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caitlinemccann's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Alcohol, Blood, Death, and Infidelity
Minor: Addiction
maregred'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
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Murder
Moderate: Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
ezwolf's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
That sounds incredibly interesting and it was for the most part, but I wasn't really wowed by the book. It was a fine read and if you like court fantasies then this is probably a book you would like. I'm interested enough to continue the series but I don't know, I was kind of underwhelmed.
Graphic: Death, Blood, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, Infertility, Homophobia, Body shaming, and Child death
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.25
While I'm not a big fan of multiple POV, especially when it's more than two, I did enjoy this book.
Minor: Blood, Gun violence, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Sexism, Trafficking, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Sexual harassment, Violence, War, Homophobia, Mental illness, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, and Murder
faefires's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
there are things to enjoy about this book. the political intrigue is well, intriguing, the stakes are high, there’s a lot going on. despite that, there’s also nothing going on. chapters are spent describing tea parties and cakes and dresses that do not matter, and despite the importance of the four main countries, only one is fully fleshed out. for most of the book, daphne, who is meant to be the most clever, does literally nothing. the magic system is similarly underdeveloped, and is pretty much used as a get out of jail free card for the characters when they need to get around a plot issue.
twists abound, but after the third major reveal it gets tiring and no longer is unexpected. in a book like this, you expect everyone to betray everyone—so when the characters get betrayed for the sixth consecutive time, you’re hardly surprised, and end up slightly annoyed. the author clearly can write an engaging PLOT, but the characters have less going for them. they are hardly ever physically described with anything other than vague terms “pretty, handsome, soft, harsh, or beautiful”, which makes it difficult to picture them, and makes them all blend together in the mind. you can tell the author wrote lines to be “ya marketable,” the type of lines used in trailers and edits and promotional materials, rather than trying to make them not be cringey or overdramatic.
this book was almost good. but it was a bit too long, a bit underdeveloped, and a bit too mass market appeal YA fiction. the book succeeds in setting up an interesting premise for a series and it’s future sequels, but shoots itself in the foot by
Moderate: Murder and Death
kenziewol's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: War
Minor: Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual harassment
truthaurdare's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Colonisation
astralbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Child death, Suicide, Self harm, and Gun violence