gen_wolfhailstorm'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
4.5
The Details:
Narrated by Natalie Moore
Unabridged
I really enjoyed seeing the magical world of Idris. I think being in this world and seeing the different culture there created even more enjoyment and helped to make this one of my favourite reads of the series so far.
So many pivotal points happened in the 3rd installment - I wonder if it was originally a series of trilogies because this felt like a really satisfying conclusion.
The family dynamics got so much more messy and complex, I was constantly shocked by all the reveals - it was fantastic!
Simon flourished in this book. I can see great things for him in the future and I really want to see him succeed.
I loved seeing the dynamic between the nephilim and the downworlders adapt throughout this story. It wasn't a simple fix, but took time, had conspiracies and duplicity and was a great use of plot development.
Can't wait to read book 4.
Spoiler
oh my gosh, poor Max :( that's so sad!I also felt bad again for my bestie Simon. He's always being used - Isabelle using him as a distraction for her grief over the death of her little brother... but I mean hey at least she said that's what it is straight away.
Graphic: Homophobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, War, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, Abandonment, Death, Genocide, Outing, Blood, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, and Violence
sammymilfort's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Vomit, Grief, Animal death, Death, Gore, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Torture, Alcohol, Body horror, Incest, Murder, War, Blood, and Stalking
irisvdn's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, War, Murder, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide
idontlemonez's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Genocide, Suicide, Death, War, Emotional abuse, Incest, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
thatbookbitch's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, War, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Blood, Child abuse, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Outing, Animal cruelty, Child death, Genocide, and Rape
Minor: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Suicide
sudatot'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Homophobia, and Rape
toadstoolsnshit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, and Gore
itscaitlinspage'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, War, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Genocide and Xenophobia
Minor: Pregnancy, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
jaedia'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
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia
blakethebookeater's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
There was fun twists and turns and action moments but in the end it was all overshadowed by one infuriating plot line: the incest.
Literally it’s so in your face and drawn out and I hated it sooooo much. Like that “forbidden love” thing disgusts me and doesn’t intrigue me at all so my brain basically shut off everytime that plot line came to the forefront and that was way too often for my liking. Like I was able to mostly handle it in the last book because they knew it was forbidden and tried to resist but at this point they just don’t care and it made me not even want to pick up the novel tbh.
The ending was sweet and left some small threads dangling (presumably for when she stretched a trilogy into six books), and overall this first trilogy was a solid 3 stars from me. Like intriguing at times, fun at others, bad and very bad at times, and sometimes just meh. I can see how it had a foothold in late 00’s YA culture and I’m glad I read them, but I probably wouldn’t read them again.
(One thing I will give Cassandra Clare props for though is a canon gay relationship in the late 00’s when I was still getting called a faggot in middle school. It would’ve made me feel less alone even if I had read about some gay rep at all! Obviously there are better queer books out there but to have a gay relationship in such a major series at the time is pretty awesome.)
3.5/5 stars
Graphic: Incest and Violence
Moderate: Hate crime, Genocide, Misogyny, and Child abuse
Minor: Body horror