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shadesofkate26's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Incest
karapillar's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Grief, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
tamara_joy'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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
sydapel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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? No
3.5
this had better be the start of a series, that's all I'm saying. There were a lot of elements I liked about this, from a plus sized kick ass female MC to the themes of greed and memory and forgiveness that always really draw me to urban fantasy. My grievance comes mainly from how little I felt I understood any of the magical elements, especially in the final act. Sure, I was hanging on every thread, but I'm not entirely sure I followed them in their entirety.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Vomit
looseleafellie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Holly Black’s adult fantasy debut follows Charlie Hall, an ex con artist trying to stay out of trouble. But when she witnesses a murder committed by a shadow, she’s thrown back into a world of magic and mayhem. If she can’t find the mysterious Book of Night in time, everyone she loves will be in danger …
This book started off a bit slow for me. Charlie’s backstory was fun to read, but the scenes in the present dragged at first. However, the second half of the book picked up, and the ending was a full-on rollercoaster!
The magic system was cool, even though I didn’t quite understand it. The idea of people being able to do magic using their shadows was really interesting. The story is also set in the area where I go to college, so it was cool seeing familiar places!
Overall, while this story didn’t grip me as much as I hoped, the twists at the end were awesome enough that I’m excited for the sequel! I’m hoping that with the setup done, a second book will be more fast-paced.
Thanks to Tor Books for the advance review copy!
CWs: blood/gore, body horror, self-harm for magic purposes, depression, panic attacks, captivity, child abuse, gun violence, drug use, loss of autonomy, and mentions of incest and cancer.
This book started off a bit slow for me. Charlie’s backstory was fun to read, but the scenes in the present dragged at first. However, the second half of the book picked up, and the ending was a full-on rollercoaster!
The magic system was cool, even though I didn’t quite understand it. The idea of people being able to do magic using their shadows was really interesting. The story is also set in the area where I go to college, so it was cool seeing familiar places!
Overall, while this story didn’t grip me as much as I hoped, the twists at the end were awesome enough that I’m excited for the sequel! I’m hoping that with the setup done, a second book will be more fast-paced.
Thanks to Tor Books for the advance review copy!
CWs: blood/gore, body horror, self-harm for magic purposes, depression, panic attacks, captivity, child abuse, gun violence, drug use, loss of autonomy, and mentions of incest and cancer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping
Minor: Cancer and Incest
sauvageloup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
SO GOOD! Wish i hadn't tried to rush quite so much because of the event and savored it a bit more but still loved it
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 and I didn't guess at all that he was Edmund's shadow, which i should've really, but i'm so glad Charlie wasn't that fussed about it and i loved Posey, with her determination to be a gloamist. she was a mess too and making some questionable decisions, but she comes through for Charlie and i liked that she got some healing at the end too.
- the ending was bittersweet but in kind of a perfect way. I liked the possibility of Vince/Red getting his memory back and that Charlie wasn't gonna quit on him.
- 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
- also i'm not quite sure what was hinted at with Vince and Adelaine? did she have a relationship with Red? or Vince? or did she hurt Red when Vince wasn't there? idk
But overall, adored it and can't wait for book 2 :D
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Incest, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent
the self harm is only explicitly for finger pricks for blood, but there's a lot of bad, self-sabotaging decisionsmidnightrose_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Book of Night is the first Adult book from fantasy author Holly Black. It’s about Charlie Hall and her life as a con artist. In the world of the book shadows play a huge part, and she’s tasked with stealing a book called the Liber Noctem or ‘Book of Blights’ for an eccentric billionaire named Lionel Salt. She has a past history with Salt as you learn while reading, as well as how her boyfriend Vince DaMamino is connected to him as well.
The first portion of the book is hard to get into (you’re essentially dropped into the world where you scramble to understand its mythology) and it wasn’t until after about 55 pages into it that things started to pick up. Definitely the later half, and particularly towards the end is when things get interesting. It took me way longer to read than it should have (the book is only 304 pages). Not sure if I will be continuing this series even though the last scene specifically was intriguing. If I do I will listen to it on audio or borrow it from the library.
The first portion of the book is hard to get into (you’re essentially dropped into the world where you scramble to understand its mythology) and it wasn’t until after about 55 pages into it that things started to pick up. Definitely the later half, and particularly towards the end is when things get interesting. It took me way longer to read than it should have (the book is only 304 pages). Not sure if I will be continuing this series even though the last scene specifically was intriguing. If I do I will listen to it on audio or borrow it from the library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Cursing and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual content
chloebear21's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Violence and Blood
kayteslibrary's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I first devoured Tithe back in either junior high or high school, and have ardently been Team Black ever since. I was utterly delighted to discover that she was releasing a novel for adults (not that my age stopped me from tearing through The Cruel Prince et al...) and really disappointed when I struggled to get invested in the story for probably the first half of the book--I'd classify it as "fine", but not at at all what I had come to expect/hope.
Once it clicked in, though, I was sold. Tonally, it lacks some of the macabre whimsy of Black's YA offerings but not the trifecta I've come to know and love: heroine with a traumatic background, (view spoiler), and a cast of characters you wouldn't ever want to hang out with but would be delighted to watch in a limited series (just saying).
An enjoyable, even if not amazing, read that left me curious to see if Black continues the storyline or universe in future books.
Once it clicked in, though, I was sold. Tonally, it lacks some of the macabre whimsy of Black's YA offerings but not the trifecta I've come to know and love: heroine with a traumatic background, (view spoiler), and a cast of characters you wouldn't ever want to hang out with but would be delighted to watch in a limited series (just saying).
An enjoyable, even if not amazing, read that left me curious to see if Black continues the storyline or universe in future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Drug abuse and Physical abuse
kimberly94's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Self harm