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kshertz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I definitely went into this book thinking that it was gonna be like children of blood and bone and akata warrior and it does have a lot of those aspects! Unfortunately I think those books are just so amazing that this one can’t live up to that level of hype but it is still super interesting. It’s a really big book with a lot of background and it’s kind of slow on the plot so for me that was hard to get through but if you enjoy a lot of world building, you’d love it! It’s still a good read and I’m still glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Body horror, Colonisation, War, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Physical abuse
reader_in_the_meadow's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Okay everyone, this book is quite something! I picked this up at the bookstore because the premise sounded good. And then it stood on my TBR shelf for a good three and a half months before I actually read it. However had I known how good this would be I would have read it sooner.
This book had it in it. Although I found it a bit sluggish at first and taking me a while to get into, it started getting more fast paced later on.
Th plot in itself was so intriguing and took so many sharp turns that I was gobfaced multiple times while reading this. I loved how everything was just put together in such a good way and how everything concluded at the end.
This book had it in it. Although I found it a bit sluggish at first and taking me a while to get into, it started getting more fast paced later on.
Th plot in itself was so intriguing and took so many sharp turns that I was gobfaced multiple times while reading this. I loved how everything was just put together in such a good way and how everything concluded at the end.
The real diamonds of this novel however, are the characters! The cast was so diverse! The whole cast were POC and I loved to see that. Each and every character had their own personality which really shone through. I loved many of them and hated others with all the passion I have in me.
And don't get me started on the influence Jamaican folklore and mythology had on this book. I had only little knowledge about it when I started this book. Thankfully, a lot was explained throughout the story and introduced within the very intricate worldbuilding.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel as soon as it comes out the see the culmination of all the questions I have right now!
And don't get me started on the influence Jamaican folklore and mythology had on this book. I had only little knowledge about it when I started this book. Thankfully, a lot was explained throughout the story and introduced within the very intricate worldbuilding.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel as soon as it comes out the see the culmination of all the questions I have right now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, and Death
oliverlang's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I found this one quite hard to get into at first but I think that's just down to the world building growing pains that generally comes with fantasy books.
The chapters undulate between 2 different characters throughout the book and at first it was confusing to pin down which character was where doing what but by the end of Part I it got easier and I found myself invested in the story and compelled to read more.
The writing style wasn't my favourite but it stopped grating on me as the book went on and actually fitted the feeling of the book. I appreciated that this wasn't a romance centric story and any parts that did illude to feelings weren't icky.
I'll probably read the next one! Would be interested to see this as a TV series.
The chapters undulate between 2 different characters throughout the book and at first it was confusing to pin down which character was where doing what but by the end of Part I it got easier and I found myself invested in the story and compelled to read more.
The writing style wasn't my favourite but it stopped grating on me as the book went on and actually fitted the feeling of the book. I appreciated that this wasn't a romance centric story and any parts that did illude to feelings weren't icky.
I'll probably read the next one! Would be interested to see this as a TV series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, and War
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
chloeluna's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
The world building is fantastic and I loved learning more about the magic and history. I felt like the book took a while to get to the action, though, and lost my roll in the middle because of it. I wanted to like this book more than I did but I’m still glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Suicide
valpyre's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
[audiobook]
3.5 stars
i think that YA marketers should lay off comparing things to Killing Eve unless there is actual lesbian rep in a novel -- i was half expecting such a dynamic for most of the start and it just didn't follow through, which is fine! but like don't say it then lol
anyways, for once i actually appreciated the slow pace of a novel -- i think it established the two protags pretty well in terms of their intentions and what happened that made them need to work together. at the same time, as many have pointed out, i feel like the respective POVs were hard to distinguish. the worldbuilding and magic were creative, but ultimately a little too abstract to have real impact on the action.
not a bad listen, but i don't think i'm going to check out the rest of the series.
3.5 stars
i think that YA marketers should lay off comparing things to Killing Eve unless there is actual lesbian rep in a novel -- i was half expecting such a dynamic for most of the start and it just didn't follow through, which is fine! but like don't say it then lol
anyways, for once i actually appreciated the slow pace of a novel -- i think it established the two protags pretty well in terms of their intentions and what happened that made them need to work together. at the same time, as many have pointed out, i feel like the respective POVs were hard to distinguish. the worldbuilding and magic were creative, but ultimately a little too abstract to have real impact on the action.
not a bad listen, but i don't think i'm going to check out the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Violence
spinesinaline's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape
theroach's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
SCREAMING CRYING SNOTTING
Anyways, this book is so good. Like so good. The power, the intrigue, the plotting, the crisp delicious layers…I’m obsessed.
Anyways, this book is so good. Like so good. The power, the intrigue, the plotting, the crisp delicious layers…I’m obsessed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood and Violence
melaniereadsbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is thick! A ton of stuff happened in this and there was a ton of world building and character development. I really enjoyed it, but felt a little bit bogged down in the plot at times. I think it is such an interesting world that is built here and I look forward to what happens next in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Torture, Bullying, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Grief, and Xenophobia
itsonlyelly's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Rape