Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Wicked King, by Holly Black

7 reviews

camiclarkbooks's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

This is my second time reading “The Wicked King,” but my first time listening to it on audiobook. 

The second book in Holly Black’s “Folk of the Air” series is a rich fantasy story that balances the wonder of fairyland with its dark mythology. 

The first book in the series, “The Cruel Prince,” took its time to establish the world and let the readers get to know the characters. While the build up was slower than some might expect, it offered more solid ground for Black to be able to further the trilogy’s plot in “The Wicked King.” 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Injury/injury detail

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, War, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Vomit, Torture, Classism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

lizzye33's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Confinement, and Violence

Moderate: War, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Drug use, Classism, Alcohol, Vomit, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, and Murder

kristlas's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Kidnapping, Genocide, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Torture, Classism, Sexual content, Vomit, Abandonment, Bullying, and Alcohol

sirkeili's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed how Jude's weaving of lies and truth were central to this tale, and yet she ultimately fails as humans are prone to do. I also enjoyed Cardan taking on more of a role, and becoming a more ambigously grey character, rather than starkly black or white. 

Spoiler

Even Taryn's betrayal threw me off, though I should've expected it considering she isn't afraid to throw her sister in the line of fire if it benefits her outcome even the slightest bit. I do hope she gets her comeuppance, though, she is too proud and too eager to appear the superior sibling.

With how it ended, I am interested to see how Jude gets out of this predicament, and what game of chess Cardan is playing now, because obviously he has become the King on the board protecting his Queen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, War, Classism, Gaslighting, Blood, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Torture

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, and Violence

lisaandthebooks's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This ending!!!! I hate it so much and I love it! It makes me so so mad but also it is brilliant.

This book truly makes me a hypocrite. I never thought I could love something so much that I also absolutely hate. I guess that's quite fitting for the book though.

Cardan is so horrible and I honestly don't know why I like this book. It has so many things I usually would hate in a book but somehow I am just hooked. I guess I just really like the writing. The world building is really great and the characters have a way of getting to you.

The ending was exactly what I expected and also the biggest plot twist.

Spoiler

I assumed that Cardan and Jude would get married but I never thought that he would betray her like that!! I thought that after he saved her and she saved his life they would bond and finally be the power couple I know they are destined to be. I don't know what to expect from the next book truly but I am so excited and ready. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, War, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Murder, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, Classism, Gaslighting, Injury/injury detail, and Abandonment

egurgens's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad 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

4.75

To be honest, I don’t like this book as much as I did the first one. Although Jude is just as much of a badass as she was in the first one, there is a lot more at play in this book, and she doesn’t get to show it off as much as in the first book.  This book was also a little slower than the first one, although the ending was still super dramatic. The first book seemed to maybe be driven equally by both plot and character development, but this one seems to favor plot over character. Let’s just say, I’m pissed at the ending, and I’m mad at a great many characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Blood, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexism, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Drug use