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stephanelli'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Bullying, Animal death, War, Torture, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Cursing, Sexual content, Murder, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
josiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Vomit, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, War, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Medical content, Animal death, Abandonment, Ableism, Body horror, Grief, Emotional abuse, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma
kyrstin_p1989's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Blood, War, Drug use, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Torture, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, Violence, Animal death, Confinement, Death of parent, Vomit, Murder, Medical content, Kidnapping, Gore, and Gaslighting
cmason101's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Child abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Gore, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
cait'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? Yes
5.0
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Torture, Classism, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Colonisation, Stalking, War, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Violence, and Vomit
mermaidswithcoffee's review
It’s violent in a really colonized way, with unnecessary death and weird justifications. It reads like kids playing at war as if that’s a good and necessary thing. As if children need to be violent and awful to survive a mysterious eastern other. When the truth is THEY are the monster their parents created and the “other” are just trying to live, not kill them. It was present in the first book but I didn’t catch it, now it screams colonization and I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.
One example: She literally goes into detail about how these children soldiers make sure to dye their hair while hiding out at a traitor compound while they are supposed to be doing war games. Aren’t the teachers suspicious when they come back with freshly died hair when they were supposed to be barely surviving and on dragons? How did they find pink hair dye at the hidden revolutionary compound?!!! It just screams “girl boss”. “Isn’t it so cool that they have cool hair while murdering people?!!”
Another example which finally got me to DNF, which I hate doing, was when Violet justified the killing of her classmates. Said it was necessary to prepare her. With the ongoing genocide of Palestine it made me sick. Thinking of what lies and justifications the US and other white dominate countries have for why they have to bomb civilians.
There are way more problems, like her disability, the main reason I read this book in the first place. Just like everything else her disability is appropriated and rings so shallow. I have a literal connective tissue disease like Violet but I can tell you the representation is not real. I was so excited to see it and so disappointed to see that just like revolution in this book, it’s a stolen poor imitation of it.
I recommend the 5th season if you want world building and actual revolution not just the aesthetic of revolution.
Graphic: Islamophobia, War, Body horror, Genocide, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Slavery, Xenophobia, Murder, Ableism, Animal death, Biphobia, Cultural appropriation, Child death, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse
katierosecrane's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Alcohol, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Violence, and War
I thought the first portion of the book was a good transition into Iron Flame. The middle portion was slower, don't get we wrong there are some good sections in there but for me that was the hardest part of the book for me to get through. The ending though. I first off don't think it is quite as a surprise as most, however it is still a good cliff hanger. For me though I have high hopes that everything will work out in the third book and pretty fast too. SPOILER: Theories -I think Violets mom is venin and became venin while she was pregnant with Violet -She stresses the point about doing anything for her kids so maybe she was protecting Brennan or Mira and had to get more power by becoming vernin. -Violet is part vernin because it is passed from bloodlines, meaning her siblings wouldn't be affected by because assuming their father doesn't have it in the blood, their mother wouldn't have had it when she was pregnant with them. -More people are venin than you think, a lot. I think of being venin like a disease. Like cancer infecting tons but affecting the mind with something like dementia but evil. This is just the start of venin spreading. -Xaden's family has always been venin and it can be passed through blood lines. -Violet's dad may not be Violet's biological father.torturedreadersdept'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Suicide, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, War, Murder, and Torture
keelirae113'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Ableism, Blood, Chronic illness, Gore, Grief, Medical content, War, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Body horror, Classism, Child death, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Gaslighting, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Confinement, and Vomit
Minor: Bullying and Kidnapping