Scan barcode
lauramparis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
jaja_1212's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, and Abandonment
lisa_m's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I like the mystery aspect of it and also the reveal at the end! The whole revenge aspect of it was quite satisfying to read about as well.
This book wasn't the most fun time but it was definitely entertaining. And I think especially people who like their books a bit more brutal will like this.
I do have to say that I am quite confused by the worldbuilding still. I don't quite understand what exactly it is that shadows do and what they are? Also the magical powers seemed quite random. You can just do what you want? Also what are Cabal and Carapace and all those important people? Why do you need a Hierophant? Why did no one check if the Shadow took over?
Well anyways I have loads of questions and I really hope they will get resolved in book 2. (Oh and I hope it's a Duology because I feel like the story should have been a standalone and I hope it won't just be stretched out..
I think mainly what I didn't like where the flashbacks. Not because they were bad but because I didn't like the things that happened. It was great because that way we got to get to know the characters but still.
I really dislike Charlie's mum and I have to say I don't particularly like her sister either.. I did really like Vincent though but oh well hahah
The ending was great though. I saw a few things coming but definitely not all of them! If I could I would start reading the second book immediately! So I'm absolutely going to pick it up when it comes out :)
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Self harm, and Violence
readwithria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really wasn’t vining with the writing style for the first 70-80% of this book, but the climactic scenes were quite a wild ride. With books this short I usually with there had been more, but with Book of Night I actually think it could have been shorter. The beginning really dragged, the main plot didn’t seem to start until about 50% of the way through the book, and the magic system doesn’t really get explored until even later. The concept is cool, but the execution was lacking.
I will likely read the sequel from the library, but this book won’t be getting added to my personal collection. 3 stars.
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation
kayladaila's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Death of parent
maregred's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Blood, Alcohol, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Drug use
Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Abandonment
katvou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Child death, Alcohol, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content and Gun violence
sauvageloup's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
pros:
- the magic!!! i haven't read a book (that i remember) with shadow magic in it and i loved the whole thing. the alterationists, quickened shadows, the way the magic became known to the general public through the internet, etc. all of it :D
- Charlie. She's such a mess but she never really means badly by it and I loved how there's the reveal at the end how's she's been holding herself back because she's been afraid of what happens when she really tries. Her nickname of the Charlatan, her past with Rand, her really grey morality but still being loyal and good at heart, as well as her proud sexuality and her relationship with Vince - she doesn't realise how much she likes him and they've kept so many secrets, and yet they're both totally dedicated to the other and i loved that :)
- all the other characters!! Vince was amazing
- Salt was such a good villain too, and Charlie's horror story past of meeting him first was so well done and creepy, because she was so young and relatively defenseless then, but still managed to keep her wits. she's such a survivor :)
- i definitely felt the similarity between BoN and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. There's no dark academia, but the main characters are both 'not on their first mistake, but maybe their last' (as Black put it), a bit older, survivors and smart but jaded and making bad mistakes. there were strong resonances in the magic too, even though it's entirely different, there's the same wild danger of it and not quite knowing how it actually works or how the magic arises/the shadow is quickened. And there was a similar complex, mystery-based plot where both had too many names and was a bit confusing. but i loved both books all the same, and that type of tired-but-fierce female MC who is holding onto life with her teeth is the best :))
cons:
- there's a lot of names. i definitely got lost. Malik and Mahir i muddled up, i forgot who Paul Ecco and Adam and a bunch of the others, as well as small clues like the magnet Charlie found. i did rush through a bit, but it was still pretty complicated
- i did also find that Charlie's chaos kind of spilled into the plot? so i got lost a bit about how much time this was all taking, and the clues/plots/twists and turns felt very haphazard, according to just when the thought showed up in Charlie's mind. it definitely felt organic, but maybe a bit too much so
But overall, adored it and can't wait for book 2 :D
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Body horror, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, and Cursing
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Drug abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Incest, and Forced institutionalization
the self harm is only explicitly for finger pricks for blood, but there's a lot of bad, self-sabotaging decisionsvicktorea's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In all seriousness it was good. Not amazing; not terrible - fine. Gave Ninth House vibes (idk why other than it was a YA author transitioning to adult fantasy?) except I could kinda grasp this more than Ninth House. May come back with a more in-depth review later & I’ll prob read book 2.
Graphic: Blood and Gore
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
uranaishi's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Gun violence, Child abuse, Blood, Classism, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Gore, Death of parent, Incest, Medical content, and Adult/minor relationship