evarey's review against another edition
3.0
So.... If Alex Stern happens to have a working mobile phone, please give me a call. Especially if you look like that one fanart I can't get out of my head...
Moving on from that... I liked the story enough to enjoy it. The twists were interesting, the plot kept me going, I was enterntained. I liked Alex, Dawes (<3), Turner, Darlington, Mercy (my beloved) and Lauren, like one thing Bardugo will do is create some good and likable characters. But still, the book felt average to me. Some of Alex's lines were cringe. The prologue made me think of something more mysterious, but then I kept thinking how will the prologue fit into the story and then it kind of disappointed me. Loved women in this, but Leigh Bardugo needs to give Mercy and Lauren more attention and time on page like please, I need them to get involved in these nonsenses. Also not gonna lie, is kinda cringy sounding like, okay? Don't know if it's true, but I saw that Bardugo wanted to name the second book of this series and I cannot express the amount of relief I felt knowing that didn't happen <3.
I think that is all I have to say and also, I will definitely be reading the rest of the series :)
Moving on from that... I liked the story enough to enjoy it. The twists were interesting, the plot kept me going, I was enterntained. I liked Alex, Dawes (<3), Turner, Darlington, Mercy (my beloved) and Lauren, like one thing Bardugo will do is create some good and likable characters. But still, the book felt average to me. Some of Alex's lines were cringe. The prologue made me think of something more mysterious, but then
Spoiler
we got to the end and turns out that part was from after everything went down?Spoiler
Gentelman demonSpoiler
"Gentelman Demon"I think that is all I have to say and also, I will definitely be reading the rest of the series :)
mollyxmiller's review against another edition
5.0
I just want to say that Leigh Bardugo has ruined my life, but in the very best way. I absolutely MUST know what happens next, but who knows when the next installment will ever be released?
All I want you to know is that you need to read this book, probably with all of the lights on if you are reading at night. Brush up on all of the morbid poetry and maybe check and see if Duolingo offers lessons in Ladino. I seriously, seriously recommend this book. I have been a fan of Leigh Bardugo ever since reading her first novel, Shadow and Bone (the first in the Grisha trilogy). I will always read her novels and I have to say that this one might be my favorite so far.
Also...this is NOT the Yale of Rory Gilmore, folks. This is a spooky Yale. A scarily privileged Yale. The perfect Yale for Halloween.
All I want you to know is that you need to read this book, probably with all of the lights on if you are reading at night. Brush up on all of the morbid poetry and maybe check and see if Duolingo offers lessons in Ladino. I seriously, seriously recommend this book. I have been a fan of Leigh Bardugo ever since reading her first novel, Shadow and Bone (the first in the Grisha trilogy). I will always read her novels and I have to say that this one might be my favorite so far.
Also...this is NOT the Yale of Rory Gilmore, folks. This is a spooky Yale. A scarily privileged Yale. The perfect Yale for Halloween.
books_n_bananas's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely could not put it down!
Such an interesting read! I can't wait to read the next in the sequel.
This book was gifted to me by a friend and I'm so thankful, because I'm not sure I would have found it otherwise. It was clever and creative, but beautifully written as well.
It has a young-adult flair while still having beautiful prose and being very well-written.
Such an interesting read! I can't wait to read the next in the sequel.
This book was gifted to me by a friend and I'm so thankful, because I'm not sure I would have found it otherwise. It was clever and creative, but beautifully written as well.
It has a young-adult flair while still having beautiful prose and being very well-written.
anhyng's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
trauman413's review against another edition
5.0
I'm stuck between 4.5 and 5 but it says something that i immediately want to purchase a physical copy so i can reread it and take notes on it, and that is not an urge I've had in a very very long time. i really loved this
mylargirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Gore, Death, Violence, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Addiction, Classism, Physical abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Adult/minor relationship
sophierae's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a CHORE.
Hard to follow, I couldn’t relate to the characters, and all the random bits of information left me beyond confused. I wanted to love this book so much but it just didn’t happen. I honestly didn’t even want to finish it.
TW: Rape, PTSD, Drugs
Hard to follow, I couldn’t relate to the characters, and all the random bits of information left me beyond confused. I wanted to love this book so much but it just didn’t happen. I honestly didn’t even want to finish it.
TW: Rape, PTSD, Drugs
gloamglozergay's review against another edition
4.0
I'm so glad someone is finally doing the good work of calling out Yale University for kidnapping people from hospitals and conducting dark rituals with their viscera to predict the stock market.
Stellar premise. Unique, as near as I can tell; vivid; Alex Stern isn't the most compelling main character I've ever encountered but she's doing her best. I liked that she was mean to people. The plot gets somewhat convoluted, and because it unfolds in a non-linear and episodic fashion, I ended up wishing I'd taken notes - I found it somewhat hard to follow in the last third or so. It's violent and bloody and unpleasant, and a few episodes feel thrown in more for shock value than because they really needed to be there. It's very much a story about power, class, privilege, and belonging, and the standards by which we valuate human lives - who is disposable in our society? Who is acceptable collateral damage? Who decides? - a message that I felt was somewhat cheapened, in the end, by a frustrating and bizarre sequel tease that doesn’t seem to tie into any of those questions. I’ll see if that’s dealt with in the sequel, which I do plan to read.
Because all things considered, I did have a blast reading this book, and would recommend it to anyone with the stomach to read about Yale University using people's viscera in dark rituals to predict the stock market.
Stellar premise. Unique, as near as I can tell; vivid; Alex Stern isn't the most compelling main character I've ever encountered but she's doing her best. I liked that she was mean to people. The plot gets somewhat convoluted, and because it unfolds in a non-linear and episodic fashion, I ended up wishing I'd taken notes - I found it somewhat hard to follow in the last third or so. It's violent and bloody and unpleasant, and a few episodes feel thrown in more for shock value than because they really needed to be there. It's very much a story about power, class, privilege, and belonging, and the standards by which we valuate human lives - who is disposable in our society? Who is acceptable collateral damage? Who decides? - a message that I felt was somewhat cheapened, in the end, by a frustrating and bizarre sequel tease that doesn’t seem to tie into any of those questions. I’ll see if that’s dealt with in the sequel, which I do plan to read.
Because all things considered, I did have a blast reading this book, and would recommend it to anyone with the stomach to read about Yale University using people's viscera in dark rituals to predict the stock market.
themin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5