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The plot draws a lot on classic stories, but not necessarily the most overdone ones, letting it still feel fresh and somewhat unpredictable. It’s definitely a good read, but doesn’t necessarily draw me in for more.
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War
Lazily written, unnecessary padding, frustrating character choices, stupid ending.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, War
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Minor: Vomit
Moderate: Slavery, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
This sentence sums up so much of this book for me: needlessly wordy, dark, and not well crafted enough to warrant all the hype.
The plot was good, but it would have been so much better in the hands of a more competent writer who knew how to actually employ the flowery prose with which Maas clearly wanted to fill this overly long novel.
Also the spicy level and romance (The Main Things that are supposed to make this series notable) are underwhelming, to say the least. It certainly does not help matters that you *know* Tamlin was never intended to be End Game.
I will still read the next novel because that is where I have been told that this series actually starts to get good?? We will see...
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
I also had problems with some of the connections between characters. Too much build up, not enough actually getting to know them.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Eating disorder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Classism
Graphic: Animal death, Torture, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Gore, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol