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mqabbadbest's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
I gave up on this book. I am so happy that an hour later I decided to continue it. This book may feel like nothing is happening for the majority of it, but my goodness were those last quarter incredible. Other than the meandering plot of the book, I would like to say that I have a gripe about Abercrombie's books. The big battle scenes are the worst parts of each book. The Circle duels are great, but I have started to loathe the time a battle scene is coming. They feel repetitive and are truly uninteresting. It was at the battle in the North that I wanted to give up on this book, that's how boring I found it. Give me two random characters talking to each other instead of the battles and I'd be happier.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Sexual content
theravenkingx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Sugar, spice and everything vice
It feels good to be back in this morally ambiguous, grimdark
circle of the world.
This book is so good. If you’re someone who enjoys character-driven stories, then you are going to absolutely love this book. I admit that this book doesn't have the strongest of plots, but it makes up for it with its compelling world-building and characters.
The strength of this book lies in its exceptionally well-written characters, complete with well-thought-out backstories. The world-building is immersive and brutal, and Joe Abercrombie’s intricate writing style.
Joe Abercrombie is a master of writing enthralling morally corrupt characters that you can'tt help but love.
Plot & Setting
"The story takes place after the events of the first trilogy. To fully enjoy the book, I recommend reading all the standalones that came before this one, or at least read ‘The Heroes,’ as the events from that book are heavily referenced.
Thirty-five years have passed since the Gurkul were defeated at Adua. The world is now brimming with new advancements and technology. Bayaz, our beloved antagonist, still pulls the strings behind the scenes, wielding influence and controlling most of the world through his bank - Valiantly and Balk. The technological progress has led to job losses, with people working in underpaid sweatshops. The ruthless Glokta remains enslaved to Bayaz, while his equally cunning daughter - Savine, has become a prominent investor running multiple successful businesses using her guile and threats.
In the North, Bethod’s grandson, Stour Nightfall, has burned the city of Uffrith, prompting the Dogman’s daughter, Rikke, to flee with her companion, Isern, in search of refuge.
Leo - the young lion, is eager to fight the Northman lead by Stour Nightfall and bask in the glory, but her mother - an experience war general, doesn't think it's the right time as they lack the resources and men needed for the war and are expecting reinforcements from King Jazel.
Meanwhile, King Jazel’s son, Orso, wants to help the Dogman against the Northman, but Glokta and his puppeteer, Bayaz, have other plans."
The new generation of heroes is young and full of hope, completely unaware of the invisible hand of Bayaz pulling the strings. Will they outsmart the First of the Magi, or will they, like their parents, admit defeat and bend their knees to the magi? The epic ending of this book has proven one thing that theywon'tt be the same in the next book. Their confidence will shatter, and hope will turn into rage. But will that be enough? It will be interesting to witness.
I enjoyed Savine’s character development the most. She transitions from a ruthless, greedy, and unlikable ‘Shark Tank’ investor to a trouble and hopefully more grounded person. What she becomes is yet to be seen, but after going through such a traumatizing incident, I am expecting nothing less from her.
Leo's naivete annoyed me, but the thing he sets in motion is sure to make things a bit more complicated.
I am intrested to see what roles Jonas Clover - the laziest man alive - plays in the next book. I really enjoyed his Pov. He has a sense of humor and skill to avoid his tasks. He is me, me is him. 😜
It feels good to be back in this morally ambiguous, grimdark
circle of the world.
This book is so good. If you’re someone who enjoys character-driven stories, then you are going to absolutely love this book. I admit that this book doesn't have the strongest of plots, but it makes up for it with its compelling world-building and characters.
The strength of this book lies in its exceptionally well-written characters, complete with well-thought-out backstories. The world-building is immersive and brutal, and Joe Abercrombie’s intricate writing style.
Joe Abercrombie is a master of writing enthralling morally corrupt characters that you can'tt help but love.
Plot & Setting
"The story takes place after the events of the first trilogy. To fully enjoy the book, I recommend reading all the standalones that came before this one, or at least read ‘The Heroes,’ as the events from that book are heavily referenced.
Thirty-five years have passed since the Gurkul were defeated at Adua. The world is now brimming with new advancements and technology. Bayaz, our beloved antagonist, still pulls the strings behind the scenes, wielding influence and controlling most of the world through his bank - Valiantly and Balk. The technological progress has led to job losses, with people working in underpaid sweatshops. The ruthless Glokta remains enslaved to Bayaz, while his equally cunning daughter - Savine, has become a prominent investor running multiple successful businesses using her guile and threats.
In the North, Bethod’s grandson, Stour Nightfall, has burned the city of Uffrith, prompting the Dogman’s daughter, Rikke, to flee with her companion, Isern, in search of refuge.
Leo - the young lion, is eager to fight the Northman lead by Stour Nightfall and bask in the glory, but her mother - an experience war general, doesn't think it's the right time as they lack the resources and men needed for the war and are expecting reinforcements from King Jazel.
Meanwhile, King Jazel’s son, Orso, wants to help the Dogman against the Northman, but Glokta and his puppeteer, Bayaz, have other plans."
