Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

89 reviews

aliceloyallaleon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bugzandthingz's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

anielabooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Honestly, I really liked this book. I finished it in about 5 days, and I’m very excited to start the next one. Definitely a book that got a lot of gasps from me towards the end. The world it is set in seems so interesting that I already see myself falling in love with it. Although I was a little late to reading this series, I don’t doubt that it will live up to the hype.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, War, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Rape, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

adrians_library's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, War, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Abandonment, and Colonisation

thedisabledreader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gaslighting, and War

t_swizzle's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

fa1ry_222's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring 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

4.5

love this book!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Decidedly on the okay to meh spectrum..

The world building and magic system is interesting (if not semi-lazy with the quasi-Russian culture) but the characters are flat and one dimensional.  I was waffling on whether or not to continue the series but the idea of what comes next from the main character's POV doesn't thrill me so I'll probably look up what happens instead.

It's bizarre that the main character starts out as an orphan from war (roughly 8 years old), and seems mature beyond her 17 years by the time the main story arc starts (she is an apprentice cartographer in the army), and then regresses into angsty teenager drama full of petty, juvenile, and shallow plot points because of a chosen one trope?

Lastly, the romance was bad.  Both dudes are controlling and manipulative, want to possess her, don't actually care what she wants.  Think of any high school romance drama and you will understand the tropes thrown in this book.  There's literally a glow up/makeover scene (multiple times actually because they want to emphasize how much she's changed from the 'skinny-but-not-in-a-hot-way' person she was before).

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, and Classism

thesecretsapphic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

goodgraces's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail