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leexpen'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? Yes
4.75
I love you to Hell and back. Immersed in a world of occult magic, Alex vows to return her mentor from Hell with the help of her friends and a magical gift that is hers alone.
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ππ» RECOMMENDATION:
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π¬ FAVORITE QUOTES:
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π COMMENTS:
β’ Um, this is a sequel? LOL I jumped in here, and it works fine.
β’ In the contemporary fantasy setting, Bardugo captures the dark academic aesthetic well. When it comes to the real-life setting, the northeast and California are believable (but I haven't spent enough time in Connecticut specifically to judge that). The magic system is convoluted, but the loose logic does fall apart at the end.
β’ The characters are complex, three-dimensional, and flawed. Their races and genders influence them in meaningful ways. Some are more lovable than others, but they are all understandable. Mercy & Turner are my personal favorites! The antagonists are rounded, too.
β’ Apt imagery and metaphors flow into the prose. There's plenty to dissect if that's your thing. (It's mine!) I'd love to see it on the page, particulaely to see the tome excerpts.
β’ Why did they switch audiobook narrators so late into the story? It was jarring, and it pulled me out of the story! The character's voice is defined, but I also hate it. It adds nothing to the story. Overall, Part Two lags.
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Self harm, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Colonisation
prairieraven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
andra_mihaela_s's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.25
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty
suchsweetsorrow89's review against another edition
- 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
there are some specific things within this that I will spoil below, but all in all, I think this is a really fun read when you're looking to pass the time. in addition, I think the serious moments and reflections in this book are really stunning and you can tell how much leigh as evolved as a writer, philosopher, and world-builder.
- I would have liked to see more of dawes' backstory! while alex's story is special, it's also the story we have heard before. I thought one of the strongest aspects of ninth house was darlington's story, and I would have loved something similar for dawes, especially since she plays a more prominent role.
- on that note on darlington, I wish there were more of him. while I understand that's the 'point', I thought he fell way flatter than usual in his own thoughts and in his interactions with everyone after being rescued. it really did feel like he took more of a secondary/unnecessary role after his rescue, and it left me feeling uncomfortable in the wrong way (almost like it was defamation to all that his character was built up to be in the first book). I'm also not really buying that he would just surrender to alex, to his role, and to lethe as easily as he did.
- the twist was... just fine. maybe it's because I'm older, but I thought that this twist was a bit more expected than the first and just was not a page-turner in the way the other was.
- unfortunately, the ending did not make me really excited for the third book, since this new plotline just felt like a weird grab all while the one for the first book just made more sense? idk idk
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Vomit, Police brutality, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, and Police brutality
krisalexcole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
2.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt
ardhyahayu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Cannibalism
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, and Sexual harassment
Detail on nudityem_of_swags'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
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body shaming, Slavery, and Police brutality
samanthal37's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming