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chi__'s review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Violence
bailey0414's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- 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
4.25
I tore through this book so fast. It's like if Hunger Games, Divergent, and ACOTAR all had a baby and put it into one book. Though this book is a simple read and I did see quite a few things coming, I couldn't put it down because I just wanted to know I was right every step of the way. Lor is a great main character with her temper, her lack of self control after growing up in a prison, and even her conflicting feelings we see first hand. I loved also reading the small moments of Nadir and knew he would have a much bigger role coming up for future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
karapillar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny and Vomit
jadeandherbunny's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- 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
The world is interesting, I'm excited to see more in the sequel.
I like Lor (fmc) but she is dumb AF, for example, this discussion: Mag : I hear rumors. The servants talk.
Lor : What rumors?
Mag : I'm sure they're not true.
Lor : What rumors?
Mag : *says said rumors*
Lor : Is tHaT tRuE?
Mag : No.
Lor : *in her head* MaG mUsT bE mIsTaKeN. ThEsE aRe jUsT cRuEL rUmOrS [...]
I like how she fights everyone though.
I just hope the ennemies to lovers banter is worth it and Lor has a great development in the sequel.
I like Lor (fmc) but she is dumb AF, for example, this discussion: Mag : I hear rumors. The servants talk.
Lor : What rumors?
Mag : I'm sure they're not true.
Lor : What rumors?
Mag : *says said rumors*
Lor : Is tHaT tRuE?
Mag : No.
Lor : *in her head* MaG mUsT bE mIsTaKeN. ThEsE aRe jUsT cRuEL rUmOrS [...]
I like how she fights everyone though.
I just hope the ennemies to lovers banter is worth it and Lor has a great development in the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
xapoptosisx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
I thoroughly enjoyed this book there's so many mysterious and theories and I'm so excited to read the next book to find out the truth. Also excited cause I to was fooled by atlas and I need to see his inevitable downfall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
scionreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
I’m glad I stumbled upon this one on KU. From the dedication to the first page I was very inclined to keep reading. Lor, our protagonist is a chosen one of sorts—- angry, confused and reluctant. She has endured more than a decade at a prison that people usually perish quickly at. Years of starvation, mental, physical, psychological abuse and sexual coercion and assault have hardened the walls she keeps up to stay alive and protect the ones she loves. Little did she know time has been leading up to her being picked to complete in the trial to be the Sun queen.
Lor along with other tributes are made to go through several trials, reminiscent of the hunger games and the bachelor but deadly. All of this to earn their spot as Sun queen and Fae powers besides a King with secrets and motives. The rest of the tributes have had much time to prepare unlike Lor who was brought to the kingdom without her permission. She decides she’ll go through with the trials to stay alive and in an effort to save her family and get them out of the prison. The final tribute has never survived and it was agonizing to see if she would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual violence
jayne_waser's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I would first like to establish, that overall the writing was pretty good. This review is probably harsher than it might have been if I hadn't just finished Fourth Wing before picking this one up. But here are my thoughts:
It felt like the FMC was a little bit all over the place. It felt like the way that the author wrote the FMC, didn't match to her backstory. It felt unrealistic that girl had be treated like shit, worse than shit. But didn't seem to have any common sense or self preservation instincts. To be honest with you, she came across as a spoiled brat.The fact that she instantly was like "Yep I'm going to win, so I can marry the King. Sorry I meant, so that I can save my family. That's totally what I meant. But also... the king". It was also super predictable in the sense that it had a similar plotline to ACOTAR. Anyone who has already read would see it coming from a mile away ACOTAR
It felt like the FMC was a little bit all over the place. It felt like the way that the author wrote the FMC, didn't match to her backstory. It felt unrealistic that girl had be treated like shit, worse than shit. But didn't seem to have any common sense or self preservation instincts. To be honest with you, she came across as a spoiled brat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Torture
bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
3.75
Lor has been a prisoner for half her life and is just trying to survive the brutal life of beatings and sexual assaults for fun inside Nostraza. After being sentenced to two weeks in the Hollow- a pit outside the prison, unprotected from terrifying creatures that roam the forest- Lor is barely coherent when she’s spirited away to luxury and comfort as she finds herself the final tribute in a competition to become the Sun Queen, however not everything is as it seems.
I have mixed feelings about plots that revolve around one character being totally in the dark while everyone else is in on it. Obviously, it creates tension and a way for the audience to learn about the world but it’s annoying when it would take ten minutes and an ounce of kindness to explain. I also got some literary whiplash changing from Lor’s 1st person perspective to Nadir’s chapters in 3rd person. I got used to it though and it made sense to experience Lor’s triumphs and setbacks through her eyes while Nadir is more of a secondary focus here.
Rarely do I wish a book was longer but in this case, I do. The characters were underdeveloped to the point I could predict most of the plot based on their archetypes. Something I liked was that Lor enjoyed the dresses and long hair in her head instead of being not like other girls. Atlas is a walking red flag. The most interesting character was Gabriel because he’s clearly in on some of Atlas’s plan but not all of it and he can’t seem to decide for himself if he wants to help Lor or harm her.
We as readers are also kept in the dark about lots that hasn’t been revealed yet. The hints are not hard to miss- Lor has this gem, the Heart Queen was destroyed, a rose is found in her former lands when everything else is dead, etc- but we did not get a reveal in this book. However, it was a fun read and I am excited to read the next one.
I have mixed feelings about plots that revolve around one character being totally in the dark while everyone else is in on it. Obviously, it creates tension and a way for the audience to learn about the world but it’s annoying when it would take ten minutes and an ounce of kindness to explain. I also got some literary whiplash changing from Lor’s 1st person perspective to Nadir’s chapters in 3rd person. I got used to it though and it made sense to experience Lor’s triumphs and setbacks through her eyes while Nadir is more of a secondary focus here.
Rarely do I wish a book was longer but in this case, I do. The characters were underdeveloped to the point I could predict most of the plot based on their archetypes. Something I liked was that Lor enjoyed the dresses and long hair in her head instead of being not like other girls. Atlas is a walking red flag. The most interesting character was Gabriel because he’s clearly in on some of Atlas’s plan but not all of it and he can’t seem to decide for himself if he wants to help Lor or harm her.
We as readers are also kept in the dark about lots that hasn’t been revealed yet. The hints are not hard to miss- Lor has this gem, the Heart Queen was destroyed, a rose is found in her former lands when everything else is dead, etc- but we did not get a reveal in this book. However, it was a fun read and I am excited to read the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Death of parent