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mels_reading_log's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Death, Torture, Child abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Animal death, and Rape
Minor: Sexual content
remie'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Death, and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual violence
kefeshe'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
3.0
Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Violence, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content
bittersweetcritiques'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, Sexual violence, and Child abuse
patricktreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The narrator did really well, but even on normal speed it was extremely fast. Just make sure to really pay attention if you are listening to the audio.
Special thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen to the audio arc for this review.
Graphic: Classism, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Colonisation, Genocide, Gore, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Medical content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Slavery, and Sexual violence
chronicallybookish'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Age Rating: 15+
Over All: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.25/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 2.5/5
Special thanks to Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
TW: (as stated in the front of the book) depictions of blood, gore, physical/sexual assault, sexual trauma, and death. For more information, please visit the author’s website.
I’m really glad this book has a TW in the front, because I think it might be the darkest YA book I’ve ever read. These are not just passing mentions of abuse, gore, and SA. They’re repeated, and often described to a graphic extent. The rape isn’t directly described, and it takes place a year prior to the start of the book, but we do get flashbacks of it that while they don’t describe the act itself, they do go into enough detail that it made me physically sick to read.
I think the premise far outshines the execution of this book. The writing is fine, but could be stronger, and I think that by making this book YA, the author was unable to delve as deep into the darker aspects of this book as she wanted to, leaving some of the darker scenes feeling as if they were lacking depth. It takes a lot of skill to navigate these topics in a space where you have to portray these aspects in a complete and powerful way, without getting too graphic, because the book needs to remain suitable for younger readers. I don’t think that Blackwood quite achieved that balance here.
I enjoyed Victoria as a character. I think she was a strong protagonist, well rounded, with believable goals and motivations. She was easy to root for. I cannot say the same for any of the other characters. They all felt very… shallow. I don’t think any of them had much individuality, much personality, and most of their motivations rang hollow. I think they just needed more.
The writing also felt… choppy? I’m not sure what word to use. The narration was very serious, matching the dark content and atmosphere of the novel. However every once in a while, there would be a pop culture reference/quote thrown in randomly. Now, I’m terrible at pop culture references and such, so I didn’t always know where the reference came from, but it was always obvious when it happened, because someone would say something that was both out of character for them and that did not fit the vibe of the narration or what was happening at the time. Like, imagine a severely dark and fucked up story, very seriously narrated, a very serious main character, who has just watched a bunch of people get brutally murdered, throwing out a “What, like it’s hard?” No. Just no. I love Legally Blonde, but it was so clunkily in there. Every reference was so clunky.
I did really enjoy the setting. I think that the jungle, the lore around it, and Victoria’s connection to it was fascinating and really well executed. This aspect of the book was phenomenal. When it came to the descriptions and Victoria’s interactions with the forest itself, the creatures, River Mumma, all of those aspects were great. This is what I wanted, when I was reading Beasts of Prey. If everything in this book had been executed to the level that the jungle was, this could have been a five star book.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Child abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content
caseythereader'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
3.5
- Lauren Blackwood excels at writing fiery, headstrong young women who are determined to prove their worth and humanity. Victoria is a force, both in terms of her magic and her personality.
- The jungle and the creatures in it were gripping and terrifying. I was also a fan of the magic system in this book, in which certain people, Wildbloods, can manipulate blood into weapons.
- This book does get a bit bogged down in love triangles (literally every boy is in love with Victoria) but if you're willing to accept that, this book is definitely one to check out if you love dark YA/NA fantasy.
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Death, Alcohol, Child death, Colonisation, Blood, and Child abuse