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A review by caseythereader
Ruinsong by Julia Ember
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
In a world where magic is sung, a powerful mage named Cadence has been forced to torture her country's disgraced nobility at her ruthless queen's bidding. But when she is reunited with her childhood friend, a noblewoman with ties to the underground rebellion, she must finally make a choice: Take a stand to free their country from oppression, or follow in the queenβs footsteps and become a monster herself. π
β’
What I liked:
π Queer PHANTOM OF THE OPERA retelling? Yes, please!
π I loved the magic system here. I loved the idea of singing to marshal your magic, and that you could tell a lot about the mage by their voice.
π Such wonderful imagery, from the beauty of the Queen's stronghold to the horrors of the region where those expelled from the court are sent.
π The tension between the protagonists felt real - it wasn't insta-love, but also the barriers they faced weren't just pointless roadblocks. π
β’
What I didn't like:
π It's a pretty basic YA dystopia setup. This isn't necessarily a knock on the book, just something to know going in.
π I do wish some pieces of the world's history and nuances of the magic system were more detailed - I could tell there was more in the author's brain that didn't make it into the book. π
β’
Content warnings: alcoholism, blood, death, homophobia (mild), physical abuse, torture, violence, and vomit.
β’
What I liked:
π Queer PHANTOM OF THE OPERA retelling? Yes, please!
π I loved the magic system here. I loved the idea of singing to marshal your magic, and that you could tell a lot about the mage by their voice.
π Such wonderful imagery, from the beauty of the Queen's stronghold to the horrors of the region where those expelled from the court are sent.
π The tension between the protagonists felt real - it wasn't insta-love, but also the barriers they faced weren't just pointless roadblocks. π
β’
What I didn't like:
π It's a pretty basic YA dystopia setup. This isn't necessarily a knock on the book, just something to know going in.
π I do wish some pieces of the world's history and nuances of the magic system were more detailed - I could tell there was more in the author's brain that didn't make it into the book. π
β’
Content warnings: alcoholism, blood, death, homophobia (mild), physical abuse, torture, violence, and vomit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Vomit