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aidamaria_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I’m so sorry to say this was disappointing. The pacing felt very monotonous to me (*everything* was *always* at stake, so the whole fell flat, especially since Maia’s transformation was so slow), the telling overpowered the showing even more than in the first book, and some things were just way too convenient or didn’t make sense at all.
- What do you mean, Maia can intuitively know so much about what to do or how to use magic, and yet act so stupid at crucial times throughout the story?
- What do you mean, you still respect the emperor after all he’s done to you and his bride, and you’re willing to give your life for his rule to continue?
- What do you mean, Edan has lived for centuries and has still failed to learn how to swim? Is that why she keeps referring to him as a boy rather than an ancient enchanter? You don’t need magic school, my guy; some swimming lessons will do. Don’t be a liability when you’re physically perfectly able.
- What do you mean, Maia gets to choose the ending to her own story and Lord Xina can’t? The gods sure have favourites, it seems. “This girl made dresses from my children? (!) Let her be resurrected at once and give her a Christmas bonus!” Sarnai deserved better; she was the only one with common sense in this book and the bravery of her lover went without any recognition. Yes, she ran away, but she would have just been a puppet to two rivalling power-hungry old windbags.
*end of rant*
(I still think the red cover design is magnificent though, and the author’s most recent novel I read (Her Radiant Curse) was a lot better, so I respect the growth and will be reading more of her work, because I do like the world building.)
- What do you mean, you still respect the emperor after all he’s done to you and his bride, and you’re willing to give your life for his rule to continue?
- What do you mean, Edan has lived for centuries and has still failed to learn how to swim? Is that why she keeps referring to him as a boy rather than an ancient enchanter? You don’t need magic school, my guy; some swimming lessons will do. Don’t be a liability when you’re physically perfectly able.
- What do you mean, Maia gets to choose the ending to her own story and Lord Xina can’t? The gods sure have favourites, it seems. “This girl made dresses from my children? (!) Let her be resurrected at once and give her a Christmas bonus!” Sarnai deserved better; she was the only one with common sense in this book and the bravery of her lover went without any recognition. Yes, she ran away, but she would have just been a puppet to two rivalling power-hungry old windbags.
*end of rant*
(I still think the red cover design is magnificent though, and the author’s most recent novel I read (Her Radiant Curse) was a lot better, so I respect the growth and will be reading more of her work, because I do like the world building.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny and Sexism
ricardo_sb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.75
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/unravel-the-dusk
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Misogyny
matheo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
angelsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, War, and Injury/Injury detail
elle_dee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
dhwani's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Misogyny and Physical abuse
water_violin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, and Grief
olivialandryxo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
Spin the Dawn was one of my favorite reads of 2020, so I’ve been quite eager to read the sequel for some time now, especially after the first book’s ending. Unravel the Dusk was as brilliant as I’d hoped it would be, every bit as magical and thrilling as its predecessor, though much more nerve-wracking. It was also a very quick read; I sped through it in just a few hours, and finished it at about three in the morning.
Maia and Edan are definitely among my all-time favorite characters. Both are so well-written and three-dimensional. I love Maia’s determination and Edan’s poetic sweetness. The two of them are also an adorable couple that I had no problem rooting for from the very beginning.
Maia and Edan are definitely among my all-time favorite characters. Both are so well-written and three-dimensional. I love Maia’s determination and Edan’s poetic sweetness. The two of them are also an adorable couple that I had no problem rooting for from the very beginning.
Now that I’ve found you again, Maia, I will never leave you. I will stay by your side until the fire in the sun grows cold and the light in the moon is no more. Until time blots out the stars.
How could you not swoon over a relationship where one character talks to the other like that?! Relationship goals. Infinite heart eyes.
To be honest, Lim did a phenomenal job with every aspect of this sequel. Each side character is developed as well as the protagonists, and she built upon the already-rich world she set up in the first book. The mythology is fascinating. Everything—settings, outfits, food—is described beautifully, leaving little to the imagination and making it delightfully easy to imagine things as you read.
The Blood of Stars duology is wonderful and whimsical, and tragically underrated. These books are some of my absolute favorites, and Lim is one of my new favorite authors. I’ll be recommending these at every opportunity, and eagerly awaiting her next book.
Representation
- entirely Asian/POC cast
- gay minor side character
- minor side character that uses a cane
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny and Torture
Also contains scenes of war.