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atropea's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I just can't get past how I hated the main character from the start until the last word read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Body horror, Classism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
jennytrout's review
Personal thing. Wrong subject matter at the wrong time. Writing wasn't bad, book wasn't necessarily bad, I just could not read about the contents at the time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
thesadhen's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Animal death, and Bullying
aformeracceleratedreader's review
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
I have a lot of feelings about Ren and the story. As someone who is mixed race, I understand Ren to a certain point. Identity is difficult to navigate as is but when there is something as big as different cultures/races to navigate as well makes it like a billion times tougher. What irritated me so much about Ren was her selfishness and how focused she was on only being one aspect of her identity. You should never disown any aspect of yourself, all sides of your identity make you you and her adamantly denying her Reaper/white side was annoying. I've been there, told I'm not enough this or that because I'm mixed, constantly seen as other regardless of where I go, but I don't deny any sides of myself. Granted I wasn't bullied to the extent she was nor was I ever disowned by a parent so of course she harbored a lot more negative feelings towards one side of her heritage. But to constantly deny and hate on it when her brother was always there for her was annoying at best. Also didn't love how adamant Ren was that Japan was better/going to be better when it is just as bad with racism and xenophobia. Didn't love that she was more willing to take racism in hopes of being accepted there. Yes it's the motherland, and we all want to be accepted in the motherland, but at what point do we find self respect and accept they don't want us there either and find a place that will?
Also didn't really like the kind of random make out session in the middle of one of the quests. Really threw me out of the whole thing for that little bit.
I did really enjoy the world though, I'm a sucker for yokai, and I hope Ren will find what she is searching for in the next book because what she is searching for deserves much better. I will still be planning on reading the sequel just for the hope that things turn out positively and some reconciliation will be there.
I also love that this was written by a mixed race author so of course I'm biased to support. Overall liked the writing and story so I hope Ren is less agitating in the sequel.
Also didn't really like the kind of random make out session in the middle of one of the quests. Really threw me out of the whole thing for that little bit.
I did really enjoy the world though, I'm a sucker for yokai, and I hope Ren will find what she is searching for in the next book because what she is searching for deserves much better. I will still be planning on reading the sequel just for the hope that things turn out positively and some reconciliation will be there.
I also love that this was written by a mixed race author so of course I'm biased to support. Overall liked the writing and story so I hope Ren is less agitating in the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
epiclimerye's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
tonylovd's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
I read this book for an ELA assignment, and even though it's not something I would usually read, it was still enjoyable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
alicelalicon's review against another edition
Not feeling engaged with the characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Death
scrubsandbooks's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Racism
thenovelbookshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Ren Scarborough is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, for centuries she's been reaping the souls of London.
When she loses control of her Shinigami powers while being beaten and bullied for being a 'foreigner', she decides to flee everything that she has known, accompanied by her full reaper brother.
Ren must accept an impossible task to become accepted as a Shinigami by the Japanese Goddess of Death, along the way she must find out who she is and what she wants most.
A thrilling story that takes you on Ren's journey on Earth as well as the underworld. Beautiful and strong world building sets the scene for a fast paced fantasy filled with myths and legends of death around the world.
When she loses control of her Shinigami powers while being beaten and bullied for being a 'foreigner', she decides to flee everything that she has known, accompanied by her full reaper brother.
Ren must accept an impossible task to become accepted as a Shinigami by the Japanese Goddess of Death, along the way she must find out who she is and what she wants most.
A thrilling story that takes you on Ren's journey on Earth as well as the underworld. Beautiful and strong world building sets the scene for a fast paced fantasy filled with myths and legends of death around the world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Bullying
Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Grief, Genocide, Torture, Physical abuse, and Violence