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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
A sprawling tale of redemption and revolution; a hero’s journey with a lovable cast and an adventurous spirit.
The book gets off to a somewhat unbalanced start, but it comes into itself well by the end. Act II could have had more depth at the beginning, but once the action starts, it does not let up. I enjoyed the magic system and the human factor was very strong: the story of a boy who feels he has nowhere to fit in finds a home in the most unlikely of places and people.
I reread this on audio and I have to say it really improved my opinion of the pacing and character arc. I highly recommend the audio version!
Thank you to the author for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
The book gets off to a somewhat unbalanced start, but it comes into itself well by the end. Act II could have had more depth at the beginning, but once the action starts, it does not let up. I enjoyed the magic system and the human factor was very strong: the story of a boy who feels he has nowhere to fit in finds a home in the most unlikely of places and people.
I reread this on audio and I have to say it really improved my opinion of the pacing and character arc. I highly recommend the audio version!
Thank you to the author for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
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:
Complicated
I was so excited to receive an arc of this! I had seen some of Craig's tiktoks about his book and knew I wanted to read it!
This has so many amazing things in it! The world and the magic in it is SO rich and wonderful and Craig does such an amazing job of it so easy to understand and follow!
Casper is such an amazing character. I love him so much and would die for him without a second thought. He is so full of love and for so long he wasn't able to fully show that love or express it in the way he wanted to and I'm so glad that we were able to see him settle into Novilem and find a safe place for himself!
Helix is the textbook definition of a German Shepard! He's fierce, and loyal, and protective! and the way he supports Casper is amazing to watch!
The romance in this was SO GOOD! it was refreshing to see the way that Helix and Casper communicate! they are so open and honest and real with one another! It was so good to see them have those moments of "okay so I didn't like xyz and heres how we need to move forward"
and Talleah is a goddess and I love her so much! She has such depth to her! I feel like ive read so many books where authors will make a characters whole personality the fact that they are a parent and even though being a mother is such part of who Talleah is, she has so much more to her and Craig does such of good job of showing that!
I am so obsessed with the world that Craig has created! I cannot wait for book 2!
This has so many amazing things in it! The world and the magic in it is SO rich and wonderful and Craig does such an amazing job of it so easy to understand and follow!
Casper is such an amazing character. I love him so much and would die for him without a second thought. He is so full of love and for so long he wasn't able to fully show that love or express it in the way he wanted to and I'm so glad that we were able to see him settle into Novilem and find a safe place for himself!
Helix is the textbook definition of a German Shepard! He's fierce, and loyal, and protective! and the way he supports Casper is amazing to watch!
The romance in this was SO GOOD! it was refreshing to see the way that Helix and Casper communicate! they are so open and honest and real with one another! It was so good to see them have those moments of "okay so I didn't like xyz and heres how we need to move forward"
and Talleah is a goddess and I love her so much! She has such depth to her! I feel like ive read so many books where authors will make a characters whole personality the fact that they are a parent and even though being a mother is such part of who Talleah is, she has so much more to her and Craig does such of good job of showing that!
I am so obsessed with the world that Craig has created! I cannot wait for book 2!
adventurous
emotional
tense
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:
Complicated
***Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
I was invested in these characters and this story from the very first chapter. It started with the emotional gut punch of every queer kid's worst nightmare, being outed and thrown out on the street with nowhere to go. I immediately wanted to give Casper a hug. The story went in a fascinating direction after the heart-wrenching start, literally out of this world, and incorporated a captivating blend of fantasy, science fiction, and coming-of-age elements that kept my eyes glued to the pages until the very end.
The world-building in this book was so elaborate, and I appreciated getting to experience it all first-hand through Casper's point of view. The magic system was based on astrology, and people gained different powers from the stars based on when they were born. The history of this society and its many secrets kept my interest piqued, and I enjoyed how the author slowly exposed different aspects of the magic and history as the story unfolded. I also adored that Novilem was a queer-normative world because it provided a great opportunity to see Casper's reaction to that kind of acceptance. That being said, the world-building wasn't always very efficient or understandable. There was a lot to take in, and things weren't always explained well. It was all still very fascinating, but I would have enjoyed the book even more if some aspects of the world were clearer much earlier, especially in regard to the magic.
