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theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Alright, I gotta do it. I gotta start off this review with the part that really made me struggle to read Blood Like Magic:
The book literally opens with a character bathing in her own period blood. I'm sorry, but that is really gross. It made me nauseous just reading about it. And while I have no problem with books using blood magic or talking about periods.. that combination really, really hit me the wrong way. Not a strong start. It almost felt like clickbait. Like they added a shock factor right there at the jump to get you to stick around. And it worked. I stuck around. But that knocked a whole star off my rating from the get-go.
The moment I read that the protagonist had to kill her first love, I rolled my eyes. I thought, here we go again. How many times have we read that trope? HOWEVER, I will say that this was executed really well. It was rather unexpected as far as that part of the story goes (and it's basically the biggest part of the story).
I felt connected to the characters. I really liked a few of them, hated a few others, and worried about a few more. I wasn't particularly drawn to the MC because of her personality. It was slightly off-putting. But I did enjoy the love interest and the family dynamic. In fact, the family dynamic was probably my favorite part.
There was such a strong emphasis on the different relationships within the family and that's what tugged at my heartstrings and convinced me to keep reading. It's also what caused me to add the sequel to my TBR at the end, despite not loving this particular book.
Again, I feel like if the book hadn't started out so strangely, I would've been way more in love with it from the beginning.
The book literally opens with a character bathing in her own period blood. I'm sorry, but that is really gross. It made me nauseous just reading about it. And while I have no problem with books using blood magic or talking about periods.. that combination really, really hit me the wrong way. Not a strong start. It almost felt like clickbait. Like they added a shock factor right there at the jump to get you to stick around. And it worked. I stuck around. But that knocked a whole star off my rating from the get-go.
The moment I read that the protagonist had to kill her first love, I rolled my eyes. I thought, here we go again. How many times have we read that trope? HOWEVER, I will say that this was executed really well. It was rather unexpected as far as that part of the story goes (and it's basically the biggest part of the story).
I felt connected to the characters. I really liked a few of them, hated a few others, and worried about a few more. I wasn't particularly drawn to the MC because of her personality. It was slightly off-putting. But I did enjoy the love interest and the family dynamic. In fact, the family dynamic was probably my favorite part.
There was such a strong emphasis on the different relationships within the family and that's what tugged at my heartstrings and convinced me to keep reading. It's also what caused me to add the sequel to my TBR at the end, despite not loving this particular book.
Again, I feel like if the book hadn't started out so strangely, I would've been way more in love with it from the beginning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, Child death, Death, and Torture
Moderate: Eating disorder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Minor: Deadnaming, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Homophobia
cuppa_curiositea's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a wonderful debut! I heard Liselle talk about her book on a NaNoWriMo write-in last year, and I immediately went to pre-order it! I'm so glad I did because it was an absolute joy to read! Chonky? Yes! But I was interested in all of the threads that were there, so I didn't mind :) Sometimes they did feel a little diluted under the main plot, though. I did feel like the "Voya can't make decisions!" theme is beat into the dialogue and reflections a bit too hard, and I was a little frustrated but how late Voya actually considers her alternative options (even though Johan VERY EXPLICITLY tells her the other option halfway through the book), but the emotional journey underlining all of that progressed in a very natural way.
I loved how elements of the sci-fi tech and magic were incorporated without over-explaining anything. The world unfolded very naturally, and it was fun to discover little gadgets or spells along the way without disrupting the story to introduce them. Cultural and personal identity is also a prevailing theme that fits in nicely and is explored organically. There are a lot of characters and families to keep track of, but it didn't feel like too much.
I really like the Voya and Luc don't end up together. As I was reaching the end, I was worried that they would make improbably amends, and I really admire the writer and editor for not forcing a happy romance ending! (and for not forcing a happy ending for Keis, though I still feel bad for her) The Lauren arc felt very slow, and there was a point where I just assumed that there wouldn't be a conclusion to it... I kind of wish we had gotten to see Voya and Lauren's friendship and then have her go missing later in the book. I had kind of stopped caring about it by the end.
I loved how elements of the sci-fi tech and magic were incorporated without over-explaining anything. The world unfolded very naturally, and it was fun to discover little gadgets or spells along the way without disrupting the story to introduce them. Cultural and personal identity is also a prevailing theme that fits in nicely and is explored organically. There are a lot of characters and families to keep track of, but it didn't feel like too much.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Deadnaming, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Outing, Police brutality, Racism, Self harm, and Torture
madarauchiha's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️
The character voices are wonderful, and I love the sibling interaction. The magic system is so interesting and has variation to it, which makes it more compelling to hear. And oh thank god theres a trans black character. It is slow paced. This is a good story to settle into. You dont want to rush it.
I liked the variety of relationships that is shown in the novel. I think its compassionate to show teen readers there isn't only One True Love fairy tale relationships. especially towards young Black readers.
▪ “I should have never made you make that promise.”
“I’m going to—”
She shakes her head hard, braid whipping across her shoulders. “You’re a child. I’m an adult. Holding two lives in your hands is more responsibility than anyone should be given at sixteen.”
