ren_dragon's reviews
444 reviews

System Collapse by Martha Wells

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-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

4.5

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

adventurous dark emotional medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Blood

Moderate: Body shaming, Physical abuse, and Abortion

Minor: Ableism

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Witch King by Martha Wells

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• 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? No

4.75

For a book about a demon who doesn't like water, there is an awful lot of swimming.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

Provenance by Ann Leckie

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Qualityland by Marc-Uwe Kling

funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Machinehood by S.B. Divya

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.0

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Handmaid’s Tale meets Cinderella but it’s also sapphic. 

This was a fun story with a good amount of action and intrigue. However, the characters felt inconsistent and a bit flat. Their motivations didn’t make sense a lot of the time and it felt like their actions were dictated by what the plot required rather than being driven by their own internal and external conflicts. The romance felt very insta-lovey with little to no build up or development so it wasn’t satisfying for me. 

The main protagonist had much more potential for growth than the plot allowed. She ultimately felt inconsistent and somewhat passive (ironically) after fleeing the ball and the city (which is what she has wanted to do her whole life) compared to before she was forced to run. 

I did like that there were references to some of the older Grimm’s versions of Cinderella later in the story rather than just the Disney retelling. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Homophobia