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beemum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
The Felicity half... I cannot for the life of me find that romance believable. I cannot believe he fell for "her" and not Jas, there was too much Jas memories and trauma mixed in with their conversations. Also Jas was FOURTEEN when they met and is still only SEVENTEEN and he's ANCIENT 🤧 The attraction and flirtation is fine but the close attachment/"love" was not there for me.
I also had an issue with the chapter where they have Felicity locked up. Misha, Brie, and Finn all felt like they were over dramatic versions of themselves. They were completely unreasonable and felt inauthentic, like a bad fanfic.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
haley49's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Love love love my girl Felicity and my fav goblin Nigel. Unfortunately, Jas drove me kinda crazy but the dual pov helped balance it out. The continuation of the series was unexpected but didn’t feel manufactured or forced and I enjoyed the continued exploration of this world. Do not pick this up if you haven’t read prior books though.
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Torture
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual content
emmsbookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really enjoyed the These Hollow Vows duopoly and was so excited to read Beneath These Cursed Stars, it is the logical and sequential follow up from the perspective of Jasalyn. But this story is dual perspective, we also see events from the perspective of Felicity, who has taken on Jasalyn’s form and is posing as her. The set up of this story is genuinely delightful and I feel like I scored big at a two for one sale, two fleshed out protagonists who feel a large spectrum of emotions, including inner strength but also crippling fear. Two for one adventure in a world I was already pretty familiar with (so there was less set up in the realm of world building, I was genuinely surprised at how much I remembered, it all came rushing back to me as I read) and two for one slow burn romance.
At first I was a little disappointed with the concept of the return of Mordeus, I was hoping for a villain not yet explored or someone who could have stepped into the power vacuum he would have left. However, it was really well done and integral to the plot and the characterisation, my initial reaction was way off! The characterisation of Jasalyn and Felicity was spot on, I particularly liked how Felicity would remind herself of how exactly Jasalyn would act or what she would say, it gave the story another layer of legitimacy. I did find certain elements in the relationship capacity a little predictable, but other parts of the plot completely smacked me in the face, I had no idea it was coming. The writing was accessible and had a good flow, it was an easier read for a fantasy genre whilst still really descriptive and immersive.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, I had a great time and these thoughts are all my own.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism