Reviews tagging 'Pandemic/Epidemic'

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

43 reviews

renewed_reader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Pandemic/Epidemic

hihicass's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mckiheather's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Slavery, Trafficking, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic

marysunburn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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? Yes

4.25

This book was  fun, very tense, full of beautiful vivid descriptions and breath-taking fight scenes. It created a world that twists the flaws of our own, yet mirrors them closely, and a lovable cast. 
However, I refuse to engage further with Leigh Bardugo after her shifty declarations about the genocide of the Palestinian people, so this is my send-off message to her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

both the female leads are survivors of sex work, one of them – Romani-coded – was kidnapped and trafficked by "slavers" and exotified at her former brothel. One of the male leads is murdered by a fanatical ex-brother-in-arms. One of the plot points involves fabricating a deadly and contagious disease. One of the male leads is dyslexic and hated by his father for it; his mother was institutionalized in an isolated institution and presumably drugged. One of the male leads is a gunslinger and he prominently displays this ability. The main plot of the story involves members of a street gang organizing a heist against rich merchants. One of the female leads has taken a powerful drug in the previous novel, and is seen fighting addiction and withdrawal. One of the male leads is triggered by close skin-to-skin contact due to a traumatic event in his past involving a pandemic and the death of his brother, and there's a lot of vivid descriptions of it.

angelo_vossen's review against another edition

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

4.5

"Crooked Kingdom" by Leigh Bardugo is a remarkable sequel that expands upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, "Six of Crows." Set in the gritty and vibrant world of Ketterdam, Bardugo delves even deeper into the lives of Kaz Brekker and his crew of misfits as they navigate the treacherous waters of power, betrayal, and redemption.

One of the most striking aspects of "Crooked Kingdom" is Bardugo's ability to craft a complex and multi-layered narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The plot is intricately constructed, filled with unexpected twists and turns that constantly challenge the characters and push the story forward. This is once again accomplished by changing between the protagonists’ points of view each chapter - and finally I got Wylan’s perspective as asked for in my review of „Six of Crows“! From elaborate heists to political intrigue, the novel is a masterclass in storytelling, seamlessly blending action, suspense, and emotional depth.

Central to the success of "Crooked Kingdom" are its richly drawn characters, each with their own distinct personalities, motivations, and flaws. Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias are more than just members of a heist crew; they are fully realized individuals with their own pasts and desires. Bardugo deftly explores their relationships and internal struggles, allowing readers to empathize with them even as they grapple with their own demons.

Moreover, the world-building in "Crooked Kingdom" is nothing short of extraordinary. Bardugo paints a vivid picture of Ketterdam, a city teeming with crime, corruption, and inequality. From the bustling streets of the Barrel to the opulent halls of the Merchant Council, the setting feels alive and immersive, providing the perfect backdrop for the story's unfolding drama.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of "Crooked Kingdom" is its exploration of themes such as friendship, loyalty, and the nature of power. As the characters confront their pasts and wrestle with their own morality, they are forced to confront difficult questions about who they are and what they believe in. In doing so, they undergo profound transformations that are both heart-wrenching and inspiring to witness. Bardugo weaves in backstories effortlessly jumping between past and present without it ever feeling out of place.

Compared to the first book in this duology, I found that for my liking at times it felt like too much was going on in the plot simultaneously. It was not impossible to follow the story line, but sometimes it felt slightly overwhelming.

Additionally, I wonder why it was necessary for Matthias to die in the end. Same as Jesper, I was convinced that all six of my beloved protagonists would make it out alive. I get that for aspects of realism one of the characters met death, but in this case it felt kind of random and was not necessary for the story to come together in my opinion. Maybe this was setting up another story? I might have to wait and see.

I was shattered once I realized that there was a sequel to „Shadow and Bone“ (a show based on a trilogy by Bardugo set in the same universe) planned to cover the story told in „Six of Crows“. Such a tease. I really wish that I would have the chance to watch this story being brought to life on TV. But alas, isn‘t that always the way it goes with shows being cancelled before having been able to tell the entire story?

In conclusion, "Crooked Kingdom" is a stunning achievement that solidifies Leigh Bardugo's status as one of the preeminent voices in fantasy literature today. With its gripping plot, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes, it is a book that will stay with readers long after they have turned the final page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Gun violence

Minor: Slavery, Torture, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic

thenoboshow's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

aino_maria23's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War

ahsirgverse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, and Violence

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

david_slack110507's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.5

I had an awful reading slump whilst reading this book and I feel like that may have affected my rating for this book (Even though I am giving it 5 stars, it is more of a just about 4.5 stars because of the reading slump and the reading slump only type of situation) but even with that I still majorly enjoyed this and my reading experience cemented the Grishaverse series and particularly the Six of Crows duology as some of my favourite series of books. If I had been more consistent with reading I would have liked Crooked Kingdom even more than I already do. 

I absolutely love the Crows and their dynamics with one another. It expanded on them even more from Six of Crows, particularly with the relationships of Kaz and Inej, Jesper and Wylan, Jesper and Kaz, Nina and Inej etc. It was so fun seeing all of the characters continue to flourish and to expand upon their already established relationships as well as build new ones and it was one of the main things that kept me coming back even with my reading slump in full force. I liked the endings we got for our Crows as they felt both satisfying and open-ended enough to allow for a sequel or for them to show up in other stories like Nina in the King of Scars duology. 

The plot, while I don't think I loved it as much as the Ice Court heist, was still very interesting and was not what I expected going off of the ending of Six of Crows and where this book started off as the plot twists felt cleverly planned out and implemented without feeling like they were done to simply progress the story lazily. The last part of the book - Part 6: Action & Echo - was extremely interesting and one of my favourite parts of the boom because the chaos flowed very nicely to make it an unpredictable, fun, and memorable reading experience. Matthias' death was unexpected and while it wasn't extremely emotional for me as Matthias is one of my lesser favourite Crows (though I do still really like him as a character), it was still effectively done and I'm interested in seeing how this will affect Nina's story going into King of Scars. 

Overall, I really liked this book and while I do feel like reading this through a reading slump affected my opinion on the book, though to no fault of the book, I think it was very successful and met my expectations on how to end this duology yet left it in an interesting place to open up into another book to make it a trilogy, which I would not be totally against. I'm most likely going to continue on with my Grishaverse binge and read Nikolai's duology with Zoya and Nina, King of Scars, next as well as hopefully soon rewatch season 1 of Shadow and Bone as well as finally watch season 2 for the first time as I've been waiting until I finished this book as I have been unsure whether or not they included elements of this and Six of Crows into season 2 or not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Vomit, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism