Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

65 reviews

babyblueming's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

2.75

The only reason I didn't give this book a lower rating was that it redeemed itself in the last quarter as much as it could've. It almost seemed like the ending was written first and the rest of the book was just an afterthought. The book is written similarly to those fanfictions I used to read on AO3 when I was 14 and that's not really a compliment. Most of the writing is telling not showing and a lot of the scenes seem to be written just to get the word count up. I don't need to be told every chapter that the character woke up and got dressed. I expected much more than what I got, as the first 3/4 of the book were just the main character getting dragged around by others, complaining and whining about her situation and acting like she's in highschool. Mean girls, slut shaming, pick me behavior, whining, getting magically prettier even though she always thought she was ugly, complaining that she's "too skinny" etc. I spent most of my reading experience being super annoyed with her pov. Luckily her character seems to develop past that at least a bit towards the end. The romance seems entirely unnecessary as well. I hope the other books get better. 

I wondered why the hell would an ancient magician that looks 20 fall in love with a teenager but LUCKILY he was just manipulating her and was basically a villain the whole time. I'm glad about that and I hope the whole romance between Alina and Darkling doesn't continue in the other books. The romance scenes between them made me uncomfortable and I gagged when they kissed cuz it was so instaromance and there was basically no reason they'd be attracted to each other except their powers and that the Darkling's hot.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Sexual harassment

uselesspirateraven's review against another edition

adventurous informative lighthearted relaxing sad slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Blood, and Vomit

nellsir's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Rape

pooxs's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, and War

lucien_png's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Emotional abuse

lilyevanssimp101's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Rape

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

---

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

mythicsage's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

kaycanread4's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Toxic relationship, and War

Minor: Sexual assault

memorykey2's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I like this book if only for it being a vehicle to greater things. It establishes the Grishaverse that has only served to get better as time goes on. I will say that the vibes are continually a little off if only because of how weird the Black General is around Alina. I've always had an issue with age differences and this is no exception. There are certain instances in this book that I have literally highlighted in red and blue because Aleksander should go to jail. Alina is still a minor, so ew.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Toxic relationship