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cheye13's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm perhaps inclined to grant this book more leeway than usual, given what I've heard Asian and Asian-American authors are dealing with in the US publishing industry recently. It's possible I read this as the book it could've been rather than the book it actually is, so take my review with a grain of salt.
I loved this book. I loved being back with our trio, and getting more history about them and our side-characters, and more lore from the world in general. My main complaint is that I simply want more. I wanted a whole third book, and instead the second installment is half the length of the first. The whole back third of this second book read as if it were supposed to be the finale to a trilogy. The relationship with Remy's parents is healed ridiculously fast and completely skimmed through, much like the hinting of the colonization plotline. I thought that was so excellently set up in the first book only to become so hamfisted and blunt in this one – without any exploration or resolution.
Of course I'll dive further into Chupeco's backlist, but I adore their adult style, and I hope they have more in the works.
I loved this book. I loved being back with our trio, and getting more history about them and our side-characters, and more lore from the world in general. My main complaint is that I simply want more. I wanted a whole third book, and instead the second installment is half the length of the first. The whole back third of this second book read as if it were supposed to be the finale to a trilogy. The relationship with Remy's parents is healed ridiculously fast and completely skimmed through, much like the hinting of the colonization plotline. I thought that was so excellently set up in the first book only to become so hamfisted and blunt in this one – without any exploration or resolution.
Of course I'll dive further into Chupeco's backlist, but I adore their adult style, and I hope they have more in the works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, and War
Moderate: Grief and Colonisation
Minor: Chronic illness
brief scene involving under-negotiated (though consensual) kink regarding voyeurism
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