The pacing and plot were my biggest issues with this book. The pace was quite uneven, with things often happening in jarring starts and stops with lulls in between. For example, Casper was abducted to the other world almost immediately after being thrown out of his house. It made the inciting incident of the book feel forced and created a lot of unanswered questions. How did they know he was the Telos? Why didn't they abduct him as a baby instead and indoctrinate him into the role rather than having to train him so quickly? After his abrupt abduction, the book slows down significantly during his training before ratcheting up again later. However, the author did do a fantastic job of utilizing the alternating POVs to smooth out some of the pacing. When one POV slowed down, one of the others picked up a bit, and it definitely helped keep the story feel like it was moving forward while also adding to the world-building by giving the reader insights from people raised in this alien society.
As for the plot, this was a case where I really liked all the different components but not necessarily how they came together. I enjoy mystery, political intrigue, and a good coming-of-age story, and this book had all of that and more. I think the problem boiled down to having too many competing elements. By the end, it just all felt a bit muddled and convoluted. I had some trouble following all the interconnections between the different groups and their histories, and I think the book would have been stronger if it had been pared down some. I enjoyed the intrigue while reading and was constantly curious to see how it all came together, but in the end, it didn't totally deliver. The book attempted to have a wide-ranging social revolution arc while also having a 'big bad.' While I enjoyed reading about the revolution, the character meant to be the big threat seemed really superficial and tacked on to the larger story, which made the ending less impactful for me.
I think I've said this already, but I adored the characters in this book. Both Casper and Helix grew up under the weight of extreme expectations that squashed their individuality. They also both experienced their worlds completely crumble, which left them with being themselves and following their own motivations and morals for the first time. I also really liked how the author had Helix navigate and come to terms with understanding how his immense privilege impacted his upbringing and his relationships with everyone around him. Speaking of relationships, Casper and Helix are definitely couple goals. lol. They were so cute together, and I'm so glad the author didn't use miscommunication to make their romance more dramatic. Instead, their budding romance illustrated how to use good communication to resolve conflict and build a deeper connection with a partner. I just really enjoyed their individual journeys of self-discovery and self-acceptance, as well as their healthy and adorable partnership.
I feel like this review is probably coming across much more negative than I intended. So, I'm going to spend a minute just gushing about some of the other things I loved. The author did a wonderful job of bringing the alien world to life and writing a harrowing account of what it was like to live on its surface. The ecosystem was fascinating, horrifying, and totally riveting. The parts of the book where Casper and Helix had to battle against the elements on the foreign world were probably my favorite because we got to see the two boys bond amidst such a vividly imagined backdrop. I also really loved the third POV character and her intense love for her daughter. She provided the perspective of the commoner, as well, and I don't think the social revolution plot would have been nearly as good without her take on the pitfalls of the Novilem political system.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy a good mix of science fiction, fantasy, and MM teen romance. It tackled some big themes and had impressive world-building and characters it was easy to route for. I think it bit off a little more than it could chew plot-wise, but there are definitely plenty of questions left to be answered by the sequel, which I will definitely be picking up. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
I was invested in these characters and this story from the very first chapter. It started with the emotional gut punch of every queer kid's worst nightmare, being outed and thrown out on the street with nowhere to go. I immediately wanted to give Casper a hug. The story went in a fascinating direction after the heart-wrenching start, literally out of this world, and incorporated a captivating blend of fantasy, science fiction, and coming-of-age elements that kept my eyes glued to the pages until the very end.
