tarawade17's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Drug use, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Drug abuse, Blood, Body horror, and Gun violence
brandywinebooks's review
3.0
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse
sarahfaith_822's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Rape and Drug abuse
tomasalbanez'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
Graphic: Misogyny, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gore, Blood, Sexism, Rape, Excrement, Violence, Murder, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts
hnicole01'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
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Addiction, Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, and Sexual violence
cmillerwang's review
- 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
Alex Turner is everything I want in a lead, especially an ‘imperfect’ female lead. She’s angry and powerful, smart but troubled, self conscious but bold, but she’s also human (I think?). Alex has such a dark backstory, but these funny little details sprinkled throughout. I loved hearing about her grandmother and the little adventures with Hellie and the oh, so realistic two-sided nature of her relationship with her mother. Who else can you steal from and abandon and yet they will come running when they think you need them?
In a rather unorganized list, here are a few other things I liked:
Sephardic Jewish influence. We don’t hear much about Sephardic Jews at all, or the Jews who hid in Latin America, many of whom ended up mixing their faith with a version of Christianity to hide from persecution. As an Ashkenazi Jew, I’m hoping for little bits more in the 2nd book.
Alex’s flaws. I know she has many. But I like that’s she’s not all-powerful. As a HUGE fan of Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology, this is common for her writing. The characters are so strong, but they are not gods. Alex is vulnerable, whatever happens next in her story. She’s even kind of pathetic and whiny, but not in a way that’s unpleasant for the reader.
I love that this book has layers of understanding. The more you relate or a concept applies to you, the more meaning you can get out of it. Maybe this is true for all media. I don’t know anything about secret societies, but someone who does will have more insight into those aspects. I got more out of the Hebrew references that some might. A survivor of abuse might struggle more or gain more from Alex’s story. And so on.
In conclusion, 5/5 stars. I think I’ll love it even more on a reread. This book was slow going for me. I’m usually a speed reader. This one took nearly a month. But every page I read was with love. And with every page I got more and more attached to the characters and story. You can put it down and come back. But don’t give up on it. I’m so, so excited to read Hell Bent next.
Graphic: Death, Addiction, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Classism, Blood, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, Excrement, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Cursing
moistwaffle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
I think this book really shows off Bardugo's talent as a writer; the prose here is really elevated compared to her YA books and the characters wonderfully fleshed out. Also, her creativity in expertly intertwining real New Haven and Yale history with the occult was so fun to read.
The main reason I docked the last 0.25 is because the ending felt rather rushed and the pacing felt a little off in that section. The final chapter
Spoiler
where they tell us that Darlington is a demonGraphic: Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Drug abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Excrement, and Addiction
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
prairieraven's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Violence
audriew9's review
- 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: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Drug abuse
annarak's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Murder, Violence, Physical abuse, Excrement, Drug abuse, and Death