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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
3.5 Het had meer kunnen zijn als er geen dubbele love triangle inzat en niet elk personages als bloedje mooi wordt beschreven.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Didn't grab me immediately, but soon I couldn't put it down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Abandonment
Minor: Rape
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Love Laia and Elias but kinda feel bad for Helene tho
This book was so good! The stakes were super high. The world buildling is great, establishing this brutal world under an oppresive regime in which everyone suffers no matter what side they're on. The magic is subtle but present too. Mainly existing within the creatures like the Augurs. I loved Elias' character a lot, his moral quandry growing up training to become a Mask but hating the cruelness the Empire demands of him. (and his very loyal best friend who puts her duty to the kingdom above almost everything) Laia is also great, she's not trained in fighting and grapples with her legacy as her mother's daughter but this book really shows that she is resilient and caring. By the end she gains much more confidence in herself which is great to see. I was living for the romantic crumbs between her and Elias. They had so much chemistry and tension omg!!
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
solid plot concept
characters i dont like but i also dont dislike
made me want to read the next one
characters i dont like but i also dont dislike
made me want to read the next one
challenging
dark
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:
No
I really enjoyed how this book used multiple POVs - it made the world and the stakes feel bigger. Both main characters are trying to live up to (or reckon with) their parents’ accomplishments, which gave them a lot of depth and motivation.
This story touches on harsh realities of resistance and power. The trials reminded me of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire meets a darker, more brutal world. The character growth was strong, and I appreciated that the story wasn’t predictable. Looking forward to continuing the series!
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I felt like I wanted more out of this. It’s the first in a trilogy and I just wanted more from the book as far as resolution and completeness. And I didn’t love the dual narrative for Laia and Elias (I’m sure at some point we’ll find out why they basically have the same name, but I wondered the whole book). I don’t know that I will continue with the series because the pacing of this just felt so janky. Interesting world but execution meh.