The world-building in this book was so elaborate, and I appreciated getting to experience it all first-hand through Casper's point of view. The magic system was based on astrology, and people gained different powers from the stars based on when they were born. The history of this society and its many secrets kept my interest piqued, and I enjoyed how the author slowly exposed different aspects of the magic and history as the story unfolded. I also adored that Novilem was a queer-normative world because it provided a great opportunity to see Casper's reaction to that kind of acceptance. That being said, the world-building wasn't always very efficient or understandable. There was a lot to take in, and things weren't always explained well. It was all still very fascinating, but I would have enjoyed the book even more if some aspects of the world were clearer much earlier, especially in regard to the magic.
The pacing and plot were my biggest issues with this book. The pace was quite uneven, with things often happening in jarring starts and stops with lulls in between. For example, Casper was abducted to the other world almost immediately after being thrown out of his house. It made the inciting incident of the book feel forced and created a lot of unanswered questions. How did they know he was the Telos? Why didn't they abduct him as a baby instead and indoctrinate him into the role rather than having to train him so quickly? After his abrupt abduction, the book slows down significantly during his training before ratcheting up again later. However, the author did do a fantastic job of utilizing the alternating POVs to smooth out some of the pacing. When one POV slowed down, one of the others picked up a bit, and it definitely helped keep the story feel like it was moving forward while also adding to the world-building by giving the reader insights from people raised in this alien society.
As for the plot, this was a case where I really liked all the different components but not necessarily how they came together. I enjoy mystery, political intrigue, and a good coming-of-age story, and this book had all of that and more. I think the problem boiled down to having too many competing elements. By the end, it just all felt a bit muddled and convoluted. I had some trouble following all the interconnections between the different groups and their histories, and I think the book would have been stronger if it had been pared down some. I enjoyed the intrigue while reading and was constantly curious to see how it all came together, but in the end, it didn't totally deliver. The book attempted to have a wide-ranging social revolution arc while also having a 'big bad.' While I enjoyed reading about the revolution, the character meant to be the big threat seemed really superficial and tacked on to the larger story, which made the ending less impactful for me.
I think I've said this already, but I adored the characters in this book. Both Casper and Helix grew up under the weight of extreme expectations that squashed their individuality. They also both experienced their worlds completely crumble, which left them with being themselves and following their own motivations and morals for the first time. I also really liked how the author had Helix navigate and come to terms with understanding how his immense privilege impacted his upbringing and his relationships with everyone around him. Speaking of relationships, Casper and Helix are definitely couple goals. lol. They were so cute together, and I'm so glad the author didn't use miscommunication to make their romance more dramatic. Instead, their budding romance illustrated how to use good communication to resolve conflict and build a deeper connection with a partner. I just really enjoyed their individual journeys of self-discovery and self-acceptance, as well as their healthy and adorable partnership.
I feel like this review is probably coming across much more negative than I intended. So, I'm going to spend a minute just gushing about some of the other things I loved. The author did a wonderful job of bringing the alien world to life and writing a harrowing account of what it was like to live on its surface. The ecosystem was fascinating, horrifying, and totally riveting. The parts of the book where Casper and Helix had to battle against the elements on the foreign world were probably my favorite because we got to see the two boys bond amidst such a vividly imagined backdrop. I also really loved the third POV character and her intense love for her daughter. She provided the perspective of the commoner, as well, and I don't think the social revolution plot would have been nearly as good without her take on the pitfalls of the Novilem political system.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy a good mix of science fiction, fantasy, and MM teen romance. It tackled some big themes and had impressive world-building and characters it was easy to route for. I think it bit off a little more than it could chew plot-wise, but there are definitely plenty of questions left to be answered by the sequel, which I will definitely be picking up. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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
Pub Date: 6/16/2023
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I am friends with the author (I am LOL-ing at myself because what if we are not actually friends & I’m just being my delusional self? Love that for me hahaha) & does that make me biased? Sure, but I hope you trust me & my reviews enough by now (you can find me on Instagram @bookish.millennial or TikTok @bookishmillennial) to know that I don’t lie or bullshit when it comes to my life’s passion, reading hahaha.
Anyway! I absolutely devoured this book (lovingly & tenderly). It is everything you expect of the first book in a sci-fi/fantasy series: introducing you to an exciting world, meeting characters you root for, & setting up enough of a societal conflict that you are left wanting more at the end! The astrological magic system is incredible btw!
Make sure you check the glossary of terms, pronunciation guide, & list of characters. SO helpful!
The plot gives you a bit of a slow burn, because as Casper is introduced to everything, so are we (the audience). We learn about Novilem along with him, & it is a lot to process. I felt like I was right next to Casper, figuring it out as we went!
This is as much a coming-of-age story as it is an adventure because Casper is in a state of becoming, not only the infamous Telos figure, but more himself. When we meet him, he is literally at his lowest point and not in a position to feel pride or hope yet. By the end of the book, not only has he found community and purpose, but he’s come more into his own.
He’s becoming someone that he is proud of, which is so adverse from what his family and his church had taught him. That makes the deduction of this book that much more meaningful: “To those who have found themselves on the cusp of living. Too afraid to blaze your own trail, yet too stubborn to surrender to your conditioning. If you have found yourself in that in-between space, wishing for a life where you fit—please never give up. Your people are out there and we need you.” Casper is still navigating a new relationship, found family & identity.. But he’s confident & hopeful with caring people in his corner, proudly supporting him!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I am friends with the author (I am LOL-ing at myself because what if we are not actually friends & I’m just being my delusional self? Love that for me hahaha) & does that make me biased? Sure, but I hope you trust me & my reviews enough by now (you can find me on Instagram @bookish.millennial or TikTok @bookishmillennial) to know that I don’t lie or bullshit when it comes to my life’s passion, reading hahaha.
Anyway! I absolutely devoured this book (lovingly & tenderly). It is everything you expect of the first book in a sci-fi/fantasy series: introducing you to an exciting world, meeting characters you root for, & setting up enough of a societal conflict that you are left wanting more at the end! The astrological magic system is incredible btw!
Make sure you check the glossary of terms, pronunciation guide, & list of characters. SO helpful!
The plot gives you a bit of a slow burn, because as Casper is introduced to everything, so are we (the audience). We learn about Novilem along with him, & it is a lot to process. I felt like I was right next to Casper, figuring it out as we went!
This is as much a coming-of-age story as it is an adventure because Casper is in a state of becoming, not only the infamous Telos figure, but more himself. When we meet him, he is literally at his lowest point and not in a position to feel pride or hope yet. By the end of the book, not only has he found community and purpose, but he’s come more into his own.
He’s becoming someone that he is proud of, which is so adverse from what his family and his church had taught him. That makes the deduction of this book that much more meaningful: “To those who have found themselves on the cusp of living. Too afraid to blaze your own trail, yet too stubborn to surrender to your conditioning. If you have found yourself in that in-between space, wishing for a life where you fit—please never give up. Your people are out there and we need you.” Casper is still navigating a new relationship, found family & identity.. But he’s confident & hopeful with caring people in his corner, proudly supporting him!
adventurous
mysterious
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
ARC review
If you you are looking for a YA with an interesting blend of sci world building with a fantastical magic system based on the zodiacs within a modern setting and a MM romance then I would recommend this duolgy.
The author does a really wonderful job of exploring themes such as classism, oppression, segregation and sexuality within this world.
I enjoyed the characters journeys, Casper in accepting himself and his sexuality. Helix coming to terms with his family’s secrets and how he wants to contribute to his society and Talleah not giving up on the family she has.
Trans and disability rep are also found in this book as well.
As for the rating, I have started to come to the terms that YA is no longer a genre I fully enjoy as much I used to and this book just wasn’t for me in that sense, however as stated above there were still a lot of things that I enjoyed. I would have just loved to have seen the above themes explored in more detail in this society.
If you you are looking for a YA with an interesting blend of sci world building with a fantastical magic system based on the zodiacs within a modern setting and a MM romance then I would recommend this duolgy.
The author does a really wonderful job of exploring themes such as classism, oppression, segregation and sexuality within this world.
I enjoyed the characters journeys, Casper in accepting himself and his sexuality. Helix coming to terms with his family’s secrets and how he wants to contribute to his society and Talleah not giving up on the family she has.
Trans and disability rep are also found in this book as well.
As for the rating, I have started to come to the terms that YA is no longer a genre I fully enjoy as much I used to and this book just wasn’t for me in that sense, however as stated above there were still a lot of things that I enjoyed. I would have just loved to have seen the above themes explored in more detail in this society.
thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review!
the plot of this and the magic system are so interesting- it’s based off of astrology and powers stemming from your star sign which i’ve never read about before! casper is essentially the chosen one which isn’t my favourite trope but it was done in a way that i really enjoyed and didn’t find cringey. this is such an enjoyable queer sci-fi/fantasy releasing in june (i believe) and how can you say no with such a beautiful cover! the setting of this is so cool and just the general world is so refreshing to read about - disability and queerness are accepted everywhere, and the representation is so lovely to read about, although there are problems they are not based on racism or homophobia which does tend to be the usual
the plot of this and the magic system are so interesting- it’s based off of astrology and powers stemming from your star sign which i’ve never read about before! casper is essentially the chosen one which isn’t my favourite trope but it was done in a way that i really enjoyed and didn’t find cringey. this is such an enjoyable queer sci-fi/fantasy releasing in june (i believe) and how can you say no with such a beautiful cover! the setting of this is so cool and just the general world is so refreshing to read about - disability and queerness are accepted everywhere, and the representation is so lovely to read about, although there are problems they are not based on racism or homophobia which does tend to be the usual
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you very much to the author for sending me an eARC of this book through BookFunnel!
Lord what an adventure in getting locked out of my Amazon account and then having to re-find my review instructions to make an account here D:
My honest review, much like the situation that Casper finds himself drawn into, is complicated.
Our journey begins with Casper, a young boy dramatically alienated from his family and then his entire world as he's swept up into a complex web of political intrigue, danger, a sprinkle of hot-competent-struggling-to-make-the-right-choice love interest, and magic. We're swept along with him as he tries to juggle the stress of learning an entirely new set of skills and social norms, weathering the expectations placed upon him, and also grappling with the fact that, sometimes, status quos are meant to be broken.
The cast was diverse and overall lovable with several characters really standing out as memorable players that I would have loved to see more of (hint hint nudge nudge, I'm looking at you Helix and crew, honestly I could read an entire book about Helix's struggles to reconcile his privilege and The Right Thing and how he and his team came together), and I found it incredibly entertaining to watch Casper bully his way through unlearning his own Earth/American precepts to better navigate the world he's now being strong-armed into saving.
There were moments where the narrative felt clunky (namely not being entirely sold on Jacob's motivations and a couple times where Casper's attempts to be nuanced came across as a bit clinical and really lost his voice ) but ultimately I found myself drawn in enough by the world building that I kept turning pages just to see what would happen next. Every page offered something new to chew on and, while I had my immersion broken a couple times, the overall effect of the book kept me wanting MORE.
Overall the incredible amount of detail and obvious care that went into the world-building, magic system, and creating this cast of characters was enough to keep me engaged despite its few shortcomings and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the things are resolved in book two.
My honest review, much like the situation that Casper finds himself drawn into, is complicated.
Our journey begins with Casper, a young boy dramatically alienated from his family and then his entire world as he's swept up into a complex web of political intrigue, danger, a sprinkle of hot-competent-struggling-to-make-the-right-choice love interest, and magic. We're swept along with him as he tries to juggle the stress of learning an entirely new set of skills and social norms, weathering the expectations placed upon him, and also grappling with the fact that, sometimes, status quos are meant to be broken.
