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cyberhavok's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Antisemitism
tankytoon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
What a finish to the series!
I thought there was hardly anymore to tell, the story of Lucien and Stephen but they surprised me this time, with Stephen getting a backbone and Lucien learning to compromise. However, it seems that Lucien sacrificed more of himself so that Stephen can be a slave to the Justiciary, who is not only ungrateful but also working against them.
At one point, I even was expecting that Stephen and Lucien would part their ways due to the difference in lifestyle but I'm glad they reached an understanding.
This was a delightful read, with a great sense of adventure, some mythical events, sprinkled with a dash of humor. Although I could do without the horrific descriptions of bodies and faces mutilated by dark magic, what's "A Charm of Magpies" book without it?
I thought there was hardly anymore to tell, the story of Lucien and Stephen but they surprised me this time, with Stephen getting a backbone and Lucien learning to compromise. However, it seems that Lucien sacrificed more of himself so that Stephen can be a slave to the Justiciary,
At one point, I even was expecting that Stephen and Lucien would part their ways due to the difference in lifestyle but I'm glad they reached an understanding.
This was a delightful read, with a great sense of adventure, some mythical events, sprinkled with a dash of humor. Although I could do without the horrific descriptions of bodies and faces mutilated by dark magic, what's "A Charm of Magpies" book without it?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture, Vomit, and Kidnapping
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Vomit
pvbobrien's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Vomit, and Pregnancy
mallorypen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
The final installment of this trilogy more than made up for the slower second book! This was tightly plotted, with wonderful tension across the relationships and the overarching plotline, and a very satisfying conclusion. I absolutely loved Crane’s final confession of love while wildly insulting his captors, and Stephen’s acceptance of Crane’s affections, seeing himself as enough of a “trade” in the relationship, was a good conclusion to their story arc.
The lyrics at the end in the short story were kind of awkward, but there you go.
The lyrics at the end in the short story were kind of awkward, but there you go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Vomit
unwise_samwise's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, and Torture
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Pregnancy
siad's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage and Vomit
booksthatburn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
FLIGHT OF MAGPIES beautifully wraps up the trilogy "A Charm of Magpies" with serious discussions and passionate sex while Crane and Stephen try to reconcile one's overly demanding job investigating murders and the other's need to leave England.
This was a great end to the trilogy, I feel good about where the characters are literally and emotionally at the end of it, and I have a sense of what they’ll do next. There is a related book which continues the story of a minor character from FLIGHT OF MAGPIES, but as far as I can tell the story of Crane and Stephen is finalized here. It wraps up a bunch of stuff from the previous books, even reaching back to close things left open or ambiguous from book one. There is a storyline (the murders and immediate danger) which start here and weren't present previously, but this is by no means a stand alone book. It has a major thing introduced and resolved wholly within this volume. As the last book in the series, does a great job of wrapping up things from the trilogy as a whole and it feels finished. I'd happily read more in this world, but my immediate questions are answered. The main characters are the same as the previous volumes. They have very different styles from each other, but are consistent with their characterization in the other books. This wouldn't make much sense without reading the rest of the trilogy, even the sex is intertwined with their past history and current circumstances in a way that makes it matter to the plot.
The ending is fantastic, one strength of this trilogy has been the heart-pounding danger which is inextricable from the love between the protagonists and this takes it to a great and beautifully literal place.
I love the relationship between Crane and Stephen, and I'm very happy about new developments for Merrick (which I will not spoil). This has an appropriate amount of tumult in figuring out how to fit together such different lives as the ones they led before their first meeting, and it feels like the story takes that seriously without slowing down the sexiness or distracting from the murder investigation. I had a great time and I'll definitely be checking out more from this author.
This was a great end to the trilogy, I feel good about where the characters are literally and emotionally at the end of it, and I have a sense of what they’ll do next. There is a related book which continues the story of a minor character from FLIGHT OF MAGPIES, but as far as I can tell the story of Crane and Stephen is finalized here. It wraps up a bunch of stuff from the previous books, even reaching back to close things left open or ambiguous from book one. There is a storyline (the murders and immediate danger) which start here and weren't present previously, but this is by no means a stand alone book. It has a major thing introduced and resolved wholly within this volume. As the last book in the series, does a great job of wrapping up things from the trilogy as a whole and it feels finished. I'd happily read more in this world, but my immediate questions are answered. The main characters are the same as the previous volumes. They have very different styles from each other, but are consistent with their characterization in the other books. This wouldn't make much sense without reading the rest of the trilogy, even the sex is intertwined with their past history and current circumstances in a way that makes it matter to the plot.
The ending is fantastic, one strength of this trilogy has been the heart-pounding danger which is inextricable from the love between the protagonists and this takes it to a great and beautifully literal place.
I love the relationship between Crane and Stephen, and I'm very happy about new developments for Merrick (which I will not spoil). This has an appropriate amount of tumult in figuring out how to fit together such different lives as the ones they led before their first meeting, and it feels like the story takes that seriously without slowing down the sexiness or distracting from the murder investigation. I had a great time and I'll definitely be checking out more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Child death and Vomit