Reviews with content warning for Slavery - Phoenix Unbound

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

16 reviews

sukanya320's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Wow! I am so glad that I picked this one up.

Phoenix Unbound isn't a pretty tale. It is intense, emotional, frustrating, and richly satisfying all at the same time. Please look up the trigger warnings! The opening section is fairly brutal, the setting may well be too much for some readers.

Gilene has to undergo the yearly Rites of Spring every year as part of a sacrifice and tithe for the empire. Azarion, who is enslaved as a gladiator, was sold and betrayed by his cousin out of his birthright to lead his clan. He is a plaything of the ruthless Empress. He sees through Gilene’s illusions and realizes that her abilities are key to not only escape from the empire but to regain his place to lead his clan at The Sky Below.

This story will grip you by the throat and make you look long and hard at human nature. I really enjoyed the lore and magic of this book. The culture of Azarion’s people and the magic Gilene carries. There are also hints of other types of magic throughout the book that lead me to believe there are many subtle forms of it in this world. I liked the different horse clans and how they operated. I also enjoyed the concept of the struggle against the evil Empire. It definitely reminded me of the Roman Empire a little. On the final one, the scene towards the end of the book was movie-worthy!

Overall, this is a solid fantasy romance story, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes the genre, just don't forget to look up the TW.

Content Warnings

livruther's review

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adventurous dark slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this was a solid fantasy romance with good writing and a satisfying ending. i would recommend :) but be sure to check tws

Content Warnings

rheagoveas's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

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linepumpkin8's review

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adventurous dark emotional medium-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

4.5

Found this book by chance and I loved it. The world-building is amazing, the characters have flaws and are relatable. I decided to buy a physical copy just to reread it later.

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imreadden's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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seasaltrose's review against another edition

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Subject matter was darker than previous books I had read by this author (Radiance). The writing and characters were good I just wasn’t in the mood for dark romance.

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september_red's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-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

5.0

This book was TOUGH to get through in many spots due to the dark subject matter, and I would absolutely check trigger warnings before reading, but I have never been more satisfied with the ending of a book. The world Draven describes is rich with lore and doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable subjects. This is one of the best high fantasy books I’ve read in a long time.

Content Warnings