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maregred'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Classism, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Bullying
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Toxic relationship
nevermoregothic'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, Classism, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment and Vomit
jjjreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Child death, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Trafficking, Violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Gore, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Abandonment, Excrement, and Grief
lennie_reads'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: Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Confinement, Blood, and Bullying
rosietoast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Cursing
purrson'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? No
4.75
I’m new to reading self-published work, and the quality of the writing is so good that when I finished this I was surprised it wasn’t published by TOR or another well-known imprint. That said I’m happy to avoid the publishing lags and have already preordered Book 2.
I really hope Book 2 (or 3? I don’t know how many are planned as I write this) lets us enjoy Cylvan & Saffron happy together, once they defeat their enemies and smash down the politics and villains that keep them apart and oppressed. Taran’s abuse tactics are so grounded in reality & Kaelar’s lechery feels so real, that I’m left angry at the other characters who comply and enable them.
Moderate: Classism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Minor: Toxic relationship, Blood, Confinement, and Sexual content
lh_reads'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: Physical abuse, Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
anwade88's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Grief
dusksolace'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, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, and Bullying
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
folkofthebook'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? It's complicated
4.0
This includes:
- lots of queer rep
- sunshine/broody dynamic
- dark-haired, morally grey MC
- Ghibli vibes (specifically Howl's Moving Castle)
- queerness normalized w/in the society of the story (so hard to find, even in fantasy)
- fae worldbuilding from Gaelic (I'm guessing, from the book's Irish Gaelic pronunciation guide) and original creation intertwined with Hades/Persephone roots
- luxurious descriptions in clothing, decor, and food that v much made my double Taurus heart giddy
While a slower pace than most fantasy tends to be, I didn't find that to be a bad thing. Graves luxuriate in their storytelling, taking their time to illustrate scenes with their words. I have had some fellow readers remark on it being "wordy", but I never found it to be unnecessarily so. Admittedly, I was able to guess a few discoveries, but I was also caught off guard by a few, which is always pleasantly exciting. Saffron is adorable as the ever-hopeful ray of sunshine, and Cylvan never fails to amuse with his cynical (defensive) humor. This was a promising start to what I believe is going to be a lengthier series (11 books??), and while I've come to dislike starting unfinished series (because of the need to reread so I remember wtf is going on by the time the next book drops), POTS is one that I will have no problem revisiting.
Check TWs!
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Bullying