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bookishfoxes's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have to say I'm very disappointed. I went into this thinking I would love it. There was no doubt about it, it felt like a fact. Roses are usually red, my cat is a lovable idiot, and I will like Holly Black's books. Sadly, this was not the case.
I could've known this was a possibility. While I absolutely adored the folk of the air series (minus the lost sister novella, yikes that one) and enjoyed the first book on the middle grade series Black has written with Cassandra Clare, I was also deeply disappointed with the Spiderwick Chronicles. But I just thought it would be a one time thing - 2 if you count the TFOTA novella.
As soon as I started this book, I disliked the main character. And, ok, she got a tiny bit better by the end. But honestly? I didn't care for anyone but Roiben. I kept on reading because I am not about to DNF a Holly Black book.
And, yeah, it took a long time for me to get into it, but eventually I did a bit. Because even though it felt rushed and downright sloppy, Black's writing is still pretty addictive. And as I said before, I did quite like Roiben. I think if it wasn't for him this would've been two stars.
At the end, I don't know how to feel about this. I wouldn't put it on any recommendations posts. But I don't hate it as much anymore as I did the first 100-ish pages.
As for the rest of the series? Who knows. Since I was so sure I'd love this, I had already bought the sequel. Maybe I'll give it a chance some day so my money was at least worth something. But maybe once I started reading other books, this will slip from my mind and I'll never find myself interested to dive into this series again.
I'm glad that this was released in, what, early 00s? Because I very much enjoying TFOTA and that shows that Holly Black's writing has improved a lot since then, meaning I won't be scared off from her recent books.
I'm hoping to read the TFOTA spin off series this year, or at least the first one, because now I've read 2 books by this author and both are rated badly.
I could've known this was a possibility. While I absolutely adored the folk of the air series (minus the lost sister novella, yikes that one) and enjoyed the first book on the middle grade series Black has written with Cassandra Clare, I was also deeply disappointed with the Spiderwick Chronicles. But I just thought it would be a one time thing - 2 if you count the TFOTA novella.
As soon as I started this book, I disliked the main character. And, ok, she got a tiny bit better by the end. But honestly? I didn't care for anyone but Roiben. I kept on reading because I am not about to DNF a Holly Black book.
And, yeah, it took a long time for me to get into it, but eventually I did a bit. Because even though it felt rushed and downright sloppy, Black's writing is still pretty addictive. And as I said before, I did quite like Roiben. I think if it wasn't for him this would've been two stars.
At the end, I don't know how to feel about this. I wouldn't put it on any recommendations posts. But I don't hate it as much anymore as I did the first 100-ish pages.
As for the rest of the series? Who knows. Since I was so sure I'd love this, I had already bought the sequel. Maybe I'll give it a chance some day so my money was at least worth something. But maybe once I started reading other books, this will slip from my mind and I'll never find myself interested to dive into this series again.
I'm glad that this was released in, what, early 00s? Because I very much enjoying TFOTA and that shows that Holly Black's writing has improved a lot since then, meaning I won't be scared off from her recent books.
I'm hoping to read the TFOTA spin off series this year, or at least the first one, because now I've read 2 books by this author and both are rated badly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Murder, and Abandonment
rory18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
triphena's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gore and Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug use and Kidnapping
sop17hie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I didn't remember a lot of these characters from the Cruel Prince series, and that was a good thing because it would have spoilt it.
Slow going at first with depressing teenage life.
Slow going at first with depressing teenage life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Vomit, and Murder
hullomoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
3.75
I haven't read the book since I was in high school and it held up better then I expected. The plot was engaging and I appreciated how the main characters have depth and aren't one-note instantly lovable people
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use and Racism
ceruleanshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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? It's complicated
4.5
“If curiosity killed the cat, it was satisfaction that brought it back.”
the unseelie court makes the greenbriar family look downright laidback.
You can break a thing, but you cannot always guide it afterward into the shape you want.
written about 10 years before the folk of the air, i can definitely see holly black's growth as a writer. though i like tfota more, i still really enjoyed tithe! more of a contemporary urban fantasy setting (a major portion is in human side of new jersey lol) there was more brutality to this one imo bc of the faeries proximity to humans and the general nature of the unseelie court.
“Just so you know, I trust you.”
“You shouldn’t,” he said automatically. Nevertheless, he found himself no longer wanting to punish her for her faith in him. Instead, he found himself wanting to be worthy of it. He wanted to be the knight he had once been. Just for a moment.
as always, i love holly's protagonist kaye and the tortured knight lord roiben rath rye (say that three times fast). i also really enjoy corny and can't wait to see what happens next with his character 👀
“Kiss my ass, Rath Roiben Rye.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping
creatureof_nature's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Alcohol
Moderate: Kidnapping
michaelat21's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book was much better starting half way through the book. The beginning was very slow and it was hard at times to know what was going on. I also got flustered with some of the characters dialects.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, and Death
sassper17's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use
blackcoffeebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder