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maiahhtratchh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
kayladaila'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
puttingwingsonwords'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Hate crime, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Mass/school shootings
phippsmr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
boglord's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicide, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship
silver_lining_in_a_book's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Every decade, six medeians are invited to compete for a place in the Alexandrian Society. They are the best of the best, masters of their craft. They must study, train and fight under the same roof for a year, five will go on to study for a second year, one will not. It is up to them to decide who is eliminated.
I do not have the words to describe how this book made me feel. The story was so different from anything I could have imagined, but Olivie Blake really delivered when it comes to the characters and the atmosphere. The latter was mainly as a result of her beautifully crafted prose, which really reflected the elitist academic setting and transported the reader right into the centre of all the action and tension within the Library of Alexandria.
When it comes to the prior, I think the author must have worked some sort of magic of her own. All of the characters were so deeply flawed and quite a number of them were undeniably twisted, but she somehow managed to make me care for all of them. Most of all, to my surprise, I found myself adoring the most depraved character in this book - Callum Nova. I don't know why I cared for him so much, but I loved his power and I loved the way he observed other characters from afar without much care for their opinion of him. I have never read from a character like him before, which - considering the number of dark academia literature published every year - is quite an achievement!
The reason I emphasise the characters in this novel is that they are truly the foundation for what Blake has crafted here. The novel has a plot, but it gently simmers in the background as the characters and their dynamics (not to mention all their discussions about physics, psychology and human morality) take centre stage. The plot really only picks up right at the end, but that is exactly I type of book that I enjoy, so I can't complain. I absolutely adored this and cannot wait to see where the author takes this story next! (I just hope that we get to see a little more of Callum!)
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism
dosymedia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
- do you love pretentious intelligentsia & academicians with murderous bents? imo, if you liked the prose and the narration in the Red Rising series or in Micah Nemerever's These Violent Delights, specifically for the broad inclusion of the social sciences and philosophy, this might intrigue you
- the magic is wishy-washy, v. soft, but worked for me tonally
- everybody queer, yay!
- romantic relationships develop out of nowhere, i was most convinced by preexisting romances.
- most characters had shallow arcs, but i loved the characters as written, there wasn't a dull combination to read on-page
- highly recommend the audiobook! it's a full cast
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Incest, Sexual content, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
bookishgoob'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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, Infidelity, Torture, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Hate crime, and Kidnapping
claudiamacpherson'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
4.5
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
allisonwonderlandreads'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism