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leweylibrary'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
3.75
Quotes:
- We aren't all that different from the Llacsans.
We'd just won. (88) - That's unfair. I didn't (I personally( mistreat the Llacsans. It's not like I'd have been cruel to my nanny. I cared for her. I gave some of my money to the homeless Llacsans I saw in La Ciudad--and that was (I after) the revolt. After my parents died and I lost everyone and everything.
But an unbidden image assaults my mind. A memory long tucked away and witnessed by a younger version of myself. Llacsans protesting, blocking roads, and walking off their hard-labor jobs. No one could travel anywhere or buy anything because of their demonstrations around the city.
They wanted better pay.
...That picture of the protest hovers in my head, and I can't escape it. I try to imagine what it must have been like living under an Illustrian queen.
"I didn't create the system–-I was born into it," I say at last. It feels like a fair thing to say. (125) - That's when it hits me.
I'm no longer angry with (I all) of them. Just Atoc and Sarja, and for very specific reasons. Not because they're Llacsans, but because they're corrupt. My realization feels important somehow. (169) - "None of your promises have been kept--we are not safe, we are not equal, we are not free. We've exchanged one tyrant for another. (178)
- "It's their souls that are trapped inside the Estrella. It's our people you want to use, Condesa. Just like your ancestors before you." (204)
- My admiration for El Lobo has risen, sure and study like the sun , ever since he tried to save Ana and the Illustrians. his actions help the people of Inkasisa. He wears a mask- like I do. I can't help but respect his courage and conviction. I wish I could do more, like he's actually able to. To have the freedom to come and go throughout La Ciudad and even the castillo, working toward the betterment of everyone and Inkasisa. (232)
- The Llacsans revolted because of our mistreatment. So whose fault is it really that my parents are dead? How many of (I their ( parents died as we neglected them for centuries? (248)
- Inkasisa is home the thousands of indigenous people, and Illustrians came in 400 years earlier and turned everything on its head.
Before us, they'd built fortresses and roads, had armies and used the stars to navigate.
The stars. We claimed the stars for our own. (257)
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Grief, Xenophobia, War, Classism, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Drug abuse
bee87's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Confinement, Death, Colonisation, War, Bullying, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
saskiajva's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
ka_ke'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: Body horror, Religious bigotry, Classism, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Misogyny
Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Murder, Vomit, War, and Abandonment
sarah_speaks's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Racism, War, Animal death, Addiction, Colonisation, and Drug abuse
Minor: Death of parent
emliza's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Moderate: Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Abandonment, Eating disorder, Blood, and Colonisation
Minor: Xenophobia, Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Murder, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, War, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
onthesamepage'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
3.0
While I enjoyed my reading experience overall and knew it was inspired by Bolivia going in, I wasn't aware of the exact parallels while reading the book, and after reading and watching several reviews I have lowered my rating. I think it's definitely important to know about this before deciding whether you want to try this book or not.
I did enjoy the story and the characters. It has similar beats to The Winner's Curse and is overall fast-paced and entertaining. The romance is a bit weird in how it develops because things escalate pretty fast at some point, and not in an entirely believable manner. The author uses some Quechua and Spanish words throughout the book (mostly for food and there's a glossary at the back), and whether you'll enjoy that or not will be a matter of personal preference. I will say I've seen this done better, and I wouldn't have minded more complex dialogue in something other than English. I have a phone, I can Google it.
The usage of Quechua for the names did stand out to me. I have no idea if these are names that are commonly used, but the meanings behind most of these are so on the nose I rolled my eyes.
The whole mystery behind El Lobo was honestly pretty obvious, but I still had fun reaching the conclusion.
Graphic: Murder and Torture
Minor: Colonisation
blueorange34'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
4.5
Moderate: Blood and Murder