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snootle'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
2.0
I finished this duology because I was curious how it would end, but overall I struggled to enjoy this book and the first one.
I liked the trials and challenges they faced recreating the relics, but the constant changing of each character's feelings and objectives made it difficult to connect with them. Moments that should've been tense and time-sensitive were filled with drawn out, emotional dialogue which made it seem like they were rarely in actual danger.
My biggest problem with this duology is how it relies on telling rather than showing. It tells you that every character is a villain/monster/bad person, but overall there is little to show this outside of a handful of events. We have to rely on reading their every thought. Everything is spelled out, even to the point where obvious, simple story beats are explained at length, leaving no opportunity for thought or speculation from the reader.
I enjoyed the world building, setup/involvement of the champions' families and some of the magic, but unfortunately this series fell really flat for me.
My biggest problem with this duology is how it relies on telling rather than showing. It tells you that every character is a villain/monster/bad person, but overall there is little to show this outside of a handful of events. We have to rely on reading their every thought. Everything is spelled out, even to the point where obvious, simple story beats are explained at length, leaving no opportunity for thought or speculation from the reader.
I enjoyed the world building, setup/involvement of the champions' families and some of the magic, but unfortunately this series fell really flat for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol
vadip's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Torture and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
quinn24's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
3.5
This was fun, definitely not my usual kind of read, I did feel like a few things fell kinda flat, but it was fun. I liked Alistair, Hendry,and Gavin, but I found myself being kinda bored with the others though I am almost always like that when a book has switching POVs. Alistair is absolutely my favourite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, and Alcohol
directorpurry'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse
foiblesandfiction's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
3.75
okay, this book is my biggest disappointment of the year so far.
was it good? yes. it was so good.
but also, as annoying as it is to hear (and say, tbh), this series probably needed to be a trilogy.
the first book, all of us villains, had such gorgeous prose and eerie atmosphere and world building. it was one of my top reads last year, and for good reason. i can still pull up mental images from many of alistair lowe's chapters because they read so strongly.
yet, all of our demise had so much plot to get through that it really lacked in all of those things that i loved most from the first book. i absolutely respect both authors and their decisions, and the ending wrapped up well. but this book did not need all of the storylines that it followed - the government involvement, the murders, the "resistance". i don't know if i've ever said this about a book, but i needed more paragraphs that were just mood and vibes.
i also found it incredibly irritating that the characters made so many massive logic jumps with no explanation. like, can someone please get in touch and we can vent about it together? because i am still annoyed.
"i'm not sure what to do, there is no obvious solution to the problem."
"wait, i know what to do"
*does random action*
"it worked!"
okay that's great for gavin and them, but i still have no idea why certain THINGS WERE DONE and IT MAKES NO SENSE.like gavin throwing the shoes in the fire? why would he think to do that? why would that work? why did it have nothing to do with the pillar?
and hendry's final life magick spell not working? and no follow up? he deserved so much better than that. i'm still mad.
okay, the frustrations are out. let's talk about what was gorgeous about this book because it really was good:
the best ship of all time IYKYK
the discussion of family and legacy
the multi-POV was masterfully done and brought so much empathy to each character
the next generation always fixing their parents' mistakes
alistair, always alistair
the complex ending without everything being perfectly tied up with a bow
overall, this duology is absolutely worth the read. foody and herman are incredible authors who write such real and flawed and wonderful characters, you're going to fall in love with them too. just be ready because this second book is a freakin' whirlwind.
was it good? yes. it was so good.
but also, as annoying as it is to hear (and say, tbh), this series probably needed to be a trilogy.
the first book, all of us villains, had such gorgeous prose and eerie atmosphere and world building. it was one of my top reads last year, and for good reason. i can still pull up mental images from many of alistair lowe's chapters because they read so strongly.
yet, all of our demise had so much plot to get through that it really lacked in all of those things that i loved most from the first book. i absolutely respect both authors and their decisions, and the ending wrapped up well. but this book did not need all of the storylines that it followed - the government involvement, the murders, the "resistance". i don't know if i've ever said this about a book, but i needed more paragraphs that were just mood and vibes.
i also found it incredibly irritating that the characters made so many massive logic jumps with no explanation. like, can someone please get in touch and we can vent about it together? because i am still annoyed.
"i'm not sure what to do, there is no obvious solution to the problem."
"wait, i know what to do"
*does random action*
"it worked!"
okay that's great for gavin and them, but i still have no idea why certain THINGS WERE DONE and IT MAKES NO SENSE.
okay, the frustrations are out. let's talk about what was gorgeous about this book because it really was good:
the best ship of all time IYKYK
the discussion of family and legacy
the multi-POV was masterfully done and brought so much empathy to each character
the next generation always fixing their parents' mistakes
alistair, always alistair
the complex ending without everything being perfectly tied up with a bow
overall, this duology is absolutely worth the read. foody and herman are incredible authors who write such real and flawed and wonderful characters, you're going to fall in love with them too. just be ready because this second book is a freakin' whirlwind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Self harm, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm, Suicide, and Kidnapping
spleenc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
All of Us Villains was one of my favorite reads last year so I was eagerly waiting for the second tome of this duology.
I might not have lived up to my expectations but it wasn't that bad, it was still a pleasant read and I would still recommend those books for YA's lovers.
I was quite bored during the second third of this book, feeling like it was going nowhere, like the characters' actions were just to fill the pages, not helping the plot to go in any direction. The final third was good, maybe a bit fast-paced, like it was trying to catch the time it lost before.
Some characters got really nice development, some others... Well, let's say they go it easy, in the end. Some got a redemption arc that felt a bit... Rushed ?
I also wish they was a lit bit less of romance ? While I am glad some were LGBT for some diversity/representation, I feel like not every characters needed to love another. At least, I don't know, not during a "tournament" where they needed to kill each other ?? But, I must say, I'm not the biggest romance fan , at the same time : that's maybe why it felt too much for me.
Plot-wise, I kinda missed the fact that they were isolated from the other others. I wish the true "bad guys" were a bit more exploited : it felt rushed, once again. But I really like the few "aftermath" chapters that we've got, where mental health was discussed : I'm so tired of books where the characters got back to their life like nothing happened that it was very welcomed.
I might not have lived up to my expectations but it wasn't that bad, it was still a pleasant read and I would still recommend those books for YA's lovers.
I was quite bored during the second third of this book, feeling like it was going nowhere, like the characters' actions were just to fill the pages, not helping the plot to go in any direction. The final third was good, maybe a bit fast-paced, like it was trying to catch the time it lost before.
Some characters got really nice development, some others... Well, let's say they go it easy, in the end. Some got a redemption arc that felt a bit... Rushed ?
I also wish they was a lit bit less of romance ? While I am glad some were LGBT for some diversity/representation, I feel like not every characters needed to love another. At least, I don't know, not during a "tournament" where they needed to kill each other ?? But, I must say, I'm not the biggest romance fan , at the same time : that's maybe why it felt too much for me.
Plot-wise, I kinda missed the fact that they were isolated from the other others. I wish the true "bad guys" were a bit more exploited : it felt rushed, once again. But I really like the few "aftermath" chapters that we've got, where mental health was discussed : I'm so tired of books where the characters got back to their life like nothing happened that it was very welcomed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Vomit