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destiel74's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I read this book for one or two years and didn't know what to make of it. I don't love it but I don't hate it either and I do think it's an important story. The book is a unique, fresher take on the feminist reimagining of fairytales other than other books within that category. It inspired quite a few ideas of mine. The story is far from a love story than what the summary would have you believe. Men surrounding the protagonist Ama especially Prince Emory subject her to many horrors that can be found in our world. The ending is satisfying. However if one is uncomfortable reading about topics about sexual assault and domestic abuse you probably should sit this one out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
chaotic_reading's review against another edition
1.0
The premise of the book was interesting and had merit, but the execution felt lacking, underdeveloped.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide
plutotoujors's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
scarletscripts's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
This book is extremely graphic in multiple instances and I don’t appreciate the lack of trigger warnings especially as it’s marketed towards young adult readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Kidnapping and Gaslighting
egurgens's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
TLDR: excessively obscene writing, excess of misogynistic characters, and weak willed women.
First of all, let me just say the writing in this is VULGAR. Now, I'm not afraid of smut, even graphic smut. But the author added obscene details to parts of the book where they don't belong! Like during sex, I get it. But when the character is just being dried off, you don't need to go into such detail. "...he started with her arms, rubbed her breasts, the hard, pink, nubs of her nipples, her stomach, her buttocks, the fire of red hair between her legs, her legs themselves." Keep in mind, this is supposed to be a young adult novel. This is meant for 12-18 year old kids. Just so much unnecessary graphic nudity. Now, there is no smut, or any sex written in this book. Just graphic nudity. While reading this, I thought the author was a man, based on the descriptions used. How overly sexualized un-sexual moments are. Like, I don't want (or need) to know that "...the thick meat of him, a fleshy tusk, white like ivory in the bed of curled black hair." Like, it was a non-sexual moment. The reader does NOT need to know that much detail. Like sure, you can describe the dick some, but maybe not to that amount of detail. Damn.
Anyways. Now for the actual review. Rant over. The character of Emory is so wholly misogynistic, I wanted to stab him myself. Through the pages. As if rescuing someone makes them your property. As if her being your fiancé gives you the right to gaslight her, emotionally abuse her, and more. The men in this story are so shitty, not one is even decently mannered. You would think that the queen mother, who was in the same position as Ama, would be sympathetic. It seems as though Ama is the only sane character in the book! Like, who doesn't resent someone forcing themselves on you, someone that tries to kill your only companion, someone who won't even let you go OUTSIDE on your own? Who parades you around on a leash because you didn't ask permission for something? Who treats you like an object, "You are my bride, and your flesh is my flesh. Do not treat it so roughly," she literally just got a small burn, dude. She is not your property.
I am sorry that I am so critical of this book. I really enjoyed the general idea, and the general plot. But some things I just cannot get over. I read the whole book, and I greatly enjoyed the end. However, the whole time I was just super frustrated with the writing and the characters. The only acceptable characters in this are Ama, Tilley, and Sorrow. That's it. Ama did grow throughout the story. She tries to accept her role, but as she learns more about it, the more uncomfortable she becomes with her role. But still, she stays long after any reasonable character would have taken some sort of action. I mean, to be fair, she has no prior knowledge of any family or anything, so she would try to make the best of things. But I think there should be a limit. It's not like she loves him, or anyone in the castle. She is not pregnant with his child. She could have left. Where would she go? I don't know. Anywhere but there. So she is a bit weak willed, but eventually takes action. Tilley isn't perfect, she was only a servant, and she obeyed what she was told. She could have helped Ama, or told her what she knew about the other Damsels. Anyways. There were no strong female characters in this book. As a 20 something woman, I think we need to do better. Women need to write strong women, to help raise other women up. Don't write every woman as pathetic or weak, have some diversity, set some good examples for your young readers. Do better, Elana K. Arnold.
TLDR: excessively obscene writing, excess of misogynistic characters, and weak willed women.
First of all, let me just say the writing in this is VULGAR. Now, I'm not afraid of smut, even graphic smut. But the author added obscene details to parts of the book where they don't belong! Like during sex, I get it. But when the character is just being dried off, you don't need to go into such detail.
Anyways. Now for the actual review. Rant over. The character of Emory is so wholly misogynistic, I wanted to stab him myself. Through the pages. As if rescuing someone makes them your property. As if her being your fiancé gives you the right to gaslight her, emotionally abuse her, and more. The men in this story are so shitty, not one is even decently mannered. You would think that the queen mother, who was in the same position as Ama, would be sympathetic. It seems as though Ama is the only sane character in the book! Like, who doesn't resent
I am sorry that I am so critical of this book. I really enjoyed the general idea, and the general plot. But some things I just cannot get over. I read the whole book, and I greatly enjoyed the end. However, the whole time I was just super frustrated with the writing and the characters. The only acceptable characters in this are Ama, Tilley, and Sorrow. That's it. Ama did grow throughout the story. She tries to accept her role, but as she learns more about it, the more uncomfortable she becomes with her role. But still, she stays long after any reasonable character would have taken some sort of action. I mean, to be fair, she has no prior knowledge of any family or anything, so she would try to make the best of things. But I think there should be a limit. It's not like she loves him, or anyone in the castle. She is not pregnant with his child. She could have left. Where would she go? I don't know. Anywhere but there. So she is a bit weak willed, but eventually takes action. Tilley isn't perfect, she was only a servant, and she obeyed what she was told. She could have helped Ama, or told her what she knew about the other Damsels. Anyways. There were no strong female characters in this book. As a 20 something woman, I think we need to do better. Women need to write strong women, to help raise other women up. Don't write every woman as pathetic or weak, have some diversity, set some good examples for your young readers. Do better, Elana K. Arnold.
TLDR: excessively obscene writing, excess of misogynistic characters, and weak willed women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Would NOT rereadmayhem24_7reads's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Until now, I have never hated a book so much that I drove back to the store to return it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Not suitable for children or teens, this should not be marketed as a YA bookamanda12's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Spoiler warning. Trigger warnings for sexual assault and animal abuse.
Okay, so when I bought this book I was expecting a wild dragon escapade with some twists and turns. Instead, I got a book that I can't really comprehend. I mean, I can, but at the same time I'm just so confused as to why this book is the way it is. Right of the bat, based off summary alone, I figured that Emory, the soon to be king charged with rescuing the damsel, wasn't going to be that great of a character. The summary mentioned that Ama, the damsel, would face great dangers after being "rescued" from the dragon and that there was like an air of mystery to the whole rite of the damsel, I figured she'd probably been kidnapped or something especially since she didn't remember anything.
What shocked me was that early on, I managed to call the twist: Ama herself had been the dragon. It was easy to spot in the description of Ama because it briefly mentioned amber eyes which had been a big talking point when Emory had first faced the dragon. I thought to myself, okay cool, an interesting twist.
And it was interesting, the last few parts giving the story of how Ama had become human and how she remembered her lair of spice-tang scents and mountains of gems. I had been ecstatic when she finally killed Emory, ate his heart, and finally became a dragon again, fleeing the castle she'd been confined too.
My problem is honestly the author's seeming obsession with detailing animal abuse (that rabbit killing scene haunts me to be honest) and Emory's blatant abuse of Ama. Acting like he owns her, putting her on a leash like an animal acting as if was a bit of fun, threatening to kill her animal when she "stepped out of turn", ranting about a woman's place and how he should be revered by everyone as a hero, and sexually assaulting her on many occasions. He claims she should give him thanks, though, because apparently he has more restraint than other men in the kingdom. Like, yeah, oh gee thanks, dude, you're such a winner.
So honestly, while the book has a good twist, I don't really think it's worth a read. I gave it two stars for the twist and ending alone, where Ama was finally able to kill her captor and be free as a dragon once more. Emory's entire character was so off putting I almost didn't finish this thing, but maybe that's just me.
Okay, so when I bought this book I was expecting a wild dragon escapade with some twists and turns. Instead, I got a book that I can't really comprehend. I mean, I can, but at the same time I'm just so confused as to why this book is the way it is. Right of the bat, based off summary alone, I figured that Emory, the soon to be king charged with rescuing the damsel, wasn't going to be that great of a character. The summary mentioned that Ama, the damsel, would face great dangers after being "rescued" from the dragon and that there was like an air of mystery to the whole rite of the damsel, I figured she'd probably been kidnapped or something especially since she didn't remember anything.
What shocked me was that early on, I managed to call the twist: Ama herself had been the dragon. It was easy to spot in the description of Ama because it briefly mentioned amber eyes which had been a big talking point when Emory had first faced the dragon. I thought to myself, okay cool, an interesting twist.
And it was interesting, the last few parts giving the story of how Ama had become human and how she remembered her lair of spice-tang scents and mountains of gems. I had been ecstatic when she finally killed Emory, ate his heart, and finally became a dragon again, fleeing the castle she'd been confined too.
My problem is honestly the author's seeming obsession with detailing animal abuse (that rabbit killing scene haunts me to be honest) and Emory's blatant abuse of Ama. Acting like he owns her, putting her on a leash like an animal acting as if was a bit of fun, threatening to kill her animal when she "stepped out of turn", ranting about a woman's place and how he should be revered by everyone as a hero, and sexually assaulting her on many occasions. He claims she should give him thanks, though, because apparently he has more restraint than other men in the kingdom. Like, yeah, oh gee thanks, dude, you're such a winner.
So honestly, while the book has a good twist, I don't really think it's worth a read. I gave it two stars for the twist and ending alone, where Ama was finally able to kill her captor and be free as a dragon once more. Emory's entire character was so off putting I almost didn't finish this thing, but maybe that's just me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
caidyn's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Another book that took me by surprise. I really enjoyed Red Hood by this author, so I put this on my list. I didn't know much about it before getting to it, but wow it was awesome. I read most of it in one sitting and I'm glad that I did. It's one of those books suited well for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
_fallinglight_'s review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Suicide
ceilidhwilliams's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Brilliant, I’ve always felt that dragons have been unjustly villainized.
Probably shouldn’t be marketed as ya though.
Probably shouldn’t be marketed as ya though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Rape