The new generation of heroes is young and full of hope, completely unaware of the invisible hand of Bayaz pulling the strings. Will they outsmart the First of the Magi, or will they, like their parents, admit defeat and bend their knees to the magi? The epic ending of this book has proven one thing that theywon'tt be the same in the next book. Their confidence will shatter, and hope will turn into rage. But will that be enough? It will be interesting to witness.
I enjoyed Savine’s character development the most. She transitions from a ruthless, greedy, and unlikable ‘Shark Tank’ investor to a trouble and hopefully more grounded person. What she becomes is yet to be seen, but after going through such a traumatizing incident, I am expecting nothing less from her.
Leo's naivete annoyed me, but the thing he sets in motion is sure to make things a bit more complicated.
I am intrested to see what roles Jonas Clover - the laziest man alive - plays in the next book. I really enjoyed his Pov. He has a sense of humor and skill to avoid his tasks. He is me, me is him. 😜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest
da3m0nic's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Gore, Incest, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia
hedyharper's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
josiah17's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-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
4.5
Abercrombie is purely phenomenal with character work. Every character here is interesting and engaging. They're shown at their most appalling lows and when they're trending upward. And I loved how more focus was placed on the cunning and wits of these characters.
I'll never stop talking about how good Abercrombie is with dialogue too. It's part of his fantastic character work where he creates distinct voices for each character and keeps the reader thoroughly entertained. And I love how commonly he uses interjections. It offers perfect comedic relief.
It was also nice to see some familiar faces from the first trilogy. And the legacy of iconic characters and the transformation of the world continues to be perfectly interweaved into every consecutive installment in the First Law World. I still get excited at every mention of The Bloody-Nine.
And while I think I like The Blade Itself more than this book, I did appreciate how there was more plot here with the beginning of this trilogy than with the First Law trilogy. I feel like I have more to look forward to than I did going into Before They Are Hanged.
And pleasantly, I was not annoyed by all the romance.
I just can't wait to read book 2.
I'll never stop talking about how good Abercrombie is with dialogue too. It's part of his fantastic character work where he creates distinct voices for each character and keeps the reader thoroughly entertained. And I love how commonly he uses interjections. It offers perfect comedic relief.
It was also nice to see some familiar faces from the first trilogy. And the legacy of iconic characters and the transformation of the world continues to be perfectly interweaved into every consecutive installment in the First Law World. I still get excited at every mention of The Bloody-Nine.
And while I think I like The Blade Itself more than this book, I did appreciate how there was more plot here with the beginning of this trilogy than with the First Law trilogy. I feel like I have more to look forward to than I did going into Before They Are Hanged.
And pleasantly, I was not annoyed by all the romance.
I just can't wait to read book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Incest, Sexual content, and Blood
exuberantlybuds's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Incest, Sexual violence, Torture, Excrement, and Vomit
zone_a3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, and Classism
reggiethebird's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Cannibalism
mikki_9's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
For some reason I was expecting to hate this book (probably the cover), but it turned out to be really good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gore, Incest, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture and Lesbophobia
angel_kiiss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to read a well-developed, complex story without having to sacrifice the women characters in order to do so. The majority of the main characters it follows are women and never once did I feel that a woman was being used as an object or prop for a male character. Arguably, the women in this book are the strongest of all the characters, both in development as well as physical and emotional. We even get to see some older, experienced, wise women who are still strong despite the usually expected restrictions of age.
The women are complex without the requirement of femininity to define their womanhood and have motives beyond what you normally see written by or women in fantasy. Yes, love is nice, but they all have ambitions far beyond finding husbands that drive their characters and shape their arcs.
And the men are allowed to be “prissy” or foolish or cowardice while maintaining a character beyond “the fool,” while also treading the line between cowardice of privilege and the bravery asked of them in fantasy
That being said, I would not recommend this to an inexperienced reader; or, more than likely, as someone’s first Joe Abercrombie book (like myself). Initially, the changing point of view creates almost too much confusion. Characters are introduced with lout introductions, so for the first two or three groups of chapters you kind of play catch up with who each of the protagonists is.
There was a subtle hint that Abercrombie’s previous books were being referenced throughout various dialogue scenes, but that doesn’t mean you have to have read his other work to understand what’s happening here. This story stands alone and does not require you to be knowledgeable about the world Abercrombie has previous created.
The women are complex without the requirement of femininity to define their womanhood and have motives beyond what you normally see written by or women in fantasy. Yes, love is nice, but they all have ambitions far beyond finding husbands that drive their characters and shape their arcs.
And the men are allowed to be “prissy” or foolish or cowardice while maintaining a character beyond “the fool,” while also treading the line between cowardice of privilege and the bravery asked of them in fantasy
That being said, I would not recommend this to an inexperienced reader; or, more than likely, as someone’s first Joe Abercrombie book (like myself). Initially, the changing point of view creates almost too much confusion. Characters are introduced with lout introductions, so for the first two or three groups of chapters you kind of play catch up with who each of the protagonists is.
There was a subtle hint that Abercrombie’s previous books were being referenced throughout various dialogue scenes, but that doesn’t mean you have to have read his other work to understand what’s happening here. This story stands alone and does not require you to be knowledgeable about the world Abercrombie has previous created.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Excrement, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Vomit, and Death of parent