Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

304 reviews

addisonrutherford09's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

This book was amazing. The characters were phenomenal and the plot was interesting and fast paced. I got so attached to the characters and they felt like real people to me. The writing was amazing and the even though the plot cam be complicated,  everything made sense in the end! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Torture

wizardcantrips's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Torture, and Slavery

Minor: Ableism

litliz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Slavery, Stalking, Torture, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

aino_maria23's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Torture, Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug use, Grief, War, Addiction, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Sexual violence, Alcohol, Sexual content, War, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders

literarydumpling's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

How do you wrap up multiple storylines in a duology? Personally I think in Crooked Kingdom, Leigh Bardugo shows you exactly how.

A cast of six lead characters, interchanging POVs and a clear goal in mind, this book has it all. Before I started the Six of Crows duology, I didn't have any strong feelings about heist-related books, but it was the perfect introduction and Crooked Kingdom is the perfect follow-up and conclusion.

The story picks up where Six of Crows left off

and you see the Crows try to work out how to get back Inej

. The beauty of multiply POVs means you can see each person's thoughts and feelings towards the insane plans they come up with and the desperation they feel at trying to retrieve their friend.

Unsurprisingly, the character development in this book is excellent, building on what we had in the first book. You can see each of the relationships develop (I love them all, no favourites, how dare you) whether romantically or platonically. With the switching POVs, you can get more insight into how each person has changed post-Ice Court and also how they are tackling their struggles.

My heart was torn out by the ending, and I shed tears after tears after tears, and that is always a sign of a good book.

It was so unexpected but really demonstrated how deep the drüskelle conditioning goes and how much work is cut out to change perceptions on Grisha.

I couldn't work out what the Crows' plan was and it really did keep my guessing until the end,

and I gasped audibly when I felt like their plan was all falling apart at the ninth hour,

so kudos of Kaz for being the mastermind that he is and pulling through.

I also very much enjoyed the allusions to the first trilogy in the Grishaverse, and though it's not necessary to read the books before this duology, it is nice to see how the added flavour of the world has been developed for new and old readers alike.

I definitely geeked out a few times. When I saw Genya, Zoya and Sturmhond come back as I do have a soft spot for them.

This was the perfect conclusion to the series, with enough of an ending that the story is closed, but with the hopeful beginnings of what else may happen to our wonderful cast in the future.

No mourners. No funerals.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence and Torture

ailiaris25's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Torture

veggiestrawenjoyer13's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

I would’ve liked the book better if it wasn’t spoiled for me, but it was still great! I think I prefer Six of Crows. It was still very good though!! I love all the characters and their dynamics together are amazing. It’s easier to understand the worldbuilding after reading the first book. It’s well written and immersive till the end. Love this series! Found family trope goes hard.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Blood and Death

camillawelin's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Addiction, and Death

madalina0_0's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Rape, Addiction, Torture, Violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Trafficking, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Stalking

wyabook234's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction and Torture

Minor: Sexual assault