Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Il principe crudele by Holly Black

771 reviews

aksolotli's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

solarmatrixcobra's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is a romantic fantasy as opposed to fantasy romance. Those looking for a romance-focused story will be disappointed. It was written and structured well, but I did not like how angsty the protagonist was and how little romance there actually was on the page. I also did not appreciate how some characters do some pretty disturbing stuff to the protagonist, but throughout the story it's referred to as "bullying" as if they just pulled a couple of innocent pranks on her. Definitely not my thing, but I can see why others might like it, and I wasn't struggling too much to finish it unlike some other books because it had a well-structured plot.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Murder and Sexual harassment

molliford's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent

melina_30's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I expected something entirely different but the story is way better than I thought. I didn't expect any of the developments in the story which didn't happen to me in a long time. Also I  liked the morally grey main characters and that it is more a fantasy adventure story than an enemies to lovers romance set in a fantasy world. I'm curious about the other books in the series. What bothered me is the depiction of love especially paternal love. To me it just screamed of Jude gaslighting herself into believing that her stepfather being violent is his way of showing his love to his children... And even with her saying that elves are different and generally more prone to being cruel especially to humans, it just seemed like domestic abuse to me... also I just hope that Jude doesn't fall in love with Carden because I would find them becomin  friends and only that more realistic. Him bullying her and being so cruel to her with his friends and then suddenly her having feelings for him later in the series just wouldn't sit right with me. If that happens I need to see him actually becoming another person and redeeming himself first. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

tovetott's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Okay so... this is a very wierd book to review, I feel like. Despite it being nearly 400 pages, it feels like nothing really happens. We don't really get to know any of the characters that well. We don't understand the world or the magic or the history of it that well. 

What we DO learn, however, is the backstory to what I imagine is the Actual Story. This book feels like a prologue. A 400-page buildup to the story Holly *actually* wants to tell. 

I have seen and heard so many people claim that The Wicked King is such an incredible lift in the story, and I'm willing to believe that. The Cruel Prince leaves me with 110+ angry, frustrated notes on my Storygraph containing everything from... *interesting* word choices to straight up me screaming at Jude, and I leave this book off with an equal dislike for every single character lol. Nothing makes sense, everything is stupid, and I'm disappointed because I really REALLY wanted to love this book. Believe me, I DID. 

However, The Cruel Prince is written like a prologue. It finishes off with a lingering aftertaste of promises that I haven't even gotten ankle-deep into the story as a whole. If The Wicked King is not as great as everyone and their aunt has made it out to be, I'm suing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

sizzlesteaks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol

glddstwmn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and War

clarification for CW tags: racism towards humans vs fae, not POC. Sorry if this is misuse of the tag ❤️

jankengon's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.75

While I did find myself not wanting to put this book down, I couldn't get fully invested in or emotionally attached to any of the characters. I did like Jude, though. Not as much as I thought I would, but I still liked her cunning, her ambition, and her struggles with identity and place in Faerie. Cardan did not make much of an impression on me

until the last third of the book.

There were some parts of the plot that I could predict and some that threw me entirely for a loop; overall, the plot was enjoyable and interesting. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Murder

Minor: Suicide

mokkekitty's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying and Sexual harassment

Minor: War

uselesspirateraven's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture and Toxic relationship