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readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Kidnapping, Body horror, and Child abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Torture, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Medical content, Alcohol, Child death, Cancer, Excrement, Ableism, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Car accident, Vomit, Infidelity, and Alcoholism
Drowning, sex work.mattyb'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, Trafficking, Confinement, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Excrement, Violence, and Gore
Minor: Drug use, Police brutality, Alcohol, Excrement, and Cursing
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The magical concepts were interesting, but the system was infodumped and the protagonist’s explanation came off a bit impatient with the whole thing. I still haven’t nailed down the time period (futuristic but with loads of contemporary pop culture references?). The descriptions of magic were good and the plot was interesting, but delivery was simplified and overly lucky.
In general, the book was interesting to read, but a bit too messy to hold my interest for a re-read or continuation.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Drug use, Body horror, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Medical content, Violence, Torture, and Slavery
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
The main character is BIPOC and a supporting character uses a wheelchair. Characters experience poverty.nicnevin's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
allisonwonderlandreads'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
4.0
Ropa is a no-nonsense protagonist who could take a starring role in the argument for why you should take 14-year-olds very seriously indeed. She's self-assured, the main breadwinner for her family, and has a tough exterior protecting a heart of gold. She loves to learn, and her unmastered magical abilities are just out of reach. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how strongly her voice comes through in terms of the language and tone chosen by the author. Ropa has a quick, dry sense of observational humor, and she doesn't waste energy skirting around the truth as she sees it. I also loved her friendships and her relationships with her grandmother and younger sister. They provide a positive and supportive foundation as Ropa's detective work gets increasingly dangerous and complicated.
The plot wasn't particularly surprising on the mystery front, but Ropa's detective work led her through so many strange magical situations and action-packed scenes that I didn't mind. I'm delighted that this is just the beginning of a series because I can't wait to see how Ropa grows, how the deepening intrigue is resolved, and how her relationships evolve. The dystopian world-building is also still incomplete, so I am curious to know more about this near future world and the series of atrocities and bad decisions that got us there. This book has so much heart, and I definitely recommend it.
Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Torture, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Excrement, Police brutality, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Grief, Slavery, and Chronic illness