Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Varjo ja riipus

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Varjo ja riipus by Leigh Bardugo

34 reviews

orchidlilly's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Fantasy not-quite-Imperial-Russia with weird magic people is a pretty neat premise. I really appreciate the world building, which feels realistic but not so overtly 'just Russia' that it pulls you out. The magic is fun, even though it isn't very in-depth, and the plot as a whole is very gripping. Mostly, the characters are the biggest issue. Insofar as they don't have much personality. Alina is just a bland YA fmc, the Darkling is just broody hot and evil, Mal is good and also hot, and I can smell the love triangle from a mile away. It's not terrible, though, just very full of the standard YA cliches. I also don't generally love first person, but the writing is good enough that I can overlook it.

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evemlacey's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted 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? It's complicated

3.25

I'm usually someone who reads a lot of classics, so I was unsure about the rating I was going to give this book. I can admit, I enjoyed it, so I will be giving it 3.25 stars. That's still a great score according to me.

This book did have me gasping, giggling, and scowling as a reaction to the plot.

I wasn't sure if she was going to end up with Mal or The Darkling, for a brief point I shipped them. I feel like Mal could be more fleshed out because, in all honesty, The Darkling was more interesting. Alina and Mal are not a great couple. There's little chemistry between them and in all honesty, I'm hoping a new love interest will be introduced in the sequel. Let's just say I'll be busy reading The Darkling x Alina fanfiction on AO3 this next week.

I enjoyed this book. I had just finished reading a heavy novel and this acted as a palate cleanser for me. If you're a fan of romantasy and YA, you'd enjoy this. Go give this book a read. It's a light and easy read. The pacing was a little off, but I didn't mind.

Fortunately, I own the next two books, so I'll settle in with Siege and Storm, chocolate, and a cup of tea for the night. Can't wait!

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marayzex's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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creolelitbelle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional fast-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

5.0

The world and magic systems are creative yet also rooted in reality without holes that leave me asking logic questions. I love the complexity of Alina and the surrounding characters who bring the story together. Book 1 is as much about sacrifice and belonging as it is becoming who you are meant to be. Many of the shocking moments felt half expected for me because of my consideration of the characters. One event that should have been predictable took me off guard, having thought I understood the Darkling's motivations and calculations. Ravka is a country I would not want to live in, because it is very dark and deadly. Those qualities are what I love about the book, though, along with the Russian influences of the world. Starting this series took me entirely too long. Most of the book I read in 2 days. I would have liked more flashbacks of Mal early on to bring forth more sympathy about him and Alina's loss of her friend, but their present time together feels reminiscent of the past in a weird way.

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