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richardw2024's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was so nearly a 5* read for me but there were a couple of things that I didn't like. I think most of these were victims of the book being a YA. The two main things I disliked were:
- the romance - I'd be perfectly happy with no romance but well written romance I don't mind. The romance bits in this were just annoying. Maybe book 2 will change my mind on that point
- whilst there were many points where events went south for the characters, there never really felt like there was any great peril. Again, maybe that is because it is written as YA? But I personally would have liked a bit more tension.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
wise_old_fishie'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
Bardugo's writing is great and she builds a wonderful world that mixes magic and truths about the world we live in. She also creates an amazing cast of characters who are all so different and yet have something to fight for together as the bond, fight and help each other discover who they truly are.
I was personally instantly hooked within the first few chapters, where there were already captivating plot-twists and interesting world building that had me hungry for more, and the whole book pulls you in and makes you fall in love with the characters, and the world they live in! I think it has a good balance of plot and character, with interesting backstories that change how you view their positions, and make you see their actions and thought-processes differently. The characters are very lovable, and there is no 1 protagonist, as we see the story unfold from 5 very different points of view, through the lenses of different culture and backgrounds and also different traumatic experiences.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Drug use and Sexual content
undecidedpersonality'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: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and War
strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Do check trigger warnings.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Misogyny and Sexual content
nooweljayy'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: Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment
torturedreadersdept'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: Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
madalina0_0'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: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
3crowsinatophat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
annaforthebooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship
akane_readsyt'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: Ableism, Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts