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anni_swanilda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Genocide, Homophobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Child death, Racism, Sexual harassment, Animal death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual assault, Cancer, and Cannibalism
wizardingwisteria'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? It's complicated
5.0
I was enthralled from start to finish. The setting was perfectly described. All of the characters were dynamic with their own motivations and their own faults, and loves, and needs. The character arcs were literally world altering. The way Ness uses the perspectives is really the highlight of this novel. At the start the reader is flipping between two totally different perspectives written with two entirely different voices, but as the story progresses they melt into one narrative that feels so natural. I loved seeing the characters I had followed separately come together in both positive and negative ways.
And some of those characters were beautiful disasters. At some point each of them experiences a massive shift in their worldview and it is both devastating and gorgeous to witness.
His writing style is so gorgeous and so purposeful that every emotional hit landed hard. The plot twists kept me excited (and terrified) for what happened next. None of the major narrative decisions felt out of place or disjointed.
I started and finished this book in a matter of days, which is pretty rare for me. I simply couldn't put it down. Even when I had finished it I couldn't stop thinking about it. I loved the ending, but I wanted so much more.
A truly fantastic fantasy. This book has made me excited to explore all of the other amazing works by Ness I have missed out on.
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Mental illness, War, Xenophobia, and Racism
eloise__'s review
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Graphic: War, Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Hate crime
peggy_racham's review against another edition
4.75
Minor: Body horror, Death of parent, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Child death, Homophobia, and War
oliverreeds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Police brutality, Death, Racism, Hate crime, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Racial slurs, War, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Violence
hematthews's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and War
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment
desiderium_incarnate'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? No
3.5
So, Patrick Ness reliably got me out of a reading slump once more, I really have to thank him someday for that. Even though I know this isn't my favorite of his works, it's good and tackles some important issues. For example police brutality, racism and grief are strong topics here. It's also the story of some places, where the cold war Suddenly got a little warmer and finally exploded. Thanks to a little (dragon) magic and science. I mean I bought this book because it has dragons in it and is written by Patrick Ness, I got a lot more than that out of it. The theory of parallel universes and all the potential it holds is currently one of the main surprises. It packed a lot of action and violence, it had also less relatable feelings for me, but that's besides the point. My main problem was, that the book, in the beginning felt a little bumpy. I stumbled over sentences and had to read paragraphs again. I have to admit, I wasn't entirely good at focusing while reading too, so I don't know what percentage of the problems I had where just my fault. Nevertheless I had some problems with it because all the input the author wanted to integrate into the story really influenced the pacing. Of course later in the book, he got right back to the wonderfully polished style I know from him, but still. I get that it's hard, to write about people and experiences you personally don't really have a connection to and I appreciate that he did it and quite well too, I think, I feel like there could have been more to it though. I just mean, that I know there are other forms of media out there that have portraied similar problems in a more touching way, so I know it's possible,if that was his intention. Maybe he didn't want it to be as emotional as other books he wrote, I don't know. It's just something I personally would have changed. Still liked the book and dragons rule! ^^
" 'I'm just a girl.'
'It is tragic, how well you have been taught to say that with sadness rather than triumph.'"
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
drcyrr's review
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Death, Fire/Fire injury, War, Racism, Homophobia, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy, Vomit, Miscarriage, Hate crime, and Grief
radiocryptid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, War, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Police brutality, and Physical abuse
nyssbomb'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
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Death, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Racism
Minor: Cancer and War