Reviews with content warning for Violence - Four Keys: Die Stadt im Schatten

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Four Keys: Die Stadt im Schatten by C.L. Herman

5 reviews

katdotniche's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

After having really enjoyed one of the author's other books, I spent ages trying to find this in bookstores. It was definitely worth the effort, I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. All the characters were incredibly sympathetic, although I do have to say that I wasn't really a fan of the author's attempt to weave in a slightly complicated love square, I do think that having one relationship would have been enough, and the rest remaining friends. This is the first of two (I think there's only two) and if I had had the second book when I finished reading this, I think I would have started reading it immediately, unfortunately I did not and so I will have to find it at a later date. I really hope that Isaac's story is more explored in the second book, as his lack of development was a little disappointing.

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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I have had this book on my radar since its release in 2019. I kept putting it off because I had heard very okay reviews about it, but I finally decided October was the perfect time to give it a chance.
"The Devouring Gray" follows a young girl, Violet Saunders. She has been uprooted from her wonderful life and transplanted to a new town called Four Paths. She has little expectations that she will fit in with her new classmates, but her presence is made more difficult because she is a descendant from one of the town's founders. When she meets the other children that have descended from town founders, she wonders whether the town is right to be wary of them. But when things start to go awry in the woods, the children have to ban together to get to the bottom of these nefarious acts.
I though this story was very okay overall. I think the book is highly atmospheric, and you want to root for the characters and see them succeed, but the story felt dry to me. I was not invested in the plot, and I was struggling to truly care what was happening. I did start to enjoy it more towards the end when there was more happening and big reveals, but overall, it was a story I forgot about as soon as I finished. I am giving it three stars though because I LOVED the setting.
I think this book is well-written and the story has potential, but it was just not for me.

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