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stormeno's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
mxbluet18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
alcohol consumption and recreational drug use; drugging without consent; forced and coerced drug dependency. As well as implied panic attacks and nightmares; implied coerced suicide; blood and gore depiction, graphic physical injuries, emesis, medical experimentation, dead bodies, plague, body modifications (with consent).
Grief depiction and death of a father, brother, family and friend; murder, attempted murder, physical assault, knife and gun violence, torture, strangulation, explosions. Kidnapping, drowning.
☆
☆
Realistically I picked this up three days ago and finished it in the early hours. Once I started it I didn't really put it down. It's a duology that's been sitting on my TBR list for a while, as was the Shadow and Bone series, and it took a while for me to get to them, which is something I regret. My friend recommended them to me a while ago, and I understand why they did now. I even sent them a message while I was reading saying that I understand the pull of Kaz Brekker now.
~
One thing that really stood out to me was the amount of representation in this. Both in terms of sexuality and disability and neurodivergency. There's a bisexual character and a gay character.
And Kaz walks with a cane because of a severe limp and chronic pain, as well as the leather gloves he always wears, which is somewhat discussed as being because of trauma and a resulting aversion to touch, he the flashbacks and fainting he experiences are potentially the result of PTSD from childhood trauma. And while it's not actually confirmed in the books, the descriptions make it fairly plain that Jesper probably has ADHD. He also has a gambling addiction.
~
Two other things I feel the book does really well, and I feel are written very well is flesh out the characters, give them a really rich backstory, but make their motives subtle but clear. Like for Kaz, he clearly has a reason for persuing Pekka Rollins, and his childhood was explained in segments. But it's left to the reader to connect those dots because nothing is explicitly stated.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism and Bullying
sehwa's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
I haven't read the Grisha series written before this one so the beginning of the book was slow and difficult. It was taking my brain a good minute to wrap itself around the new terminology and places and characters etc.
Don't be afraid to read the first few chapters slowly to fully digest everything, the pacing does pick up once we've got a better idea of who are main characters are.
The Six of Crows are a fantastic group who shouldn't work in theory, but ended up working really well together and I loved seeing their friendship grow while they risked their lives together. The plot is amazing, the writing is amazing, the characters are amazing. Can't wait to get started with the next book :)
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
oliverreeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
laurenn's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Drug use and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Death of parent
cleo_wylde's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
klyanovska's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, and Slavery
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Sexual assault
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
blakethebookeater's review against another edition
- 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
Reread Review: On a reread, this book is even more impressive. Leigh's character work is so pitch perfect, that you immediately understand each character's motivations and drive, even more so than those that popped up in the Grisha trilogy. Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, Matthias, and Wylan have become so beloved over the years for a reason and revisiting this book really reminded me why so many people (including myself) came to love them in the first place. It also helps that this book's plot is tight and propulsive, no extra fat here. The pacing is full throttle, breakneck speed of plot twists so marvelous that you'd think Leigh herself is one of the Crows. This book is a modern classic and deserves its place as such.
OG Review: This book blew me away. The characters were phenomenal and the plot was almost Sanderson-style intense with the amount of insanity and character-driven emotional-wreck inducing panic. I don't know if I can really say much without spoiling. Honestly though, go pick this book up, you will DEVOUR it :D
Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug use, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Blood, and Trafficking
Minor: Bullying
aerietta's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It also tells stories of overcoming that violence and trauma without diminishing the fact that damage has been done and is not wiped away forever in a state of "having recovered".
I loved the well-written and very subtle foreshadowing carefully laced throughout the story with tremendous pay-off.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, and Grief
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Vomit, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Excrement
Slavery, prostitution, and human trafficking are very prominent aspects of the society the story takes place in.