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bree_h_reads's review against another edition
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Grief
Minor: Racism
chloewakham's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Cursing
Minor: Sexual content, Blood, and Racism
kbowles24's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Abandonment, Colonisation, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Racism, War, Murder, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Violence
leopardsheetcake's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Infidelity
Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Vomit
aestass's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Kidnapping, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Alcoholism, Racism, and Alcohol
This is part one of a series or duology.kenny_2288's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, and Cursing
Minor: Classism, Colonisation, War, and Racism
andra_mihaela_s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is a first book in an Egyptian inspired historical fantasy duology targeted to a young adult readership that tells the story of Inez Olivera, a bolivian-argentinian young lady of the upper society of 19th century Buenos Aires, as she embarks to Egypt in hopes of finding out how her parents died and why.
CW : death of parents, grief, violent murder, mentions of drug use, alcoholism, abandonment, colonialism
This book is correctly marketed as rivals to lovers, thank God 🤭, but I didn't find this aspect of the story taking over our MC's every thought and action.( More like 30- 70 ratio for plot).
In my opinion, the author has talent in portraying such an acute feeling as abandonment, grief, denial and coming face to face with who your family is/ was. I cannot express how happy I was that Inez was constantly denying her parents forgiveness while also understanding why Egypt was soo magical to them.
The atmosphere was on point, quite nostalgic and mysterious, with an undertone of sadness.
Our characters were pretty well defined. Inez is vivid on the page, you cannot mix her up with other heroines! 🥰 While her coming to Egypt might seem a little bit too easy...let me tell you, is not impossible for something like that to have occurred! She is feisty while smart about keeping her cards close to her heart; she's suspicious of everybody but not overly so; and she's barely a young woman who's trying to grapple with her new reality. I deeply connected with her story and genuinely liked her.
The love interest, Whitford Hayes, or Whit, gave me #historicalromance book vibes from the start ☺️🤭
..and that's not a bad thing! After all...we are in that period....sort of....
He's full of secrets, charming, useful to those he deems worthy and in search of something...the end of the book left me gasping! 🤯 is he the bad guy????👀 🤔
Another 2 characters I want to mention are the uncle, Ricardo, and Elvira, the cousin. Well I liked Elvira...and that's that 🤧. As for Ricardo...I had sooo many doubts! 😤 the author really wrote a good mystery!
Sooo yes! This book is a good mystery! At least for me😂 Inez's suspicions grew and morphed as she found out more about her parents and what happened. I really enjoyed that!😌
Quick note before i forget : this book tackles colonialism and oppression in subtle ways of native people! We also discuss #artifact robbery and the morality of letting the world know about history through the specific lense of #archeology !! I really enjoyed this!
Back to the plot which is carefully mixed in with Inez's emotional journey and ancient magic 🥰🪄
Although this is a low fantasy ,the plot being based in our history with a twist , it really feeds your imagination!
In the end, the summary on Goodreads says it all, Inez needs to find out the truth , or risk becoming just a pawn in a much larger game!
So, why only 4.25??? I found the middle to be a little slow and towards the end of the book, something happened that changes Inez's course of action..and although is appropriate for a ya, logical and a bold move for the author..I still saw it coming. :( ...but don't mind me! this book is great!
I highly recommend you try this! ☺️
Graphic: Murder, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, and Abandonment
Minor: War, Trafficking, Sexism, Drug use, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
sunny_bumblebee's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Racism, Animal death, Blood, Colonisation, Infidelity, Death, Torture, Sexism, Misogyny, Gore, and Gun violence
Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment
cari_mac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Personally felt that the magic and fantasy aspect was very underworked and almost like an afterthought. The allure of magic was not a necessary motivator in the real life massive theft of Egyptian artifacts (or really the plot imo), but I guess that is more appealing than including that the Europeans wanted to eat mummified brains.
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment and Racism
vievef's review
- 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? No
3.5
Graphic: Death
Minor: Xenophobia, War, Death of parent, and Racism