Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Varjo ja riipus by Leigh Bardugo

56 reviews

bookishdreamer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and War

Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, and Death of parent

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Slavery

hihicass's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

tabea1409's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

oxfordcommas91's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

I love Leigh Bardugo’s writing and was excited to dive into the Grishaverse because I’d heard so much good about it. 
This book was a straightforward and easy to understand dive into a magical realm heavily influenced by Tsarist Russia. The plot is fun, adventurous, and fast paced as the main protagonist quickly comes to terms with her newfound power and how to use it. It’s not overly complex but Bardugo does a good job in these books of setting up what is sure to be epic battles to come. There is a romance side plot that is fairly predictable but harmless and doesn’t interfere too much with the main storyline. 
While it’s not the most epic or interesting fantasy series I’ve started, I am looking forward to continuing the series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Colonisation

vnfhcxksiw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

dark sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Classism

creolelitbelle's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and War

Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I thought it was a good book! I went into it knowing a ton of people like it, which I think was my problem - I was expecting exceptionality, and though the book definitely was, it didn't live up to the hype in my head. I still would definitely recommend it though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

cnannery19's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War