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emsavors's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
_meganrose'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
arrr's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
krows_ink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Leigh Bardugo is an instant buy and read author for me and this book didn’t disappoint (even if I put it off for years).
I think this is her most well crafted book I’ve read (and I’ve read everything but Hell Bent). The use of time and perspective change allowed the characters to leap from the page and be seen as the full people they are. The size of the cast was perfect, allowing some to be side characters while the main cast dominated the page in a captivating way.
I also love a messy and brutal woman so you can bet Alex is a new beloved character of mine.
This book made me sick to my stomach at every turn of the page, made my skin crawl, and cry over fates I already knew. I can’t wait for Hell Bent!
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Medical content
corrieroe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
ceciltheceaselesswatcher'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
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
j_the_human'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? Yes
5.0
Obviously this is Leigh Bardugo so I knew it was going to cook but I did not expect exactly HOW MUCH.
Pros:
- dark. Really dark. This is the dark in dark academia I’ve been looking for.
- secret societies! Horrible unethical rituals!! A very traumatized girl not really given a choice but to get in the middle of it!!
- complex, imperfect characters who you root for anyways because goddamn do they just deserve something good for once
- REVENGE
- 0 shying away from hard topics. Bardugo did not come to play (and please do check the trigger warnings)
Cons:
- I think there were a few points that information was repeated almost verbatim and that was a teeny tiny bit annoying, but also most people probably didn’t read this in all of 2 days like I did.
- I’m gonna reiterate that this is dark because if you’re not in the place for it, it could be REALLY bad
Overall:
I’ve not given a dark academia book more than a 3 star before but this gave me all that elitism, all that “the rich get away with it”, the “if you have what they want you can get in but never be one of them” vibe that is quintessential to dark academia, but in a way that engaged with the themes and how otherwise good people could fall foul of them, not just making everyone into cartoonishly evil people, because that’s not how the world works! This was dark and gritty and punch you in the teeth with violence and gore and horror, but kept from despair by genuine human connection and that sometimes, even on the worst days, eating junk food with a friend is enough to keep you hanging on.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
lex_is_bookish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Minor: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
hsvensrud's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
zia_c's review against another edition
The heroine came out to me as a self centered, self righteous, harmonal teenager. Why? You may wonder. It's because she's whining about one thing or the other every two sentences and thinking about Darlington on every third. She's also kinda dumb and annoying. Idk how the hell she got the job when she can't even follow basic instructions and endangered a group of people with her because of her rampant monologues of fuck knows what.
I don't think I can continue further because it's really hurting my brain to understand the story and the character. Even mathematics never gave me this kinda pain.
Anyway, this book was a part of a book club this month that's why I gave it a flip. I hope others enjoy it.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Blood, Vomit, and Medical content
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis