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memeraryfiction 's review for:
Blood Over Bright Haven
by M.L. Wang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
This is a phenomenal book; I couldn't put it down, and ended up finishing it in a day and a half. The world building and magic system are among the most comprehensively fleshed out I've read in fantasy - particularly impressive given the book is under 500 pages (or slightly over 500, depending on which edition you read). Despite this, there are no long, plodding explanations, nor the genre-typical stretch at the beginning where readers are confused and struggling to catch up: the world building is seamlessly incorporated into the storytelling.
More importantly, though, Blood over Bright Haven is a compelling, believable, and perhaps frighteningly relatable story of a person unlearning the bigotry and harm they've been taught by their home culture. Though never preachy or obviously metaphorical for the contemporary world, the themes are timely and arresting. It's very much a book of and for our current moment, though given how good it is, I suspect it will endure and become a classic.
More importantly, though, Blood over Bright Haven is a compelling, believable, and perhaps frighteningly relatable story of a person unlearning the bigotry and harm they've been taught by their home culture. Though never preachy or obviously metaphorical for the contemporary world, the themes are timely and arresting. It's very much a book of and for our current moment, though given how good it is, I suspect it will endure and become a classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Hate crime, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation
Minor: Miscarriage, Police brutality, War