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vikart's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Grief
spear_liketheweapon's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: War
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Gaslighting
nataliemosher's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol
kynaeus's review against another edition
- 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
I felt the plot was slow to start which an interested reader should not hold as a bad thing, the book starts out introducing all the political concepts and characters and kingdoms that this Epic will be covering, one in each cardinal direction of the world. It's all a bit much to start with! But once you are familiar with each of those the storytelling's pace definitely picks up to a medium simmer until the climax.
The epilogue is nice and ties everything up, and audio book enjoyers will also have an hour long interview with the author to look forward to.
I think my biggest downside was I already knew what things had to happen and be in place for Priory to happen - so my biggest problem is that I knew where a prequel would lead to - and was just waiting to see it arrive. There wasn't a ton of surprise in the story for me, but it was told masterfully so props to S.S. who was made gay by the orange tree (listen to the interview!)
I WILL say, even though the first book is my favorite, this is still a delightful piece of grand fiction told across years and many viewpoints. It has magic, intrigue, it has gay, there's plenty of distrust and romance to go around, it has a ton of queer representation that is just psrt of the world and isn't soapboxy or trying to make a point. It's just a delightful read. But why didn't those moms take the food? Why.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
sephiefoxx's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
“Can you imagine what that’s like – to be seen only for the life you could make, not the life you already possess?”
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide
hayreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
selimhannah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, Alcohol, and Colonisation
scoutgreimel's review against another edition
- 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
I do not usually find that I have trouble with books that have a slow narrative that jumps between many points of view, but this one was truly a slog at many times. Yet, that did not hinder me from becoming deeply attached to the characters. So attached that I am still sobbing as I write this review.
While this book does not answer every question you’re left with during Priory, if you are a true lover of the lore and world building of the original book (and a freak about remembering details like me), many of the plot and character reveals that come later in the book are not that surprising, but still incredibly satisfying, like Shannon is rewarding you for being so invested in the world she has carefully crafted.
The parallels and foils go crazy (as usual), and just… I don’t know how else to say it, Shannon has made a beautiful, epic, sweeping story that sticks with you forever. AGAIN!
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
rachelh92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic