bergha1998's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
3.75
That cliffhanger should be illegal, go into this book knowing you’ll need to start the next one soon after. Séverin still pissed me off in this one, but the other main characters are top tier. The more treasure hunting/Indiana Jones vibe was so fun in this book. I liked the plot just a tad bit more than the first one. Can’t wait to see where the story goes.
Treasure Hunt, Romance Subplots, Diverse Characters, 1 🔥
“He wanted someone who would enter a room and look for him first, to behold him as though the secrets of the world lay somewhere in his gaze, to finish his sentences.”
“When a man cannot see a person as a person, then the devil has slipped into him and is peering out of his eyes.”
“I envy you because you can look at yourself. You can bear your own reflection, knowing you can shoulder the weight of every choice you made and regret you carry. That is a rare thing as one gets older.”
“Gods burned cities and spared a child. Gods put gold in the palms of the wicked and left that miserable currency of hope in the hearts of the good.”
Treasure Hunt, Romance Subplots, Diverse Characters, 1 🔥
“He wanted someone who would enter a room and look for him first, to behold him as though the secrets of the world lay somewhere in his gaze, to finish his sentences.”
“When a man cannot see a person as a person, then the devil has slipped into him and is peering out of his eyes.”
“I envy you because you can look at yourself. You can bear your own reflection, knowing you can shoulder the weight of every choice you made and regret you carry. That is a rare thing as one gets older.”
“Gods burned cities and spared a child. Gods put gold in the palms of the wicked and left that miserable currency of hope in the hearts of the good.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Grief, Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia
aseel_reads's review
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
3.0
I'm so disappointed in this book, I loved the first one, during the first read, and I still liked it during the second reread but this one made no sense. It got interested in the last 60 pages but even then, the last few chapters were meh. I don't like the arc of severin, it barely made any logical sense, and I just really didn't see the world unfolding like it did. It was also quite confusing at times, the sentences/action sequences didn't always follow each other. Only person I truly love is zofia
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, and Xenophobia
ddnreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
What the actual fuxk I'm obsessed
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, and Grief
moonlightreads007's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
4.75
I definitely needed some time to digest this one after that ending - oh god, that ending... 😭😭😭
Overall, I found this book to be much more action-packed compared with the previous one in the series - in the first book, the author was clearly providing background information and setting the stage for the events that would folllow. The beginning of this second book in the series was very engaging, and I found that the author was able to maintain suspense throughout. I love how the characters grow closer to one another, and their character development is readily observable (with the exception of Sévérin - I really didn't like his behaviour in this book tbh). The middle and ending parts were full of adventure, investigations, action and peril. The descriptions are exceptionally intricate and detailed; the story progression and plot are very well developed and organized. Be warned, the ending gets really dark (no spoilers this time though, I promise). Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who liked "The Gilded Wolves" and other similar books with themes of adventure, danger, friendships and mystery.
Overall, I found this book to be much more action-packed compared with the previous one in the series - in the first book, the author was clearly providing background information and setting the stage for the events that would folllow. The beginning of this second book in the series was very engaging, and I found that the author was able to maintain suspense throughout. I love how the characters grow closer to one another, and their character development is readily observable (with the exception of Sévérin - I really didn't like his behaviour in this book tbh). The middle and ending parts were full of adventure, investigations, action and peril. The descriptions are exceptionally intricate and detailed; the story progression and plot are very well developed and organized. Be warned, the ending gets really dark (no spoilers this time though, I promise). Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who liked "The Gilded Wolves" and other similar books with themes of adventure, danger, friendships and mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Antisemitism and Racism
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
setakona's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
This getting darker, heavier and grimmer than the first book as all the characters undergo a very difficult time in their lives, both mentally and physically. They all deal with it in completely different ways as they try to grow from their last experiences, still true to their own characters and what they choose to do with those emotions.
This book also full of angst and heartwrenching lines, I found myself waiting for the next heartache, even for betrayal.
“Love does not always wear the face we wish. I wish my love had been more beautiful. I wish...I wish we had more time.”
‘Love did not always wear the face one wished it would. Sometimes it looked down monstrous.’
‘Remember what you mean to me, thought Séverin, as he ignored Laila’s pleading and walked away from her, the weapon of her destruction tucked under his arm. Remember that I am your Majnun.’
