Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Wicked King, by Holly Black

17 reviews

kynthebookworm's review

adventurous dark tense fast-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

5.0

This was an outright masterpiece honestly. I loved it, the twists and turns, the way the plot completely surprises you, the writing, and the characters were all absolutely fantastic to read. A wonderful sequel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Addiction, and Drug use

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

onefineelephant's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

7/10. Much of what I didn't like about the first book carried on to this one, but I liked this one more because the plot seemed more cohesive and the romance aspect came more into focus. However, the romance isn't as fulfilling as I expected or wanted from this type of high-fantasy book. I don't like that Jude doesn't have a confidant, someone she trusts that she can talk to. I also really didn't like the ending because it seemed to erase all of the major plot points of the book in like 15 pages. I will say that there are some good lines throughout the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Violence, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/injury detail

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Vomit

martiannadoor's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I read the first book in this trilogy and while I mildly enjoyed it, the last few chalters got me hooked, so I read the second one, and I found The Wicked King to not only be an excellent sequel, but also a lot more entertaining than the first installment. We see a lot more of the dynamic between Jude and Cardan, which gives more room for the characters to develop independently, and also with each other. I find the fantasy political aspect of Elfhame fascinating in this series and this books went even more in depth to it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use and Sexual assault

revived_reading's review

adventurous emotional funny tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

Absolutely loved this book! However, as with book 1, the only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because I felt some of the wording was a bit odd. Otherwise, another amazing read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Blood, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, and Alcoholism

micapellin'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Vomit

hhannahhs's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Kidnapping, Death, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: War

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

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

lopez's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, and Injury/injury detail

Minor: Drug use and Toxic relationship