Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik

5 reviews

wazbar's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.0

I don't care for amnesia as a plot device and feel it must earn its place pretty extraordinarily. I don't feel that it does so here. It seems the world tour continues, and Laurence gets his very improbable Japanese adventure. I think this series needed more point of view characters, honestly, rather than dragging Laurence this way and that.

The Chinese portion of the book and beyond, I quite liked. What was teased in book 2 paid off nicely here, and the Russian campaign nicely sets up the conclusion to the series.

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apersonfromflorida's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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? No

4.5


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szuum's review against another edition

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

4.0


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rini's review

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • 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? Yes

4.5


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ailsaod's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is very much divided into three separate parts in a way that is much more marked than the rest of the series. The first two parts were probably my favourite section of the series so far as Laurence has been restored to factory settings and first has to get back to Temeraire and then has to figure out who he is all over again. I have read a few stories where amnesia is utilised as a plot device but this is the best example I have seen. The fact that both we and the characters are by now well acquainted with Laurence made me much more invested than the average take on amnesia and also meant I felt exactly how those around Laurence felt every time they mentioned something from before his nasty knock on the head. The end of the second act is wrapped up exceedingly well and may have made me a tad emotional and then we move on to the 3rd part. 

I did not like the 3rd part very much - save from one short part which was mildly hilarious - it reminded me over much of the later parts of Black Powder War which I found dreary and depressing. However, I will warn you that if you found that part of book 3 unenjoyable you will find the climax of this book possibly even worse. I won't say any spoilers but the end of this book was UPSETTING - and the likely long term implications of the events that occur linger behind in your mind. 

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