david_slack110507'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
One of the main enticements of this book for me was the characters and I'm glad to say that the characters, at least our main group of 6, all were incredibly well-written and developed. I think their connections as a group as well as intergroup connections with one another were so well done. I loved them all - Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias - and I found that I was never once bored when it shifted to either one of their perspectives which I'm really glad this book did as everyone had a unique character background which explained why they were doing what they were doing as well as having unique perspectives on the heist that lay ahead of them.
Speaking of the heist, I found that the heist as the plot was actually really strong, and it helped move the book along at a brisk but nice pace allowing for moments to breathe before the next one arrived. I found the pre-planning and the constant shift in plan when something unaccounted for happened or when something wrong took place was extremely enjoyable and it was really good to see these characters constantly face change during their heist on the Ice Court and adapt the best that they could.
I also really liked seeing the world beyond Ravka and the Grisha's perspective as that was something that, now looking back on it, was missing from the Shadow and Bone books so it was interesting to see what the Fjerdans/Fjerda thinks of Grisha and vice versa as well as seeing the story set in a place of less elegance and extravagance than Ravka with East Stave and the 'Barrel'. It also built upon Grisha magic with the introduction of Jurda Parem, a drug that allows Grisha to do unimaginable things that break the previous limits of their power; I do wish we had gotten to see more of it but I also think that what we saw did demonstrate well enough why it was so dangerous to the world and why it was imperative that this not fall into the wrong hands.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this even if it did take me a lot longer than I wanted to but I found it to be a huge step up from the Shadow and Bone books and the next book is rated even better so I can't even imagine how good of a treat that'll be which I'm hoping to get around to relatively soon as I try and finish up the other books I have on the go. I'm interested in seeing whether or not the next book, Crooked Kingdom, will resolve the cliffhanger off screen (or off the page in this instance, with explanations in the form of exposition spread throughout to explain it) or whether it will start the book and wrap it up relatively quickly to then go onto the actual plot of that book but I guess only time will tell.
Graphic: Blood, Slavery, Kidnapping, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Torture, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Ableism, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Abandonment, Addiction, and Rape
Minor: Classism, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Alcohol
josiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Genocide, Miscarriage, Addiction, Dementia, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Outing, Rape, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Torture, Trafficking, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, and Violence
charlottx'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
4.75
I am so excited to read the next book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Minor: Torture, War, Death, Genocide, Vomit, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Slavery, and Trafficking
ambamsaurus'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
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, and Drug use
Minor: Slavery
bashsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Drug abuse, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Confinement, War, Murder, Grief, Trafficking, Slavery, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: War, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Gore, Body horror, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
-Many references to one character's history of forced prostitution when she was a young teenmir_frog73'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
Graphic: Gun violence, Drug use, Death, Chronic illness, Blood, Ableism, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gaslighting, Cursing, Confinement, Body horror, and Addiction
jolibon4e'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
5.0
My only problem is that ends in the middle of nowhere. I know people like to sell trilogies etc. but it literally was surprising when it ended because the kindle edition was not even done, maybe about 80%? It just feels like the first book should have ended 1 chapter earlier, and not in the middle of an action scene.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Murder, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Racism
Minor: Sexual assault
babsi_222's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
I am in love with every main character, especially Inej and well every crow and I love the little romance going on. If you know you know, I never like Matthias, though, I never did. Nina can do so much better!!
I love the ice court heist!! It was so interesting and funny, but I have no idea how to imagine that and that’s why started watching the show Shadow and bone. But I’m honestly so disappointed because first of all I didn’t like the shadow and bone triology, and the show is mainly about that, and I only love the the crows. Also, the show was not like any of the books and that make me really mad. I just wanna watch the heist not some other random mission. Anyways I need to read a different genre now, but I’ll come back for Crooked kingdom!
Moderate: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Slavery, Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Chronic illness
benja_p_a's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Somehow I felt identified with most of the characters, and was not able to read with a straight face through most chapters.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Trafficking, Death, and Gun violence
deerlybeloved'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
You'll be on the edge of your seat, wanting more, and desperate to see how it all pans out for our beloved characters by the end of it.
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Classism, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Kidnapping, Ableism, and Trafficking
Moderate: Trafficking, Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, War, and Slavery
Inej, one of the main characters, has a backstory HEAVILY rooted in discussion of pedophilia, child trafficking, sex trafficking, slavery, sexual slavery, rape, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and so much more. While handled with beautiful tact and insight, the depictions of flashbacks and Inej's feelings of these things can comfort survivors of similar things as much as it destroys us. Go with caution. As well, religious bigotry, ableism, trauma, emotional neglect, horrid things happening to children, war, racial fetishization, and so much more is dealt with in tactful ways, but ever presently used as reminders that the world is as imperfect and dark as it is beautiful.