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stormeno's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
deerlybeloved's review against another edition
- 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
You'll be on the edge of your seat, wanting more, and desperate to see how it all pans out for our beloved characters by the end of it.
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Inej, one of the main characters, has a backstory HEAVILY rooted in discussion of pedophilia, child trafficking, sex trafficking, slavery, sexual slavery, rape, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and so much more. While handled with beautiful tact and insight, the depictions of flashbacks and Inej's feelings of these things can comfort survivors of similar things as much as it destroys us. Go with caution. As well, religious bigotry, ableism, trauma, emotional neglect, horrid things happening to children, war, racial fetishization, and so much more is dealt with in tactful ways, but ever presently used as reminders that the world is as imperfect and dark as it is beautiful.ghostlyprince's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War
mxbluet18's review against another edition
- 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
alcohol consumption and recreational drug use; drugging without consent; forced and coerced drug dependency. As well as implied panic attacks and nightmares; implied coerced suicide; blood and gore depiction, graphic physical injuries, emesis, medical experimentation, dead bodies, plague, body modifications (with consent).
Grief depiction and death of a father, brother, family and friend; murder, attempted murder, physical assault, knife and gun violence, torture, strangulation, explosions. Kidnapping, drowning.
☆
☆
Realistically I picked this up three days ago and finished it in the early hours. Once I started it I didn't really put it down. It's a duology that's been sitting on my TBR list for a while, as was the Shadow and Bone series, and it took a while for me to get to them, which is something I regret. My friend recommended them to me a while ago, and I understand why they did now. I even sent them a message while I was reading saying that I understand the pull of Kaz Brekker now.
~
One thing that really stood out to me was the amount of representation in this. Both in terms of sexuality and disability and neurodivergency. There's a bisexual character and a gay character.
And Kaz walks with a cane because of a severe limp and chronic pain, as well as the leather gloves he always wears, which is somewhat discussed as being because of trauma and a resulting aversion to touch, he the flashbacks and fainting he experiences are potentially the result of PTSD from childhood trauma. And while it's not actually confirmed in the books, the descriptions make it fairly plain that Jesper probably has ADHD. He also has a gambling addiction.
~
Two other things I feel the book does really well, and I feel are written very well is flesh out the characters, give them a really rich backstory, but make their motives subtle but clear. Like for Kaz, he clearly has a reason for persuing Pekka Rollins, and his childhood was explained in segments. But it's left to the reader to connect those dots because nothing is explicitly stated.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism and Bullying
aliyachaudhry's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism
maya_venkatesh36's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Trafficking
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
lu_debord's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Slavery, and War
yliana's review against another edition
- 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
this book was so amazing, I can't believe it took me this long to get around to it. I loved the shadow and bone show and the crows scenes were my absolute favorites so I was beyond excited to finally read this book. Leigh bardugo is so great for how she was able to write the tense fight and heist scenes in a way that made me feel like I was watching a movie. my heart was pounding every time.
I was completely invested in this story and every time I had to stop reading to do something else, I had brain fog because of how engrossed (only word I can think of) in it. it felt like I was with the characters and I love that feeling when reading a book.
even though I know I wouldn't last a day in ketterdam, it really does feel like home. now I have to go find some ketterdam ambience videos on YouTube lmfao
and HELLO!? kaz is just so amazing in every way, even with his faults. obviously I can't speak for anyone who actually have touch aversion but it seemed to me like it was written very well, especially with how conflicted he felt with his feelings for Inej. he is just so badass and attractive for no reason. he went through so much as a kid and it's really hard seeing how quickly he had to grow up and that he's essentially turned into a bit of a monster just to survive. I hope he has a happy ending, whatever that looks like for him.
Inej is my absolute favorite character other than kaz. she has overcome so much shit in her life and I really admire how she sticks to her faith through it all. I think it adds a lot of depth to her character that she commits all of these violent acts that directly go against her beliefs yet still keeps her faith in them. she's also just so cool and I would love to be friends with her T-T
quick notes:
Nina and Matthias? chef's kiss
Jesper and wylan? their banter is everything and I'm so excited to see them portrayed in the next season of shadow and bone
Jesper and kaz? I can't wait to see more of them in crooked kingdom and I really hope that Jesper is able to regain kaz's trust
this book is genuinely one of the best I've read this year and I'm not excited to have to say goodbye to the crows in crooked kingdom T-T
Graphic: Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism
soph22's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
perhappiness's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia