Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

32 reviews

nicamooch's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious slow-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

4.0

This book was far too slow for me for the first 30% (I felt like I was fighting to get through it) but I got invested when Blue and Gansey (finally) properly met 😂

I’m not typically one for slow paced character driven books but there’s a quirky feel to this book and its characters that all ended up growing on me. The character development and their relationships with each other were interesting (especially Adam and Gansey’s 😭). 

I also can’t remember the last time I got a little spooked by a book either! The Chapter 28 twist reveal was so good 🥲

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Violence, Vomit, Ableism, and Classism

jenarae's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Upon reread I find myself even more in love with this book than I was initially. Objectively, I can see the flaws in it (particularly, as many others have noted, the plot leaves something to be desired); however, this book (and the series as a whole) hits on so many of my specific loves (sentient forests, found family, matriarchal family structures, lyrical writing, creepy little towns etc...) that those flaws don't really bother me. I love this world and these characters so much, and I'm so excited to continue my reread of the series and finally get to the spin off.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Kidnapping, Classism, and Cursing

Minor: Suicide and Death of parent

mandaraffe's review against another edition

mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Murder, Violence, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Vomit, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Grief

wellintendedbibliophile's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed the book both times I read it, but the characters aren’t always easy to connect with and the plot is slow to pick up. Much of the action happens near the end of the book and what happens before seems to be building up backstory for later books as it the author was less interested in telling a whole story so much as setting up an interesting enough cliffhanger to sell her next book.

It’s sad that my favorite character is dead and doesn’t actually have much of a personality aside from being dead.

There is an interesting section where one character deals with trauma that feels realistic, but is also unsettling in how the character is not able to fully come to terms with it in the first book. I can’t remember if it was addressed in the sequel. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Child abuse

Minor: Kidnapping and Violence

emily_reads09's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood, Eating disorder, Vomit, Self harm, Medical content, and Kidnapping

fromjuliereads's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I know that so many people like this book so I almost feel bad for not liking it... but it just really didn't work for me in so many ways. I'm not going to get into all the reasons, but I'll just say I think character development was lacking for me and I the writing style didn't work for me.

I think the one thing I was surprised by is I have seen ZERO mention of the super problematic line where a spice used in curry is compared to the smell of a dead person's feet!?!?! Like excuse me!?!?! That completely turned me off from the story cause it just seemed overtly wrong and problematic... 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

grimmdark's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

i enjoyed myself enormously. head over heels!! the characters, the prose, the universe, the characters, the plot, the CHARACTERS

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Medical content, Stalking, and Toxic friendship

lindseyrenee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I very much enjoyed this and am ready to dive into book 2. I’m a big fan of multi POV, so being able to see the big picture while watching the characters unravel what is happening was a lot of fun. There were a few times when I actually gasped - no spoilers - but I liked the resolution that came with Noah. I’m excited to see how the story progresses throughout the series!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

julesloyola's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious relaxing fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol