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atomicrobin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
ifoundcallie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Classism, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Child death
Minor: Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Grief, Death of parent, Suicide, Vomit, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
noa_llea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Physical abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Animal death
120read's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a very fun read with a lot to like about it. It was such a good introduction to the series, which I’ve heard only gets better from here.
The world building is solid, and the descriptions are enchanting and haunting, throwing you right into the middle of every scene. Everything is always so so vivid. The way in which Gansey, Blue and the others are affected by magic and folklore so deeply makes Henrietta feel real and alive.
The characters themselves are wonderfully flawed, feeling lived in and robust without telling us every facet of their being. The main group are fascinating - their dynamics are interesting, their conflicts visceral, and their love for each other strong. However, I had a huge soft spot for Persephone, as well as the other psychics in the house.
My only qualms with this story, are that in places the writing wasn’t for me (mid-chapter POV switches… no thank you), and that it was so incredibly a product of its time. Character trauma is conveyed unflinchingly, piled on in the way only someone in tue early 2010s can (she’s just like me fr). The one thing I am hoping improves in the next book, is the near fetishisation of poverty. Adam is poor, the other boys are rich - it’s a facet of every conversation they have. Classism is at the centre of this story, but not, currently, in a way that feels as though it has anything more to say than ‘these two worlds are very different and they don’t get each other’.
I did thoroughly enjoy the read, and am looking forward to getting my hands on The Dream Thieves as soon as possible!
The world building is solid, and the descriptions are enchanting and haunting, throwing you right into the middle of every scene. Everything is always so so vivid. The way in which Gansey, Blue and the others are affected by magic and folklore so deeply makes Henrietta feel real and alive.
The characters themselves are wonderfully flawed, feeling lived in and robust without telling us every facet of their being. The main group are fascinating - their dynamics are interesting, their conflicts visceral, and their love for each other strong. However, I had a huge soft spot for Persephone, as well as the other psychics in the house.
My only qualms with this story, are that in places the writing wasn’t for me (mid-chapter POV switches… no thank you), and that it was so incredibly a product of its time. Character trauma is conveyed unflinchingly, piled on in the way only someone in tue early 2010s can (she’s just like me fr). The one thing I am hoping improves in the next book, is the near fetishisation of poverty. Adam is poor, the other boys are rich - it’s a facet of every conversation they have. Classism is at the centre of this story, but not, currently, in a way that feels as though it has anything more to say than ‘these two worlds are very different and they don’t get each other’.
I did thoroughly enjoy the read, and am looking forward to getting my hands on The Dream Thieves as soon as possible!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism and Domestic abuse
kiwigon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A lovely YA read and a perfect mix of magic, mystery and romance. Very excited to read the sequels!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Classism and Domestic abuse
st4rchaser's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
aztlan's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
despina_pngrk's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Gun violence and Death
mailuss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
girlgetsbook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I struggled to find a rating for this book but I finally realized it was just a bit short of 5 stars. The struggle came because I'm a hard-core mood reader and I was in a reading slump after starting several books and not being able to figure out what mood I was in, so I decided that I was in a fantasy mood and picked this one up, and I love it, I love tarot reading and witchcraft and psychic themes so I loved loved this part of the story and I loved Blue and could relate to her a lot, I also am surrounded by amazing women who would do anything to protect me so I loved her family as well.
I was able to go through the book easily without even a sign of the huge reading slump I was going through for a long time, but then it kind of slowed down during some specific parts, especially the ones where the boys were concerned. I grew to like them but, at first I was a bit tired of Gansey and Ronan whilst Adam was very easy to sympathize with and Noah (despite being very whimsical) was easy to like (even before knowing anything). I felt like some parts where very teen drama-esque with Gansey's big problem being he is rich (come on now), and between him being very insensitive towards Adam's more serious issues and wanting to change Blue's name (which would be quirky if he wasn't a rich powerful person), I found super hard to like him, though, of course, I started doing it by the end. Even so, he is an incredibly traumatized character and it was really weird how the author focused on him being overtly concerned about having money and power (whilst using those two things), and not the clear intense events that happened in his childhood. But maybe Maggie has a bigger brain than I do and this is supposed to be what you feel towards him and in future books you understand him better (or maybe not). Ronan grew on me with time, and I hope I keep liking him on future books, it's really easy for me to hate overtly violent characters.
Once this drama was mostly over and the whimsical magic things started happening and the secrets were revealed I finally understood the hype and oh my god it is so well deserved, the way things played out is definitely something I would love to write someday and I ended the book wanting to hug every one of those boys which says a lot for someone who wasn't vibing much with them in the beginning, I'll definitely continue the series, it does have a 5 star series potential.
I was able to go through the book easily without even a sign of the huge reading slump I was going through for a long time, but then it kind of slowed down during some specific parts, especially the ones where the boys were concerned. I grew to like them but, at first I was a bit tired of Gansey and Ronan whilst Adam was very easy to sympathize with and Noah (despite being very whimsical) was easy to like (even before knowing anything). I felt like some parts where very teen drama-esque with Gansey's big problem being he is rich (come on now), and between him being very insensitive towards Adam's more serious issues and wanting to change Blue's name (which would be quirky if he wasn't a rich powerful person), I found super hard to like him, though, of course, I started doing it by the end. Even so, he is an incredibly traumatized character and it was really weird how the author focused on him being overtly concerned about having money and power (whilst using those two things), and not the clear intense events that happened in his childhood. But maybe Maggie has a bigger brain than I do and this is supposed to be what you feel towards him and in future books you understand him better (or maybe not). Ronan grew on me with time, and I hope I keep liking him on future books, it's really easy for me to hate overtly violent characters.
Once this drama was mostly over and the whimsical magic things started happening and the secrets were revealed I finally understood the hype and oh my god it is so well deserved, the way things played out is definitely something I would love to write someday and I ended the book wanting to hug every one of those boys which says a lot for someone who wasn't vibing much with them in the beginning, I'll definitely continue the series, it does have a 5 star series potential.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Violence, and Death