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_persephone's review against another edition
dark
tense
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcohol and Body horror
edilyaaang's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The beginning is a little slow and boring. I had a hard time pushing through the parts before the tournament began. But once the fight started I got hooked.
The only charcter I didn't like was Isobel. She started out strong for me. A bad-ass pretty girl who can stand for herself. Heck yeah! But as the story progressed, she began acting all wishy-washy and I find myself rolling my eyes at Isobel more.
She claims to hate being a champion and dreads that she has to kill other people especially her friends and Alistair but when presented with a possible way to end the tournament without further bloodshed, she refuses to listen. Ugh! And the communication skills of everyone in this is shit. Why can't they just listen to one another when they obviously had agreed to alliances.
Those are the only downsides and why I did not give this book a 5⭐.
I love Alistair's character the most. He was the realest of everyone even though he was raised to prentend as someone he never was. I do feel sorry for him though. That is one sad way to grow up. That ending though! Satisfying
The only charcter I didn't like was Isobel. She started out strong for me. A bad-ass pretty girl who can stand for herself. Heck yeah! But as the story progressed, she began acting all wishy-washy and I find myself rolling my eyes at Isobel more.
Those are the only downsides and why I did not give this book a 5⭐.
I love Alistair's character the most. He was the realest of everyone even though he was raised to prentend as someone he never was. I do feel sorry for him though. That is one sad way to grow up. That ending though! Satisfying
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Violence
hematthews's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Alcohol
misszoe's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed the book and how messed up the characters were. At first you think they aren't as bad but as the book goes on.. They do become villains, each in their own right. What I loved was the characterization of each character and how they each had very clear goals and motivations. I will say though that Alistair's widow peak did not need to be mentioned quite as often - that being said, Alistair is my fave <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Bullying
ergaich's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a great and well developed book. Told from the perspective of 4 different characters, each person had their own unique personality and arc. Every single character in this book was expertly thought out. The magic system was simple to understand and the plot didn’t rely on it to further the story, which is a sign of a great writer. There were multiple twists in the story and I never got bored.
I listened to this book which made the experience phenomenal. The multiple audio narrators and accents definitely helped differentiate the 4 different perspectives.
I listened to this book which made the experience phenomenal. The multiple audio narrators and accents definitely helped differentiate the 4 different perspectives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Gore, Murder, Alcohol, Body horror, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Suicide
minik_reading's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Abandonment, and Vomit
aseel_reads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a bit slow to build up and one of the big reveals was quite anticlimactic but I really enjoyed the premise and I like all the characters and their little interactions in a dark tournament setting
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Violence
kenzaett's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
My first read of 2024, yay!
I picked this up in a bookshop on vacation for half price as a beach read, no clue what it entailed, just knew it was on my tbr, and
what a surprisingly good riiiidddee.
We're taking into an urban fantasy setting within a town that has teenagers fighting to death over the world's biggest magic source for their families (and nobody seems to have ever questioned it? Capitalism I guess), on the eve of the next tournament starting. This round is different though, as a traitorous voice from the village has spilled news about the tournament and now viewers from other villages have gathered to see the gorey spectacle. We follow the children of the 7 families from their nomination to the final fight... And end with a cliffhanger 😭
This book has a wonderful gloomy gothic dark academia witchy creepy village in the woods in the 50ies vibe but with modern and an interesting magic(k) system I haven't seen before.
I disliked the many POVs, 2-3 would have definitely been enough already. We can antagonize the protagonists even when we don't see them from other perspectives!! But that might just have been due to this novel being co-authored by two writers.
I feel like some of the characters could have been more fleshed out, had we had more time with them and their thoughts, and they tend to fall into a few archetypes, but the incredible writing, the scenery, and the way the authors are able to pull you into the world, make you see and hear and smell everything around you.. That makes up for it.
It's also like 1/5 on a spice level, which is amazing for YA. Instead we get brotherly love, manipulation, betrayal, family feuds, academic rivalry, emancipation from who you thought you were or would turn out to be, and a lot of BLOOD.
And I want MORE.
I would have loved a proper ending and to see this as a standalone, but I'll have to soon pick up book two for the conclusion 🥴👍🏻
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit, Murder, Toxic relationship, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Cursing, Misogyny, and Murder
natnatl's review
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A little younger in targeted age group I think. Writing was well done but simple language. I think a lot of details were told instead of shown and many themes and plot points were obvious. Overall great plot idea and will probably read book two but not sure I’ll recommend to my direct peer group.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Blood
Minor: Violence, Murder, and Vomit