I swallow. My mouth opens to talk back, but I don’t have an argument. It is a lot. Too much.
“I take it back,” Priya says. “You are responsible for you. I am responsible for my daughter.”
“I won’t let Eden die.”
The morality these adult characters have is chefs kiss! Yes the MC is literally a child, yes the MC is being protected by adults because hello, she is a child!! Trope? Overthrown. Please welcome Liselle Sambury to the throne.
▪ The intersection of Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue is marked by the gigantic Dragon City mini mall on the corner made up of green tinted glass and masses of people. I rush out and wait for Granny outside. She steps out of the streetcar as the doors close and mumbles a thank-you.
I force down a laugh. Mom does the same thing when she gets off non-subway public transit. “You know it’s automated now, right? There isn’t any driver to thank.”
Granny shrugs. “Habit.”
It strikes me as being painfully Canadian to say thank you to the computer for dropping you off.
My heart... same. I think theres a decent balance of totally horrifying scenes and heartwarming ones.
The genetic match up thing IS a lil weird to me. But it gets resolved later in the plot if anyone is thinking it's another generic YA dystopia plot line a la a hunger games rip off.
I do like the way they scoot around swearing. It is a lil goofy but it's a ya novel, the characters are teens and it's pretty in universe to say hack instead of fuck.
This book was sickening and badass and stunning. I cannot sing Its praises loud enough.
content warnings:
minor anti black racism, blood, child death, child birth, emetophobia / vomit, medical scenarios, misgendering, murder, suicide, toxic relationships, unsanitary
medium ableism, addiction, alcohol use, blood, child abandonment, child abuse, domestic abuse, eating disorder, eugenics, gentrification, misogyny, slavery, torture, unsanitary, violence
major anti black racism, black slavery, body horror, child abuse, child death, classism, gore, gun violence, injuries, intrusive thoughts?, kidnapping, medical scenarios, menstruation, murder, poison, police brutality, spree killing, torture, unreality, unsanitary, misgendering?, context is genetic markers on government ids.,
major asphyxiation/lynching(?) scene, context mc sees her sister being asphyxiated via hanging. the love interest is present and might be involved with the action. it doesn't seem racially motivated but she is a Black character so like. implications. it is a psychic vision and may not occur in actuality. The imagery of a Black person being hung to death may be upetting.
The character voices are wonderful, and I love the sibling interaction. The magic system is so interesting and has variation to it, which makes it more compelling to hear. And oh thank god theres a trans black character. It is slow paced. This is a good story to settle into. You dont want to rush it.
I liked the variety of relationships that is shown in the novel. I think its compassionate to show teen readers there isn't only One True Love fairy tale relationships. especially towards young Black readers.
▪ “I should have never made you make that promise.”
“I’m going to—”
She shakes her head hard, braid whipping across her shoulders. “You’re a child. I’m an adult. Holding two lives in your hands is more responsibility than anyone should be given at sixteen.”
I swallow. My mouth opens to talk back, but I don’t have an argument. It is a lot. Too much.
“I take it back,” Priya says. “You are responsible for you. I am responsible for my daughter.”
“I won’t let Eden die.”
The morality these adult characters have is chefs kiss! Yes the MC is literally a child, yes the MC is being protected by adults because hello, she is a child!! Trope? Overthrown. Please welcome Liselle Sambury to the throne.
▪ The intersection of Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue is marked by the gigantic Dragon City mini mall on the corner made up of green tinted glass and masses of people. I rush out and wait for Granny outside. She steps out of the streetcar as the doors close and mumbles a thank-you.
I force down a laugh. Mom does the same thing when she gets off non-subway public transit. “You know it’s automated now, right? There isn’t any driver to thank.”
Granny shrugs. “Habit.”
It strikes me as being painfully Canadian to say thank you to the computer for dropping you off.
My heart... same. I think theres a decent balance of totally horrifying scenes and heartwarming ones.
The genetic match up thing IS a lil weird to me. But it gets resolved later in the plot if anyone is thinking it's another generic YA dystopia plot line a la a hunger games rip off.
I do like the way they scoot around swearing. It is a lil goofy but it's a ya novel, the characters are teens and it's pretty in universe to say hack instead of fuck.
This book was sickening and badass and stunning. I cannot sing Its praises loud enough.
content warnings:
minor anti black racism, blood, child death, child birth, emetophobia / vomit, medical scenarios, misgendering, murder, suicide, toxic relationships, unsanitary
medium ableism, addiction, alcohol use, blood, child abandonment, child abuse, domestic abuse, eating disorder, eugenics, gentrification, misogyny, slavery, torture, unsanitary, violence
major anti black racism, black slavery, body horror, child abuse, child death, classism, gore, gun violence, injuries, intrusive thoughts?, kidnapping, medical scenarios, menstruation, murder, poison, police brutality, spree killing, torture, unreality, unsanitary, misgendering?, context is genetic markers on government ids.,
major asphyxiation/lynching(?) scene,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Transphobia
Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Racism, Child death, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Vomit, Medical content, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
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