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piperclover's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
I have no idea how I feel. I went into this expecting something light hearted and fast paced and I got a kick in the stomach instead. This was absolutely not what I expected and it was so unbearably heavy at certain points that I thought about DNFing it multiple times but I enjoyed it a lot too.
From 28% to about 45% or maybe even 50% of the book my heart was in my throat. I really like the discussion about progress and change, addiction and healing after grief, living but also letting go. I saw the big plot twist at the end coming but I'm not mad at it because the reasoning was different than what I expected and I like how it tied together a bunch of themes throughout the book. I am going to listen to the second book because there's quite a few world building pieces that haven't been answered yet and I feel like they need to be in order to round out the story. I like the pacing of this and I never felt bored. I think all the characters in this book are a wonderful example of the "right idea, wrong execution" mostly done in a way where you don't feel exasperated by the characters and instead empathize with where they're coming from.
I am really mad about the ending though which I think is dragging my star rating really far down. I despise that Odessa started having character growth through the last 1/3rd of the book and then it was just forgotten by the end of the book. Her last decision at the end of the book wipes away any character growth she's had and makes me so frustrated.
I also really really dislike that Odessa and Meredy started something. I just find it gross and uncomfortable and if the author wanted her to find solace in another person it should have been anybody other than Evander's sister. But I actually wish the author hadn't made her like anyone else or want a relationship with anyone else because it feels like the author decided Odessa has to have a lover in order to be a good mc or for this book to be worth it. It feels cheap to me. It feels like we went through all of that grief and sorrow and at the end we're just supposed to champion this new relationship with someone we don't really know and is just a replacement for Evander .
From 28% to about 45% or maybe even 50% of the book my heart was in my throat. I really like the discussion about progress and change, addiction and healing after grief, living but also letting go. I saw the big plot twist at the end coming but I'm not mad at it because the reasoning was different than what I expected and I like how it tied together a bunch of themes throughout the book. I am going to listen to the second book because there's quite a few world building pieces that haven't been answered yet and I feel like they need to be in order to round out the story. I like the pacing of this and I never felt bored. I think all the characters in this book are a wonderful example of the "right idea, wrong execution" mostly done in a way where you don't feel exasperated by the characters and instead empathize with where they're coming from.
I am really mad about the ending though which I think is dragging my star rating really far down. I despise that Odessa started having character growth through the last 1/3rd of the book and then it was just forgotten by the end of the book. Her last decision at the end of the book wipes away any character growth she's had and makes me so frustrated.
I also really really dislike
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, War, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcoholism and Confinement
There's these creatures that were once people but once they turned into these evil creatures they now eat people. I don't know if that counts as cannibalism so I won't tag for it but it's there and it's pretty gruesome.
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