Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

3 reviews

kalmia31's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Car accident, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Blood, and Homophobia

treeworms's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Sexual violence

Minor: Kidnapping

obviousthings's review

emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-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? No

2.75

I thought the premise of this story was really cool and interesting, and I was impressed with the worldbuilding and how La Voz was written, but the book as a whole just did not work for me. 

Dani is naive and totally unprepared for the situations she finds herself in. I think this could have worked if it had been the point of the story - that might have been an interesting exploration of morality - but because this is YA, the narrative is on her side at all times. (Not something I fault the genre for, but because Dani is so far out of her depth, it doesn't work well here). I don't mind characters who make bad decisions, but it's really frustrating to watch a character make a bad decision and then have the narrative try to pass it off as totally reasonable. For much of the book I found myself wishing for a more capable protagonist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, and Misogyny

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical content

Warning for fire/a building burning