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A review by path_through_pages
Petition by Delilah Waan
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
With the ability to sense and manipulate emotions, a connection to powerful crystals, complex political hierarchies and a fight to bring about success and security for her family, Petition is a unique and creative expression of the inherited debts we owe to others and the debts we owe to ourselves.
Petition provides a glimpse into the generational burdens felt by the children of the impoverished and more explicitly the children of immigrants.
Through self doubt, fierce determination, and a love for parents who both do their best and are unable to do more for their daughter, Petition shows the faults in both the mindset of inherited emotional and economic debt as well as the consistent unspoken fabric of love that holds these families together. You feel how these debts are unfair but you also feel how these debts aren't a choice and are brought from a confusing mixture of obligation, guilt, and love.
Pros:
- unique and creative system of magic/power
- a dynamic representation of real world struggles that shows the truth and fiction of a promise land
- unique characters and relationship building
- no pregnancy tropes
- no miscommunication tropes
- string FMCs
- a great opening to sequels
- ends on a cliffhanger
- writing style was clear and easy to read. Not needlessly verbose.
Cons:
- the magic system is complex and I wish there was a clearer explanation of what the resonance skills were, where the crystals come from, how the system is set up and works, etc.
You're able to put the pieces together but the lack of a clear explanation has a way of pulling you out of the main story as you try to sort it all out. Even just one page outlining everything after the first few chapters would have gone a long way.
- there is also a lot of deep character relationship histories I wish I had the background on early on. There was also the introduction of a powerful mage that we really know nothing about so even just a few paragraphs at her introduction giving us the history would have been incredibly helpful.
Overall a great start to a series that has a lot of promise! Would absolutely read the sequel!
3.75
Petition provides a glimpse into the generational burdens felt by the children of the impoverished and more explicitly the children of immigrants.
Through self doubt, fierce determination, and a love for parents who both do their best and are unable to do more for their daughter, Petition shows the faults in both the mindset of inherited emotional and economic debt as well as the consistent unspoken fabric of love that holds these families together. You feel how these debts are unfair but you also feel how these debts aren't a choice and are brought from a confusing mixture of obligation, guilt, and love.
Pros:
- unique and creative system of magic/power
- a dynamic representation of real world struggles that shows the truth and fiction of a promise land
- unique characters and relationship building
- no pregnancy tropes
- no miscommunication tropes
- string FMCs
- a great opening to sequels
- ends on a cliffhanger
- writing style was clear and easy to read. Not needlessly verbose.
Cons:
- the magic system is complex and I wish there was a clearer explanation of what the resonance skills were, where the crystals come from, how the system is set up and works, etc.
You're able to put the pieces together but the lack of a clear explanation has a way of pulling you out of the main story as you try to sort it all out. Even just one page outlining everything after the first few chapters would have gone a long way.
- there is also a lot of deep character relationship histories I wish I had the background on early on. There was also the introduction of a powerful mage that we really know nothing about so even just a few paragraphs at her introduction giving us the history would have been incredibly helpful.
Overall a great start to a series that has a lot of promise! Would absolutely read the sequel!
3.75