Scan barcode
tinysierra's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed the moments that Lei founds strength in love and friendship.
In spite of only getting a little glimpse of Lei’s family in the herb shop at the beginning, their bond and the coziness of Lei’s home came across well.
I liked the cultures that the author set up. The world-building was fascinating. Not every character feels the same way about the situation as our main character does, so it makes them feel all the more realistic.
The romance was cute!
Sex work and same sex couples are stigmatized by some characters in the book.
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, War, Homophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
morganraine'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gore, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Police brutality
runes_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, Medical trauma, Grief, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Kidnapping, Animal death, Trafficking, War, Murder, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
Moderate: Outing, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death of parent, Mental illness, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit
qgg's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual violence
cdoubet'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
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Slavery, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
madimomreads'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
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Body shaming, and Confinement
galexy_brain'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
3.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, Classism, Medical trauma, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Infertility, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Slavery, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, War, Bullying, Gore, Outing, Sexual content, and Trafficking
poppywarphan's review
- 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
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Plot: 6/10
Worldbuilding: 5/10
Writing: 8/10
This might as well have been a standalone. But it's not because of that extra page at the end. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm invested enough to read any further installments.
The idea was good, the execution not so much. The worldbuilding wasn't really explored. The plot and writing were simplistic. That's not a bad thing, but on one hand it read as a book for younger teens, on the other hand though it discussed mature themes. There's rape. It's not graphic, but there nonetheless. If there's anything that triggers me in books, its sexual assault. The girls are taken as mistresses and must have sex with the king against their will. Yes, they don't object, but it's either that or be killed.
The characters were underdeveloped. The king as a villain was just stupid. He's evil. OK, and? That's it? The paper girls were pretty indistinguishable. Aside from Aoki and Blue whose personality was being a bitch. The relationship between Lei and Wren didn't really have any foundation. It was pretty much just lusting and attraction.
Now, what I did like was what was done with Aoki's character. Not that I like what happened to her, but the book highlights how easy it is to fall victim to an abusive man. Aoki is the youngest out of the paper girls and naive. The king makes her feel special, so she starts having feelings for him. I like how it pointed out (although in a pretty juvenile way) that such a relationship is, in fact, not good (side-eyeing all the romance books that romanticize toxic relationships). Aoki is probably the most nuanced compared to the other two-dimensional characters.
Overall Girls of paper and fire wasn't a terrible book, just underwhelming.
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Body horror
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Racism, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Classism, Bullying, Death, and Genocide
kristakp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I understand why the author went there, but it was still a surprise
I knew from about 40% through the book that I probably wouldn't be continuing on with the series afterwards. The world didn't lure me in although the writing was good.
Graphic: Sexual violence and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Lesbophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, and Slavery
books_of_calypso'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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, Infertility, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Violence