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meggomyeggo1210's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Slavery
kal517's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual assault and Gun violence
Minor: Kidnapping and Torture
beigebee's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
pacing was slightly off, would have appreciated more in-depth world building and character development. this world is so complex, it would have been lovely to have known a bit more whilst leaping into the beginning of this series. fun story overall, will keep reading!
Content Warnings
Minor: Gore and Sexual assault
lee_s's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
sileacium's review against another edition
There were some parts in this book that got pretty violent I just couldn't. It's not a lot but my mind can't cope with the prospect of reading another scene like that and I lost interest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
bipidin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual assault
witcheep's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Pika-arvostelu: Kerronta on viipyilevää, miljöötä ja henkilöitä kuvaillaan paljon. Jos pitää eläväisestä kuvailusta ja uuteen moniulotteiseen fantasiamaailmaan tutustumisesta, kirja miellyttää varmasti. Jos taas kaipaa nopeatempoista toimintaa ja isoilla panoksilla pelaamista, sitä saa odottaa ensimmäisten sadan sivun ajan. Sitten kuitenkin myös juoni ottaa enemmän tuulta siipiensä alle.
Fantasiamaailman rakentuminen: Magian syvempi sävy esittelee kiinnostavan ajatuksen rinnakkaismaailmoista, joissa Lontoosta on olemassa neljä eri versiota, kukin eri suhteessa magian olemukseen ja käyttöön. Eri maailmojen välillä voivat matkustaa vain vahvat, mutta harvinaiset verimaagit eli antarit. Heidän voimansa ei periinny suvussa, vaan on arvoitus, miksi jollakin henkilöllä on tämä voima. Tämä rinnakkais-Lontoiden universumi on rakennettu niin tarkasti aina taikuuden toimintaperiaatteista eri maailmojen omiin kieliin, että uskon antareista paljastuvan vielä lisää tietoa jatko-osissa.
Henkilöt: Päähenkilö Kell esitellään voimakkaana verimaagina, joka virallisten kuninkaallisten tehtäviensä ohessa tekee sivubisnestä salakuljettajana. Tähän nähden hän on kuitenkin hämmentävän hyväuskoinen ja toistuvasti kävelee vailla epäilyksiä ansoihin kuin neito hädässä.Sen seurauksena Kell on useamman kerran vähällä menettää henkensä tai joutua orjuutetuksi, mutta onneksi on Lila pelastamassa päivän. Henkilöiden välisille suhteille annetaan kirjassa huomiota, mutta niillä on vielä paljon tilaa kehittyä eri suuntiin jatko-osissa.
Fantasiamaailman rakentuminen: Magian syvempi sävy esittelee kiinnostavan ajatuksen rinnakkaismaailmoista, joissa Lontoosta on olemassa neljä eri versiota, kukin eri suhteessa magian olemukseen ja käyttöön. Eri maailmojen välillä voivat matkustaa vain vahvat, mutta harvinaiset verimaagit eli antarit. Heidän voimansa ei periinny suvussa, vaan on arvoitus, miksi jollakin henkilöllä on tämä voima. Tämä rinnakkais-Lontoiden universumi on rakennettu niin tarkasti aina taikuuden toimintaperiaatteista eri maailmojen omiin kieliin, että uskon antareista paljastuvan vielä lisää tietoa jatko-osissa.
Henkilöt: Päähenkilö Kell esitellään voimakkaana verimaagina, joka virallisten kuninkaallisten tehtäviensä ohessa tekee sivubisnestä salakuljettajana. Tähän nähden hän on kuitenkin hämmentävän hyväuskoinen ja toistuvasti kävelee vailla epäilyksiä ansoihin kuin neito hädässä.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Violence, Death, Kidnapping, Torture, Slavery, and Murder
Minor: Genocide, Sexual assault, and Misogyny
kiala's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Bullying
willowbiblio's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"Brands and scars, mutilations meant to bind what magic they could summon to their bodies. The weaker they were, the more scars they made on themselves, mining their flesh in a frantic attempt to hold on to what little power they had."
------------------------
I really enjoyed the idea behind this book, but the characters and extremely heavy foreshadowing made this a very low 4 stars for me. I think the magic and the idea of disparate yet connected Londons was inspired. A lot of the plot was hinted at from the early chapters, so nothing felt truly remarkable or surprising. I can see that we're headed for a return of Holland and an unveiling of Lila as a magician. The inner dialogues could have been a lot less descriptive for all POVs.
The lore of how the cultures of each London evolved and diverged was cool. It would have been an interesting move to have this be given to the reader as interludes that were flashbacks to the historical time, setting up potential prequels with new (historical) characters. This would have been more readable than having characters either info dump to themselves or one another- this method always feels sort of forced and awkward. If they've known it their whole lives, why are they explicitly explaining it to themselves/each other now? Sure, it's for the reader's benefit, but this method makes you realize you're reading. This is a general gripe I have with authors who info dump and take the high context route.
I wanted to be more excited about the history/differences between Londons because I think the potential is there for a really engaging story, but it's hard to get up the enthusiasm when every tease spoiled what could have been major reveals.Even the moment where Lila realizes there's bone in Astrid's floor. That's not surprising to the reader because every other character has commented on it somehow, so it feels false or less impactful when Lila notices. That moment could have been the *first* moment, and really driven home how horrific those characters were.
I'm looking forward to seeing if things get a bit more complex and entertaining in the next book. Definitely also how Schwab uses the whole life-sync brand which feels like it was lifted directly from Cassandra Clare's books but I'll reserve judgment for now.
------------------------
I really enjoyed the idea behind this book, but the characters and extremely heavy foreshadowing made this a very low 4 stars for me. I think the magic and the idea of disparate yet connected Londons was inspired. A lot of the plot was hinted at from the early chapters, so nothing felt truly remarkable or surprising. I can see that we're headed for a return of Holland and an unveiling of Lila as a magician. The inner dialogues could have been a lot less descriptive for all POVs.
The lore of how the cultures of each London evolved and diverged was cool. It would have been an interesting move to have this be given to the reader as interludes that were flashbacks to the historical time, setting up potential prequels with new (historical) characters. This would have been more readable than having characters either info dump to themselves or one another- this method always feels sort of forced and awkward. If they've known it their whole lives, why are they explicitly explaining it to themselves/each other now? Sure, it's for the reader's benefit, but this method makes you realize you're reading. This is a general gripe I have with authors who info dump and take the high context route.
I wanted to be more excited about the history/differences between Londons because I think the potential is there for a really engaging story, but it's hard to get up the enthusiasm when every tease spoiled what could have been major reveals.
I'm looking forward to seeing if things get a bit more complex and entertaining in the next book. Definitely also how Schwab uses the whole life-sync brand which feels like it was lifted directly from Cassandra Clare's books but I'll reserve judgment for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
seaweedmonsterletmego's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A fun little book that serves as a great intro to a series (which it is), but doesn’t do great as a standalone. The adventure and world build is spectacular but you get the sense that it was too simplistic. I’m sure that the series overall is great, but this book tends to be a bit mid.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
There is a scene that begins an assault but the woman is able to escape, this one is more explicit about the danger. Another scene has a woman in an alley alone with three men. Though the focus of this is more her confronting these men for a previous wrong, but could trigger some who have had a similar experience.