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mads_reads_books's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Points deducted for the casual fatphobia and homophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
singalana's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I wonder if I'm getting too old for these kinds of books. But despite its flaws, I kind of enjoyed it anyway.
The main character, Clary, gives off a “not like the other girls”-vibe and seems hostile towards other girls in this book.
What I liked: The banter was pretty good at places. The audiobook had a good narrator, but at times, she sounded very posh.
What I didn't like: The author has a case of thesaurus madness, sometimes, the word choices don't quite fit the context, in my opinion. Also, she likes adverbs very much. And the word ‘hard’ (e.g. “She hit the ground, HARD.”)... And there were a few throwaway comments that were quite insensitive.
About the ending…
Spoilers!
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
bukephalos0603's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Transphobia, and Xenophobia
rosegoldrose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The relief that filled me when I closed this book for the last time is immeasurable. I swear I started to believe I'd never finish it during my lifetime.
I bought it three years ago because I suddenly remembered my friends being obsessed with the Shadowhunters franchise and wanted to learn what the fuss was about.
I had to have read the first half of the book at least three times at this point, so it went a bit easier. The world-building parts, however, felt like trudging through mud and sometimes made me put the book down for days. The chapters I enjoyed the most were definitely the ones focused on the characters and their interactions, but the pace picked up toward the end, too.
I also cannot fail to mention how annoying I found Clary in the early chapters. While I appreciate the diversity of main character personalities, she was the shining example of the "not like other girls" trope and I found myself rolling my eyes every time she'd want to slap someone for merely existing.
I figured out the plot twist midway through the book, but in a way, it helped fuel me because I just had to see if I was right.
I bought it three years ago because I suddenly remembered my friends being obsessed with the Shadowhunters franchise and wanted to learn what the fuss was about.
I had to have read the first half of the book at least three times at this point, so it went a bit easier. The world-building parts, however, felt like trudging through mud and sometimes made me put the book down for days. The chapters I enjoyed the most were definitely the ones focused on the characters and their interactions, but the pace picked up toward the end, too.
I also cannot fail to mention how annoying I found Clary in the early chapters. While I appreciate the diversity of main character personalities, she was the shining example of the "not like other girls" trope and I found myself rolling my eyes every time she'd want to slap someone for merely existing.
I figured out the plot twist midway through the book, but in a way, it helped fuel me because I just had to see if I was right.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, and Blood
Moderate: Violence and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Homophobia