Reviews with content warning for Blood - Crown of Midnight

Oh my word! Gah. Those are the two things that keep popping in my head.

I love this. This was a huge step up for me from AB and TOG and I still enjoyed both of them. I love these characters so much already and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Content Warnings

bookedandbusy's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense fast-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? No

5.0

This was such a strong sequel and I can’t wait to see how the story continues to progress! Love being back with these characters ✨

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mequ2018's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-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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laceylove's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

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ktmcd26's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.5

A solid follow-up the first book in the series. It picks up not long after the original book and includes all of the players that we saw in the first with very few few additions. It primarily serves as a bridge book, primarily setting up what’s to come next. And I think it does that in a compelling way.

However, one of the main devices to move us to that next section is a very explicitly racist and sexist troupe.

Spoiler

The only main character of color and the only other female character was brutally murdered for the sole purpose of propelling the main character forward in the story. This is also not conjecture or reading between the lines; there is a whole chapter dedicated to spelling it out for the reader.

I knew that something like this was coming based on other critiques of this author, but I didn’t expect it to be this blatant.

Our three main characters are all kind of navigating the same basic journey of discovering where they fit into the larger picture of the world around them. It’s interesting to see how they are all handling it differently, and I am more surprised than anyone to find I think Dorian is handling it the best.

Celeana needs to stop taking things that people say at face value. She has yet to learn to think just one layer deeper, and critically analyze the information see is receiving. I think once she does that and has a chance to process her past (and not resort to murder as a first resort), she will become a more enjoyable heroine to read. I will be looming for that character development in the next few books.

Now for Chaol. O Chaol, I need to stop loving this boy for his potential and acknowledge his actual actions.

I do think this book does and excellent job of telling a young love story. The highs and lows are felt very acutely. And the complexities that come with love are also explored.

Spoiler

I am relieved the author didn’t try to drag out the reveal that Celeana is the lost princess any longer because that would have gotten cumbersome.

Content Warnings

hazelgirl21's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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jcrawford31's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious slow-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? Yes

4.0

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lexhayz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

4.5

This book was so much better than the first one! Personally, I tend to struggle when there is an unlikeable narrator (I find Celaena to be unlikeable overall), but that aside, I still really enjoyed this. Much improved character development and world building. At this point, I’m fully invested in the rest of the series.

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