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dean_reviews's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
Oh wow, I honestly am unsure what else to say. I loved listening to The Raven and the Dove this week.
Content Warnings for this book:
Blood, Fire, Fire Injury, Injury/Injury Detail, Gore, Panic Attacks, Child Death, Death, Self Harm, Death of a Parent
I have been seeking out books either written by people of color or books about main characters who are people of color. Having Lyana be black and not just passively was so freaking amazing to read. I can imagine that the representation is important to those who also have her features.
Her skin tone wasn't a passing feature, it was talked about in a variety of ways and her hair was mentioned often. There were ways that the author made the differences of her race in personal care to the pasty white people a reality. The descriptions of her hair and the care it takes. These are things we rarely see in fantasy media outside of things written by black authors and it was so amazing to see.
I soooo hope that black readers resonate with her character and the aspects that get brought into the book.
The representation of disability was also amazing. To see that it has an impact on his life while also learning to trust that others will not think less of him for his disability. To me, it seemed like he was very aware of where his limits were and in an attempt to do the best for his people that he could, he makes choices that are a direct result of his disability and the limits that it puts on him in regards to other peoples expectations of him.
While he might not think it limits him, there are some things that just are accessible to him. Which to me, speaks more about a world that is not accessible instead of a person that is incapable. Do I think he would have needed a stand-in if they had let it be known to the world and they had accommodated his disability? No... do I see that this a way to speak on the social and structured/environmental aspects of disability.
And this was on TOP OF the world building that was gorgeous! The information we needed to know didn't feel forced onto us, instead given to us in ways that felt natural and pertinent at the time. Letting us fill in the gaps where needed and providing us with the tools to understand what is going on both on the floating islands and on the surface below the mist.
It drew me in and makes me want to know how the world got to where it is. What happened? What is changing? How will our characters play a role in the potential changes that could happen?
I loved that she was a female main character who could 1000% hold her own but wasn't a typical bad-ass young woman. She has fears and faults that impact her and more depth to her than just her skill.
Getting to see the perspectives of Rafe, Xander, and Cassie made for a book with a lot of depth and complexity that drew me in so fast. They all *feel* young in their actions which is something that I think is so important to a book about young adults in their late teens. They can know what the right choice is but still make the dumb one because it is what their impulse tells them to do. And then they have to figure out how to navigate the fallout of those choices.
The magic system.... oh gosh... the magic system. I am so curious!!!! There is a VERY high chance that I will be reading the next book in July in order to get my answers to how this system works! We learn so much in this book and it is described so well while also leaving us wanting to understand more.
That is on top of the fact that Davis did an amazing job of getting me invested in the well-being of these characters. I want to know what happens next and I want to know how they handle the situations that they have found themselves in.
I read this book with my ears and I never really struggled with understanding and following a change in perspective. The characters all have a different flow and feel to their portions of the story so I was able to quickly adapt and get my mind wrapped around the person's mind that we had switched to.
I personally love multiple-perspective books and am always concerned that it will get lost in the audio but that was not the case with this book.
***I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion and thoughts about what I read.***
Content Warnings for this book:
I have been seeking out books either written by people of color or books about main characters who are people of color. Having Lyana be black and not just passively was so freaking amazing to read. I can imagine that the representation is important to those who also have her features.
Her skin tone wasn't a passing feature, it was talked about in a variety of ways and her hair was mentioned often. There were ways that the author made the differences of her race in personal care to the pasty white people a reality. The descriptions of her hair and the care it takes. These are things we rarely see in fantasy media outside of things written by black authors and it was so amazing to see.
I soooo hope that black readers resonate with her character and the aspects that get brought into the book.
The representation of disability was also amazing. To see that it has an impact on his life while also learning to trust that others will not think less of him for his disability. To me, it seemed like he was very aware of where his limits were and in an attempt to do the best for his people that he could, he makes choices that are a direct result of his disability and the limits that it puts on him in regards to other peoples expectations of him.
While he might not think it limits him, there are some things that just are accessible to him. Which to me, speaks more about a world that is not accessible instead of a person that is incapable. Do I think he would have needed a stand-in if they had let it be known to the world and they had accommodated his disability? No... do I see that this a way to speak on the social and structured/environmental aspects of disability.
And this was on TOP OF the world building that was gorgeous! The information we needed to know didn't feel forced onto us, instead given to us in ways that felt natural and pertinent at the time. Letting us fill in the gaps where needed and providing us with the tools to understand what is going on both on the floating islands and on the surface below the mist.
It drew me in and makes me want to know how the world got to where it is. What happened? What is changing? How will our characters play a role in the potential changes that could happen?
I loved that she was a female main character who could 1000% hold her own but wasn't a typical bad-ass young woman. She has fears and faults that impact her and more depth to her than just her skill.
Getting to see the perspectives of Rafe, Xander, and Cassie made for a book with a lot of depth and complexity that drew me in so fast. They all *feel* young in their actions which is something that I think is so important to a book about young adults in their late teens. They can know what the right choice is but still make the dumb one because it is what their impulse tells them to do. And then they have to figure out how to navigate the fallout of those choices.
The magic system.... oh gosh... the magic system. I am so curious!!!! There is a VERY high chance that I will be reading the next book in July in order to get my answers to how this system works! We learn so much in this book and it is described so well while also leaving us wanting to understand more.
That is on top of the fact that Davis did an amazing job of getting me invested in the well-being of these characters. I want to know what happens next and I want to know how they handle the situations that they have found themselves in.
I read this book with my ears and I never really struggled with understanding and following a change in perspective. The characters all have a different flow and feel to their portions of the story so I was able to quickly adapt and get my mind wrapped around the person's mind that we had switched to.
I personally love multiple-perspective books and am always concerned that it will get lost in the audio but that was not the case with this book.
***I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion and thoughts about what I read.***
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, and Body horror
Moderate: Classism, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Torture
iwi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I really can't find anything I didn't enjoy about this. I mean this in the best way possible but this is like the story you imagine your in while daydreaming in class. All of the characters are distinct and different, the world is interesting, the relationships feel alive. And that end dearlord
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
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