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scarlett_f'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
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Child death, Confinement, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Grief, Violence, Death, Gore, Blood, Racism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent
A recipe of Hunger Games and Harry Potter, but with a pinch of sinister steampunk and dystopian stirred in.blacksphinx'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
It's lovely watching our protagonist grow as a person, opening up, learning to ask for help, and forming close friendships with other girls. (The unexpected LGBT+ representation was a nice bonus!) There was at least one plot point in here that didn't really make any sense to me, but the emotional through line and building themes stop me from giving it less than five stars.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, War, and Pregnancy
litliz'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, Violence, Sexual content, Classism, Confinement, Abandonment, Death, Vomit, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Outing, Bullying, Animal death, Murder, Grief, Dysphoria, War, Suicide, and Pregnancy
alicevicini's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
thequiltyreader'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: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Vomit, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Cursing
squinnittowinit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
4.75 for a couple very very minor annoyances:
When El and Orion get together, they keep saying they can't have sex because of the risk/lack of contraception. I don't like how this assumes that the only way for them to have sex is the one way that would pose that risk. There are plenty of ways to have sex and have a good time without any risk of pregnancy.
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death
Moderate: War, Child abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
directorpurry'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
icarusandthesun'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
4.0
quite a curious read, especially regarding the characters and their development. the whole book centers around graduation, and a very important and substantial twist in el's thinking. the ideas behind the book were brilliant, if perhaps a little "out of character" with a lot of new concepts that make the reader basically scrap everything they know about the dark school of magic (and partly the characters as well) from the first book. it wasn't at all unpleasant or anything, quite the opposite - it filled the sequel with fresh and interest-evoking ideas, but just know that this one is swerving in the 'everything is going to be alright' and positive-thinking direction. i seriously missed the 'fuck we're all gonna die' mood from the first book and also just some death in general, but alright.
the romance sort of peaks in this one as well, and i'm really in love with the dynamic. the cliffhanger made me want to haul the book against the wall because it was just so so ... screaming crying throwing up yk, in a good way.
the one awkward sex scene made me a little uncomfortable because it was simply so uncalled for and just an unnecessary like, three-page-filler, so nope, didn't like that at all.
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Sexual content
Minor: Blood, Medical content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Child death, and Vomit
robynlynae'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? No
4.5
What I enjoyed the most about this book was how unexpected it was. Just when I thought I knew where the plot was going, the school (Novik) switched it up and surprised me. I loved it. It had everything I loved about El and her friends from the first book plus so much more character development. I thought it was wonderful and felt genuine to the characters. AND THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING!!! HOLY SHIT!!!! It had me IMMEDIATELY downloading the third book. I was mad and impressed at the same time. I'm just so glad I didn't come upon this when it was freshly published and therefore have to suffer with that cliffhanger until the next book came out.
I went to bed late into the night listening to this book so it completely passed my escape test. I recommend this for people who like teens under stress trying to be heroes while also figuring out feelings, American Ninja Warrior, and found family trope.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Classism
Minor: War
the_quickening_tree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Death, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail