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rubes_reads_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Blood, and Abandonment
innastholiel's review against another edition
I really don't need or want to read about a teenage boy being tortured while waxing poetic about his deadbeat dad. One I might've been able to deal with, but both is just too much. I've read the plot synopsis for this and the two other books and tbh I don't think I'll get much out of finishing this book or reading the other two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
abception's review against another edition
5.0
Half Bad follows a 'half code' with both White Witch and Black Witch heritage, Nathan Byrn. White witches are considered good and pure, whereas Black witches are seen as cruel and vicious by nature. But through the lens of Nathan, we see that the opposite can be true: Black witches like Gabriel are shown in a favourable light, capable of love and sincerity, trustworthy; White witches, however, are seen as cruel and vicious as they persecute Nathan.
Usually urban fantasies like Half Bad follow a protagonist as they go on a quest or adventure, but Half Bad literally just shows Nathan as he tries to survive to his 17th birthday - on which he will receive his 'three gifts' and be able to protect himself sufficiently, he hopes, from those who want to torture him, abuse him, and manipulate him into tracking and killing his father.
Half Bad grabbed my attention right from the opening chapters - it's written in second person, which really helped me identify with Nathan from the beginning as it put me in his shoes. Half Bad really sheds light on human persecution (racism, sexism, etc.) through the persecution of all Black Witches; while the deaths of White Witches occur seemingly only out of self-defense when attacking Black Witches.
Usually urban fantasies like Half Bad follow a protagonist as they go on a quest or adventure, but Half Bad literally just shows Nathan as he tries to survive to his 17th birthday - on which he will receive his 'three gifts' and be able to protect himself sufficiently, he hopes, from those who want to torture him, abuse him, and manipulate him into tracking and killing his father.
Half Bad grabbed my attention right from the opening chapters - it's written in second person, which really helped me identify with Nathan from the beginning as it put me in his shoes. Half Bad really sheds light on human persecution (racism, sexism, etc.) through the persecution of all Black Witches; while the deaths of White Witches occur seemingly only out of self-defense when attacking Black Witches.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Child abuse
cherryblossomreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is definitely a "first in the series" filled with questions and fewer answers. Nathan is very hard to not care for and even at his worst I just wish him happiness.
The plot moves slowly in this one, but I do not mean this as a bad thing. It gives the reader time to get to know the characters.
The magic seems realistic and is so subtly described I believe it exists somewhere. I love this about it.
When the book ends you definitely need to pick up the next - if not for the plot, then for Nathan.
The plot moves slowly in this one, but I do not mean this as a bad thing. It gives the reader time to get to know the characters.
The magic seems realistic and is so subtly described I believe it exists somewhere. I love this about it.
When the book ends you definitely need to pick up the next - if not for the plot, then for Nathan.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Kidnapping