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dragongirl271's reviews
176 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Death, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, and Sexual assault
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death and Colonisation
Minor: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Kidnapping
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, and Cannibalism
4.75
Minor: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Police brutality, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
I've really been figuring out this year what I love from a short story collection (also hi hello I'm so behind on all of this). I think, for me, the ones that are really haunting are what I prefer - where they reach out from the pages and just grip your soul. This one is much more on the LitFic side, but still really beautifully written.
Helawy uses this collection to tell the stories of Bedouin girls and women in Palestine. We as the reader witness stories of growing up and womanhood, acts of rebellion against societal norms, bonds between women, migration, and more. The stories are short and complex. Like any good short story, you find more to think about each time you read. I don't know if I'll ever read the full collection again, but there are a few stories I would return to.
My favorites included:
They Fell Like Stars From the Sky
Serpent
All the Love I've Known
Umm Kulthum's Intercessor
The Door to the Body
Three Paintings
Queens of Darkness
For many of the stories, reading them twice was almost essential. Helawy builds a story and a character really well to the point that it's easy to get swept away in the story and left needing to return. Not every entry was ultimately memorable for me, but each one taught me something and left me a little introspective. And for me, that makes it a collection worth reading.
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Violence
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture
- 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: Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture and Cannibalism
4.5
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death and Torture
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This is a series I'm thoroughly excited to finish. I had a great time reading this first book. I really enjoy the worldbuilding by Blair and I love a protagonist that's very complex and not always right, which is found with Keera.
A Broken Blade is the first book in The Halfling Saga. We're introduced to Keera, a half-elf (known as “halflings” in this world) who was forced into the King’s service and became his top spy and assassin. Keera's never been happy with the King's rule, but following his orders is how she stays alive. Until, a mysterious figure working against the monarchy appears. Can this “Shadow” help Keera find a new path toward survival and freedom?
Again, I really enjoyed Blair's world. I think she did a good job adding depth to the side characters. We also get a romance subplot with some great tropes without it feeling too trope-y?? Sign me up for the sequels. (Disclaimer: I could still see some of these tropes coming a mile away the second they were hinted at. No, that did not stop me from kicking my feet in glee when they finally happened.)
I think this is also going to be a really good discussion on how messy revolution is. Not everything goes well. People get hurt. Keera's got her own traumas and trust issues. And it seems not everybody is involved for the right reasons. The synopses of the next two books give me hope that the story will stay complex and nuanced.
1st-person POV. Fast pacing. Bisexual main character!!! Tough topics addressed with MC (see CWs at beginning of book).
Tropes included:
Enemies to lovers
There was only one bed
Who did this to you?
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Torture, and Trafficking
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail