A review by margaretha_eostara
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

For me, this was one of those books that gets under your skin in both the best and worst way possible. I did NOT see that plot twist coming and sat on the edge of my seat to see how Sciona would deal with it. Seeing a FMC having real flaws with real consequences was incredibly refreshing. I can't think of many other books which blend themes like power, religion, classism, racism and misogyny so seamlessly into one cohesive narrative that is still a pretty dang good story.
There was only one point in the book where the conversation between the main characters dragged on for a bit too long.
The falling in love bit could have been left out but I didn't find it distracting as, in the end, it was only a bit of a sidenote rather then a whole plot point.

I did love the addition of small excerpts from the "sacred texts" at the start of each chapter, even though they made my physically repulsed (more so because I know there are many real people who believe this exact same crap).
Finally, it was also very refreshing to see the bad guys just get ripped to shreds at the end, with no other reason than revenge. Was it ethical? Probably not. Was it satisfying to read? Hells yes.
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