I had love-hate relationship with Séverin this time. I love Laila and I wish her to be happy.
I fell in love more with Zofia, she’s so underrated and deserves so much love. :( Enrique... I *still* love his character the most.
Enrique and Zofia character development was the best thing in this book, as you can see their beautiful growth. ‹𝟹
Hypnos, I'M SORRY BUT sometimes I really get annoyed with him.
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger and chaotic, and I DESPERATELY need to know what happens next BUT——I AM NOT YET READY...
This book also full of angst and heartwrenching lines, I found myself waiting for the next heartache, even for betrayal.
“Love does not always wear the face we wish. I wish my love had been more beautiful. I wish...I wish we had more time.”
‘Love did not always wear the face one wished it would. Sometimes it looked down monstrous.’
‘Remember what you mean to me, thought Séverin, as he ignored Laila’s pleading and walked away from her, the weapon of her destruction tucked under his arm. Remember that I am your Majnun.’
I had love-hate relationship with Séverin this time. I love Laila and I wish her to be happy.
I fell in love more with Zofia, she’s so underrated and deserves so much love. :( Enrique... I *still* love his character the most.
Enrique and Zofia character development was the best thing in this book, as you can see their beautiful growth. ‹𝟹
Hypnos, I'M SORRY BUT sometimes I really get annoyed with him.
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger and chaotic, and I DESPERATELY need to know what happens next BUT——I AM NOT YET READY...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Grief
freya_alex123's review
adventurous
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Antisemitism, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Car accident, Misogyny, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Drug use, and Xenophobia
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-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: Torture, Religious bigotry, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Hate crime, Grief, Death, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Colonisation, Body horror, Antisemitism, Blood, Gore, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Genocide, and Sexual content
erin_mh362's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I love this series so much. The plot, the characters, just everything about it is so good.
I will say that this one was made me a little annoyed at times, because some of the characters were being insanely annoying (cough Séverin and Hypnos cough); I understand why they were acting the way they did but I still wanted to throw the book a few times.
Other than the annoying characters I really enjoyed this one, it was very twisty and fun when people weren’t dying/ having brushes with death
I don’t currently have the next book but I need it right now because that was one heck of a cliffhanger
I will say that this one was made me a little annoyed at times, because some of the characters were being insanely annoying (cough Séverin and Hypnos cough); I understand why they were acting the way they did but I still wanted to throw the book a few times.
Other than the annoying characters I really enjoyed this one, it was very twisty and fun when people weren’t dying/ having brushes with death
I don’t currently have the next book but I need it right now because that was one heck of a cliffhanger
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death and Antisemitism
Minor: Infertility
blueberry0531's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Antisemitism
readingthroughinfinity's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I read the Gilded Wolves in 2019 and I deserve, quite frankly, to step on lego for not having read the sequel until THREE years later. Three years? For shame.
Anyway, I finally listened to it on audio and, although it was missing some of the panache and energy of the first book, I did enjoy it. I really liked the found family vibes of book one, so I was happy to the group back together for another quest, but it was sad to see Séverin so emotionally removed from everyone else.
Roshani Chokshi really said, I see you were invested in the romances from book one, well here's nothing but pain in book two. Laila and Enrique, my queen and my soft cinnamon roll, I'm so sorry you both deserved better. I also felt like the plot wasn't always clearly narrated, but this might just be because I was listening to the audiobook. Curious to see how book three ends the trilogy!
Content warnings for parental abandonment, grief and mentions of a past death, violence, internalised ableism, prejudice towards sex workers, mentions of antisemitism.
Anyway, I finally listened to it on audio and, although it was missing some of the panache and energy of the first book, I did enjoy it. I really liked the found family vibes of book one, so I was happy to the group back together for another quest, but it was sad to see Séverin so emotionally removed from everyone else.
Roshani Chokshi really said, I see you were invested in the romances from book one, well here's nothing but pain in book two. Laila and Enrique, my queen and my soft cinnamon roll, I'm so sorry you both deserved better. I also felt like the plot wasn't always clearly narrated, but this might just be because I was listening to the audiobook. Curious to see how book three ends the trilogy!
Content warnings for parental abandonment, grief and mentions of a past death, violence, internalised ableism, prejudice towards sex workers, mentions of antisemitism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Ableism, and Abandonment
Minor: Antisemitism, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail