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literaryolivia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- 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? No
4.5
i loved this book! it was so intriguing the whole way through, and i loved the concept. it was fun to watch avery and the boys solve the riddles, and i enjoyed watching avery figure out the boys’ history. towards the end, some of the confessions and discoveries didn’t have that much of an impact on me, and i feel that they weren’t built up that much. however, i sped through this book quickly and am excited for the next:)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I picked up The Inheritance Games while browsing at Barnes and Noble. I found it on the “Book Tok” section and the back cover blurb drew me in immediately. I love books that involve puzzles and mansions with secret passageways. I was a little wary of the book because I generally dislike Y.A. novels, but I decided to give it a try because it sounded so interesting.
Plot:
Plot is a hugely important part of The Inheritance Games, which sets itself up as a thriller/mystery. The buildup is well executed, with tons of layers, clues, twists, and suspicious characters. I’ve never read a mystery where the ending matches the buildup, and unfortunately The Inheritance Games was no exception. I predicted the ending pretty early in the book, which is rare for me because usually I’m not great at predicting endings. I don’t hold it against the book too much. As I mentioned, I’ve never read a book that has lived up to its build up. Additionally, the ride towards the resolution was so entertaining that my enjoyment of the book did not hinge on its ending.
Characters:
Part of what made The Inheritance Games so entertaining was a large cast of fascinating characters. Of course, since it is a Y.A. novel, many of the characters are extremely attractive teenagers. I didn’t actually mind this as much as usual because every character was interesting and well-written.
Setting:
The setting was super fun because it takes place in a GIGANTIC mansion full of puzzles, secret passageways, etc. It’s pure escapism and I loved it. I wish that Barnes had devoted a bit more description for the mansion and the rooms inside, but it was still fun to read.
Themes:
As this is an escapist Y.A. novel, there are not a ton of heavy themes in The Inheritance Games. That being said, it does explore themes of family dynamics, relationships, and power. The book offers more questions than answers, but hopefully these themes will be explored further in the next book.
Writing Style:
Jennifer Barnes writes like a seasoned author. She knows what to keep in, what to omit, and how to write characters and emotions. Her skill really pulls this book together because it makes the characters, especially Avery, seem relatable.
Conclusion:
Even though the resolution of The Inheritance Games did not live up to my hopes (although I’m not sure how it could possibly have lived up to the buildup), I still enjoyed every page of it. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Hawthorne Legacy.
Other Points:
· I really liked reading Avery’s point of view. She reacted to everything believably, and I loved that she wasn’t the “special” girl who excelled at everything. In fact, she spent most of the book feeling totally out of place and lonely.
The cover is not to my taste. I think that style (very common among Y.A. books now a days) is eye-catching, but ultimately a bit tacky.
The cover is not to my taste. I think that style (very common among Y.A. books now a days) is eye-catching, but ultimately a bit tacky.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gun violence
Minor: Chronic illness, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
aimeal815's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.5
This book was very captivating and continuously enjoyable. The characters are flawed but likeable, and the element of mystery keeps you on your toes. You feel that the only character you can truly trust is Avery, who we are experiencing the story through, and that anybody else can have malevolent intentions. Regardless, the characters have a way of making the reader like them at least a little bit. I literally couldn’t put the book down (I started it before bed and stayed awake all night to finish it). Fans of mystery will pick up on allusions to other famous works (most notable for me was Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca”). Also, if you’re a fan of the movie Knives Out, you’ll love this book. Took a half a point off just because it could sometimes get a bit confusing with all the different characters and things going on, but I loved this book regardless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Infertility
Most representations of these triggers are pretty mild, but note that death is a common theme throughout when it comes to multiple characters. Also, there is a pretty big emphasis on an emotionally and physically abusive significant other, so readers should be wary of that.erovelo's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Infertility, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racism
lilandraws's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
A very fun read! It's not new or spectacular but boy was it fun. The main character, Avery, is brilliant and no nonsense. The Hawthorne brothers and family are a MESS, phew. They're all problematic and that's ok, we all are. Xander is my fave and I wish we saw more of his friendship with Avery.
I wish there was more female friendships and relationships. And I wish Avery was less horny (or allosexual, i guess) omg, we know his eyes are silver pools and we know he's got a scar across his firm torso and she's so aware of the proximity of their bodies like girl ! okay ! focus !!! I'm sure there are other issues but damn, that's what really bothered me because we cannot take a break from it. Also, the love triangle was blergh; I know it's there to keep things spicy but Grayson was so annoying, I wish he was just a side character rather than a potential love interest.
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Been compared to Knives Out, I haven't seen the movie but the concept checks out
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