Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

63 reviews

jeggert10's review against another edition

adventurous emotional relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Gore, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

nonotyoshi's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

szyzu's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved every minute of reading this book, it's one of the books which just catch you and don't let go until you finish reading. Can't wait to finish the second part.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Gore

orchidlilly's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? No

3.5

Fantasy not-quite-Imperial-Russia with weird magic people is a pretty neat premise. I really appreciate the world building, which feels realistic but not so overtly 'just Russia' that it pulls you out. The magic is fun, even though it isn't very in-depth, and the plot as a whole is very gripping. Mostly, the characters are the biggest issue. Insofar as they don't have much personality. Alina is just a bland YA fmc, the Darkling is just broody hot and evil, Mal is good and also hot, and I can smell the love triangle from a mile away. It's not terrible, though, just very full of the standard YA cliches. I also don't generally love first person, but the writing is good enough that I can overlook it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Slavery

evemlacey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.25

I'm usually someone who reads a lot of classics, so I was unsure about the rating I was going to give this book. I can admit, I enjoyed it, so I will be giving it 3.25 stars. That's still a great score according to me.

This book did have me gasping, giggling, and scowling as a reaction to the plot.

I wasn't sure if she was going to end up with Mal or The Darkling, for a brief point I shipped them. I feel like Mal could be more fleshed out because, in all honesty, The Darkling was more interesting. Alina and Mal are not a great couple. There's little chemistry between them and in all honesty, I'm hoping a new love interest will be introduced in the sequel. Let's just say I'll be busy reading The Darkling x Alina fanfiction on AO3 this next week.

I enjoyed this book. I had just finished reading a heavy novel and this acted as a palate cleanser for me. If you're a fan of romantasy and YA, you'd enjoy this. Go give this book a read. It's a light and easy read. The pacing was a little off, but I didn't mind. 

Fortunately, I own the next two books, so I'll settle in with Siege and Storm, chocolate, and a cup of tea for the night. Can't wait!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Death of parent

vnfhcxksiw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Classism

sparrow_oak's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore

charles_xavier's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and War

natyourusual_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• 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? No

2.5

It was a fun book. I think the biggest disappointment was in the characterization of the Darkling

(I really wanted him to just be a misunderstood antihero or to have a better goal overall to make him a justifiable villain but he’s just evil for evil’s sake and I don’t like that for him)

and I just don’t like Mal at all as a character, but it’s a solid YA fantasy book with a very interesting magic system and world. I devoured the first 3/4 of the book (it almost fooled me into thinking it’s adult fantasy very briefly because it was that good) but the final stretch was not what I wanted. The writing is very beautiful and I am excited to see where it goes anyways!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Gore

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Chronic illness, Sexual assault, War, and Classism