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sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Death, Police brutality, and Body horror
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Classism, Sexual content, Vomit, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Blood, and Misogyny
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Outing, War, Alcohol, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, and Grief
jessereadsthings's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Animal death and Suicide
hobbithopeful'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
It's a toss-up between what I love more, the eclectic characters, or the world they live in. Wajet is my favorite character in this, I don't care that Yat didn't like him he's so damn charming. The whole premise of using plant life to live and build instead of steel or other materials is so fascinating. The mushroom houses are alive and feed off the sweat and dead skin cells of their inhabitants. My mind is just blown thinking about it.
The whole concept of immortality and losing yourself bit by bit is a trope I want to read more of. It is so well done in The Dawnhounds. The different Gods and myths meddling, there is so much symbolism and foreshadowing I want to reread it again to see what I missed.
Stronach's writing feels almost dreamlike and ethereal in certain moments. It's not so much you feel like you are transported into the world, but more so as different characters lose their minds you feel just as lost and trapped too. It is truly a book with so much heart and hope, no matter how tough it gets and how dire the situation seems, Yat never gives up.
There's also a cat in this book, so that's such a bonus.
This is a rare moment where I feel like the blurb didn't do the book justice at all. It is quite a dark and heavy book, I wish it mentioned that. (Also it's just freaking fantastic!) Yat is a drug addict, and has lost faith in literally everything, she is just basically on autopilot.
The inclusion of so many powerful queer characters is one of my favorite parts of this, called a "degeneracy" by so many, it is just so emotional. It's not often I see bisexuality depicted as well as Stronach does here.
I almost wish I had read the audiobook instead, only because I felt like I was butchering so many words in my head because I didn't know how to pronounce anything.
This is definitely not a shut-your-brain-off-and-read book. If anything with science fiction books like this you really have to pay attention to what's going on otherwise you'll get lost in descriptions, names, and people. I also put off reading this because Yat is a cop, and I was nervous it was going to be copaganda. I wish I had read it sooner.
Check your tws! There is a LOT of body horror, gore, blood, death, drugs, corruption, and homophobia!
I have so many theories for the next book! I need to discuss this for hours just to share all my theories, questions, and love for it.
I absolutely 10000% recommend this book, perfect for people who loves books you can sink your teeth into! I can't wait for the sequel to come out next year! MOSTLY BECAUSE I WANT TO MEET WAJET'S
I actually like this cover better than some of the other editions. It is really cool to see what the houses look like, and it gives it such a great otherworldly scifi vibe.
Graphic: War, Vomit, Stalking, Gaslighting, Death, Classism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Body horror, Violence, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol, Biphobia, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Sexism, Medical content, and Gore
Minor: Death of parent
fox_at_the_circus'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
4.25
in general this book has a lot of really cool and new/rare story elements; the mythology and the way the gods and minor deities interact with the world is something i've never read before, and there were some nice twists on genre tropes like "coming back from death" and the heroine coming into their power and changing/growing though that.
i really liked the heroine. we get thrown into the story and this world without knowing anything and there's this great feeling of "what the eff is going on here?!", but since the heroine, too, feels that way and is learning and discovering new things, as a reader i never felt left behind and it was just a mystery to solve together.
i also really enjoyed the short inbetween chapters, where someone obviously more knowledgeable is talking. it adds to the sense of mystery and a bigger story line / backstory to it all. and some of them are just so poetic and rip your heart out.
also the representation and social commentary in this book is amazing. there is a super queer pirate found family and also a cat, that helps safe the day/heroine. and really what more could you want from a book?
Graphic: Addiction, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death, Police brutality, Body horror, Biphobia, Death of parent, Drug use, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Grief, Suicide attempt, War, and Transphobia
kumquats87'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Gore, Outing, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Child death, Police brutality, Violence, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Sexism, Self harm, Transphobia, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Addiction, War, Medical content, Gaslighting, Cancer, Misogyny, Gun violence, and Drug abuse
lolajh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“They'd always been looking for defects in her, as if women were defective men, and women who loved women were defective women who loved men. As if anybody who loved both wasn't a part of the equation and could be sorted into one or the other without their consultation. She would never be good enough, because she wasn't the person they wanted her to be. The Kopek had never asked her to be anything except herself.”
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Homophobia, Death, Gore, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, and Sexual assault