2_bec_loves_books_1'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
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Body horror, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Child death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Trafficking, Violence, Hate crime, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Torture, War, and Sexism
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Alcohol
aliyachaudhry'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: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Grief, Gun violence, Cursing, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Gore, Sexism, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism
deerlybeloved'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
Crooked Kingdom is a phenomenal sequel to Six of Crows, leaving the reader antsy and waiting, on the edge of their seat with every new twist and turn. Every revealed detail, paid off foreshadowing, character interaction, and planned event leaves you in a new bout of stunned silence as you listen, tense and wanting to know more.
Each character is unique, and fleshed out, meaning every chapter (each written from a different perspective) leaves you excited to learn more about that individual, and has its own personal bit of characterized flair that makes you excited to turn the page and learn who the next point-of-view is fore-- Matthias, Inej, Wylan? You just have to find out, sleep be damned.
So much weaves together to form a plot where just as one issue is resolved, you remember that ah, that's right, three chapters earlier that other plot point was introduced, and all of a sudden it's coming back-- You can't believe you forgot, but how could you not when the fate of the world was being handled first?!
The end will break your heart, as much as it heals it, giving you as many tears as it does grins as you flip through the ending chapters and realize just how much has been lost...and how much is being rebuilt.
Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Confinement, Chronic illness, Torture, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Drug use, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Grief, Blood, Addiction, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Murder, Hate crime, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Ableism, and Forced institutionalization
Inej, one of the main characters, has a backstory HEAVILY rooted in discussion of pedophilia, child trafficking, sex trafficking, slavery, sexual slavery, rape, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and so much more. While handled with beautiful tact and insight, the depictions of flashbacks and Inej's feelings of these things can comfort survivors of similar things as much as it destroys us. Go with caution. As well, religious bigotry, ableism, trauma, emotional neglect, horrid things happening to children, war, racial fetishization, and so much more is dealt with in tactful ways, but ever presently used as reminders that the world is as imperfect and dark as it is beautiful.literallyliterature's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Child abuse, Rape, Torture, Classism, Death, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder
themoonshoes'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
Spoiler
also i knew matthias was getting axed and it still hurted </3Graphic: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Murder, Grief, Pedophilia, and Trafficking
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Sexual harassment, and Racism
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Xenophobia, and Sexism
definitely read these before the shadow and bone booksdanicampbell0506'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
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Trafficking
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Addiction, Child abuse, Death, and Sexual assault
Minor: Alcohol, Child death, Death of parent, and Cursing
ali_debookness's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual violence
knifewifestan'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: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia, Gaslighting, and Domestic abuse
ufollowbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is possibly one of the best books I've ever read.
It's got it all - great language, a gripping plot, which balances action with important deep moments, characters you believe in and who _actually_ develop and it's an absolute logical progression, romantic relationships that don't make you want to puke and that aren't for show-offs.
There are important topics here - addiction, disability, hatred of the 'unnatural', father-child relationships, sex trafficking and slavery, trauma and PTSD, LGBTQ+ (and not one tiny skit, but a full and gradual unfolding!), dyslexia, women's rights, interethnic couples... The list is endless.
And it doesn't spoil the book one bit, just adds nuances. Not yellow, but ochre. Sometimes it's the little things, but so perfectly integrated that without them the whole thing would collapse
.
I honestly can't remember the last time I highlighted quotes so much. I can't remember the last time I thought, "This is it, they're not going to make it now." — and they did make it out. And I can't remember the last time I exclaimed WHAT that much over a book!
Oh, and did I mention the humour? Wonderful, relatable humour that dilutes all the horror!
And yes, this book will break your heart. So that you'll be lying in tears and sobbing hysterically, with face in your pillow. And yet you'll want to reread it. Gosh, I've only just finished it and I already want to!
I'd say it's the best of all Leigh Bardugo's books I've read so far. The contrast with The Six of Crows is enormous - it's like everything has been oved from 2D to 3D, so the characters are revealed in much more depth and there are dozens unexpected twists and turns. It's better not even to compare it to Shadow and Bone - defeat would be too bitter XD By the way, there are spoilers for it, but generally pretty obvious, at least to me it was clear after the first book what it was coming to and the references here were absolutely not surprising.
So, after all. My grade?
12/10 and I highly recommended it! Don't repeat my mistakes, don't put it off for no reason
(This text was translated with DeepL from Russian, sorry if there are any mistakes!)
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Child death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Vomit, Ableism, and Death
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Murder, and Kidnapping
explorer_of_legends_and_ink'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Addiction, and Ableism
Moderate: Blood, Death, Sexism, Trafficking, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Bullying