being the oppressor, gender fluidity, and family. It's engrossing and heartfelt and just so damn good.
I loved that Persian culture is so present here, and the queernormative world in here is just pleasant to read about.
ALSO the author is such a good writer 😠How they managed to make the biggest plot twist both so obvious and yet so surprising at the same time is beyond me 😠I really thought I knew what the plot twist was, but I was actually so wrong and it's so good.
Glad to have read this for Pride Month 🥺
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Classism, War, and Dysphoria
kefeshe's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Classism, Xenophobia, and Racism
theirgracegrace's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Dysphoria, Genocide, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Self harm, Torture, Body horror, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Racism, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, War, Bullying, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Police brutality, Classism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Vomit and Transphobia
pvbobrien's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Medical content
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Dysphoria, Gore, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Colonisation, and Grief
opossumble's review
- 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: Dysphoria, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Hate crime, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Physical abuse