wrappingpaper's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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
IM OBSESSED with this world!! So much happened in this book - I loved the introduction of the new characters and plot development and new stakes.
The last chapter was insane!? I’m obsessed and can’t wait to find out how the story resolves itself in the last book.
Overall this trilogy is great I’m so obsessed with the world building the characters the angst the twists - read this series if you haven’t already!
The last chapter was insane!? I’m obsessed and can’t wait to find out how the story resolves itself in the last book.
Overall this trilogy is great I’m so obsessed with the world building the characters the angst the twists - read this series if you haven’t already!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Toxic relationship, and Violence
emilywemily6's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I am really enjoying this series as a whole, but you can definitely tell this is a middle book in a saga where most of the book is spent in inner/external turmoil and not a lot happens in the plot. The last 100 pages blew me away and I couldn’t put it down though! This book feels necessary to introduce important characters, show character development in Alina, and set up for the final conflict in the third book, but it felt slow and was a little bit of a slog to get through. Mal got a bit annoying but as Alina understood him better I guess I did too. And I somehow have a crush on both Nicolai and the Darkling (despite everything).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War
Moderate: Grief, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bubbly_lara's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? No
4.5
In th3 second instalment of the Shadow & Bone saga, we get introduced to a new set of characters helping Alina and Mal first to support themselves in exile and then return to Ravka and fight the Darkling. We get more magical creatures (took me until I saw all covers next to each other how brilliantly the cover design ties into the story), we go back to Little Palace and are reunited with some of the Grisha we already met in the first book. I cannot wait to see ho the story unfolds and concludes in the following book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Gore, Violence, War, Medical content, Cursing, Death, and Alcoholism
brekker_by_brekker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Sexual assault
eveeneman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship
fionamatilda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Toxic relationship
toastyghosty13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
2.0
rant incoming
i found the majority of this book to be extremely boring. there were parts like when sturmhond was introduced that were interesting and exciting, but a lot of it was weird political and bureaucratic filler.
i also found the lack of real flirting and the overkill on sexual harassment to be annoying and unenjoyable. sturmhond came off as creepy, in fact most men in this book did besides tolya. at least sturmhond is still an interesting character with the fact that he is
mal
genya was
overall a pretty big disappointment for a sequel. i’m still invested in whatever the backstory is about saints and amplifiers, plus i already own the box set so i might as well finish it out. i’ve heard six of crows is a lot better thankfully so i’m holding out hope for that one.
i found the majority of this book to be extremely boring. there were parts like when sturmhond was introduced that were interesting and exciting, but a lot of it was weird political and bureaucratic filler.
i also found the lack of real flirting and the overkill on sexual harassment to be annoying and unenjoyable. sturmhond came off as creepy, in fact most men in this book did besides tolya. at least sturmhond is still an interesting character with the fact that he is
Spoiler
the prince and an infamous privateer, but his character is written as if he is a real ladies man but then defaults to being a creeper. i barely registered the fact that alina was interested in him romantically until it said she blushed at him touching her leg when she kicked him?? a weak watery lackluster attempt at enemies to lovers fit into one page.mal
Spoiler
had an existential crisis that could have been solved if he and alina had just slept together. i’m not sure what age range this book is meant to be for if there is no intimacy but one of the main characters can plunge deeply into alcoholism for a majority of the book. mal was so unbelievably jealous by 2 guys who were both repulsive in different ways, and alina should have trusted him enough to tell him the truth about her visions given the fact that they have known each other since they were children.genya was
Spoiler
done dirty imo and she would have fought for what is right, especially given that she is literally best friends with alina and would have had a much better quality of life at her side when this is all inevitably over. genya chose to follow the darkling because she wasn’t seen as a real person even though he literally gave her away as a gift to the queen. alina would never, but of course for some reason genya chooses to be on the darklings side of this war and then gets used as an object again shocker.overall a pretty big disappointment for a sequel. i’m still invested in whatever the backstory is about saints and amplifiers, plus i already own the box set so i might as well finish it out. i’ve heard six of crows is a lot better thankfully so i’m holding out hope for that one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Death, War, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Torture, Animal death, and Infidelity
lovejasmine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
like most YA trilogies the middle book is often necessary, but also ... not a lot happens between the beginning and the end
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Alcoholism, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Blood, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
veenotme's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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
3.0
Spoiler
Ahhhh echt dit boek, ik begin een beetje anti alina te worden door haar lust naar power maar gelukkig werd ze richting het einde iets beter en ik heb echt gehuild om het hele mal-alina gebeuren. En waarom eindigt elk boek met geen sprankje hoop?!! Ik ga meteen door met het derde boek lezen haha maar aan het einde van boek twee was een mini interview met de schrijfster en daar stond in dat niet iedereen het derde boek gaat overleven; als mal dood gaat overleven mijn boeken het ook niet😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Genocide
nat_pinche's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In comparison with the first book, the plot gets better as well as the characters interactions.
You can start to comprehend the characters a lot better, and it turns the reading more enjoyable.
You can start to comprehend the characters a lot better, and it turns the reading more enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, War, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting