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booksnart2023'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
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Torture, Medical content, Abortion, and Sexual harassment
styxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion
thelibronaut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Biggest criticism is some of the discussion around the MCs indigenous heritage has NOT aged well.
Moderate: Gore and Violence
dreamerfreak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Vomit
mirrorstorm_'s review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Stalking
polter6eist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Violence, Abortion, and Murder
booklovinmamas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Abortion
booksthatburn'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
3.5
This does more worldbuilding for the vampires and the fae, similarly to how MOON CALLED focused on werewolves and had a secondary focus on the vampires. Sometime between the first book and this one the werewolves went public to a limited degree, and there's a minor side plot which involves this change.
I don’t think this specifically wraps up anything left from the first book. It focuses on Stefan and the vampires who were introduced in MOON CALLED, and features many returning werewolves as well as a few new ones. The main antagonist and his murder spree is introduced and resolved in this book. I know from having read further in the series that it leaves something for later, but the actual text doesn't do anything to indicate it at the time. It does have hints of a series-long tangle of some kind surrounding Mercy’s love life. Mercy is still the narrator, with a very matter-of-fact style and a decent amount of insight into werewolves. It could make sense to start here, since most of the vampires are new in this book, but it would be better to have read MOON CALLED first.
The plot involves a strange vampire and various attempts to stop him from killing indiscriminately and leaving ancillary violence in his wake. This book still feels like it's setting up the world and getting things ready for something big later. We're also introduced to Mercy's ability see and (sometimes) speak to ghosts, which is part of her abilities as a walker. This one has never been my favorite, as it feels like it's still moving pieces around and isn't nearly as good as some of the later books. I think part of why I dislike it is that (other than what Mercy borrows) it feels utterly inconsequential within the main series after it's been read once.
Not terrible, not my favorite in the series, this one feels like a bottle episode (which is a weird vibe for the second book).
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
mzynda'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
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
severelyhopefulcloud's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Suicide, and Abortion