The cast was diverse and overall lovable with several characters really standing out as memorable players that I would have loved to see more of (hint hint nudge nudge, I'm looking at you Helix and crew, honestly I could read an entire book about Helix's struggles to reconcile his privilege and The Right Thing and how he and his team came together), and I found it incredibly entertaining to watch Casper bully his way through unlearning his own Earth/American precepts to better navigate the world he's now being strong-armed into saving.
There were moments where the narrative felt clunky (
Overall the incredible amount of detail and obvious care that went into the world-building, magic system, and creating this cast of characters was enough to keep me engaged despite its few shortcomings and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the things are resolved in book two.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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:
N/A
First of all - I need to thank you, dear author, for letting me read this wonderful story you have created! Also, thanks for writing it. ✨😭
Where do I start and where do I end?
“A Circle of Stars” is a very unique story and from its concept, magic/ability system pretty unique. The world building!!! It’s fantastic and damn, I still wonder if I could live there if I had the chance.
Another thing I need to point out is that Craig really has a way to introduce his characters in a very interesting way, oh! And to create them. Every person you meet in the story is well rounded or better said, well proportioned in their character traits. It is hard to explain how lively and how realistic but also unique every character is because they are and it is difficult for me to describe it because it’s one of those things where you seriously need to read the book to understand what I try to convey.
This story in general, be it by the way it’s been constructed but also its content is something of its own and I mean it in the very “THIS IS THE GOOD KIND OF SPECIAL”. I don’t think that I had any ounce of negative feedback while reading and not even now.
The way Craig describes the experience of a queer person has been super relatable, the way even your closest friends and family make it very hard for you to be you or generally — it can suck being queer because of the people who won’t accept you BUT it’s even greater to be queer because you sometimes meet the right people who will understand you in ways others just can’t and building a connection that way can promise sometimes the greatest friendships in your life.
It’s a fantastic story and I hooope so much that more people read it.
Where do I start and where do I end?
“A Circle of Stars” is a very unique story and from its concept, magic/ability system pretty unique. The world building!!! It’s fantastic and damn, I still wonder if I could live there if I had the chance.
Another thing I need to point out is that Craig really has a way to introduce his characters in a very interesting way, oh! And to create them. Every person you meet in the story is well rounded or better said, well proportioned in their character traits. It is hard to explain how lively and how realistic but also unique every character is because they are and it is difficult for me to describe it because it’s one of those things where you seriously need to read the book to understand what I try to convey.
This story in general, be it by the way it’s been constructed but also its content is something of its own and I mean it in the very “THIS IS THE GOOD KIND OF SPECIAL”. I don’t think that I had any ounce of negative feedback while reading and not even now.
The way Craig describes the experience of a queer person has been super relatable, the way even your closest friends and family make it very hard for you to be you or generally — it can suck being queer because of the people who won’t accept you BUT it’s even greater to be queer because you sometimes meet the right people who will understand you in ways others just can’t and building a connection that way can promise sometimes the greatest friendships in your life.
It’s a fantastic story and I hooope so much that more people read it.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, I thought the world building was really well done and the magic system was creative and interesting and in general, I found the book very compelling. That said, the plot was extremely confusing and the writing lacked clarity, which contributed to the confusion. I found the main characters surprisingly underdeveloped - three POV characters might have been one too many. I liked a lot of the elements here, but it didn’t quite come together as strongly as I wish it had. I’ll be keeping an eye on this author and his future work, though. (This is the first book of a duology, though I think it works just fine as a stand-alone.)
Overall, I thought the world building was really well done and the magic system was creative and interesting and in general, I found the book very compelling. That said, the plot was extremely confusing and the writing lacked clarity, which contributed to the confusion. I found the main characters surprisingly underdeveloped - three POV characters might have been one too many. I liked a lot of the elements here, but it didn’t quite come together as strongly as I wish it had. I’ll be keeping an eye on this author and his future work, though. (This is the first book of a duology, though I think it works just fine as a stand-alone.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Outing, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse