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booksalacarte's review
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Alcohol, Cursing, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Torture, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and War
karapillar's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Stalking, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Grief, Body horror, Violence, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Torture, Abandonment, Blood, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cannibalism, Drug use, War, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
poppies_forever's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry
sarainfantasyland's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I was a bit worried how the format would follow up to the first with switching back and forth between Gabriel's past and.. further past. But the next twist
Gabriel's sister Celene added such an interesting dynamic to the main cast. No idea if I love or hate her. Her hatred for her brother seems so unfounded because everything that happened to her, he had no control of and it seems absurd to blame him.
The action and worldbuilding continue to be a highlight. Going even deeper into the politics of a vampire clan. Understanding more aspects and history of the empire before daysdeath. The moonmaid/shapershifter culture was my favorite bits. To see how every type of magic has been effected by daysdeath. Also the deepening of the religion itself.
I'm still so curious where the present timeline is going.
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Alcoholism, Death, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Sexual violence, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Kidnapping, War, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
amy_reading_23's review
4.25
I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first, but I still really enjoyed it. The first half was a little slow but it picked up around the middle and then raced towards the end. At some points I thought maybe it was becoming predictable, bit then the unexpected would happen.
I enjoyed the whole lore around Pheobe's clans. Since book one was so heavily monotheistic and christian-like, it was interesting for this book to have some focus on a matriarchal society who is pagan and believes in multiple gods, yet still has a prophecy about Dior, hinting that maybe all could be true.
I think something the writer does well is complicated characters. Even though some of the characters themselves believe in a black and white world of good and evil, its shown throughout the books that this isn't the reality, and every character comes with as many flaws as redeemable qualities. Even some of the more "villanious" characters can be enjoyable (like the Marquis and Kiara) and understandable in their own way. Book one very much was anti vampire - all vampires are evil - whereas this one was a bit more complex in that regard.
These books are so rich with world building, lore, love, loss and emotion. I'll truly miss this world when the third one is finished.
I also think his sister is in on it. I think their fight is a rouse and I think maybe the grail isn't truly lost. But what keeps me afraid is that the author has said he doesn't believe in happy endings. So whether the dark days end or Gabriel lives or dies in book three I really don't know.
There is more explicit horror in this book. I didn't find the first book too disturbing horror-wise but this one does contain more torture and brutal deaths so definitley check the trigger warnings.
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, War, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Cannibalism, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Abandonment, Cursing, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry
missindyrose's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Torture, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Alcoholism, Grief, and Gore