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fin_pilot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Sexual harassment
david_slack110507's review against another edition
- 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
One of the main enticements of this book for me was the characters and I'm glad to say that the characters, at least our main group of 6, all were incredibly well-written and developed. I think their connections as a group as well as intergroup connections with one another were so well done. I loved them all - Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias - and I found that I was never once bored when it shifted to either one of their perspectives which I'm really glad this book did as everyone had a unique character background which explained why they were doing what they were doing as well as having unique perspectives on the heist that lay ahead of them.
Speaking of the heist, I found that the heist as the plot was actually really strong, and it helped move the book along at a brisk but nice pace allowing for moments to breathe before the next one arrived. I found the pre-planning and the constant shift in plan when something unaccounted for happened or when something wrong took place was extremely enjoyable and it was really good to see these characters constantly face change during their heist on the Ice Court and adapt the best that they could.
I also really liked seeing the world beyond Ravka and the Grisha's perspective as that was something that, now looking back on it, was missing from the Shadow and Bone books so it was interesting to see what the Fjerdans/Fjerda thinks of Grisha and vice versa as well as seeing the story set in a place of less elegance and extravagance than Ravka with East Stave and the 'Barrel'. It also built upon Grisha magic with the introduction of Jurda Parem, a drug that allows Grisha to do unimaginable things that break the previous limits of their power; I do wish we had gotten to see more of it but I also think that what we saw did demonstrate well enough why it was so dangerous to the world and why it was imperative that this not fall into the wrong hands.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this even if it did take me a lot longer than I wanted to but I found it to be a huge step up from the Shadow and Bone books and the next book is rated even better so I can't even imagine how good of a treat that'll be which I'm hoping to get around to relatively soon as I try and finish up the other books I have on the go. I'm interested in seeing whether or not the next book, Crooked Kingdom, will resolve the cliffhanger off screen (or off the page in this instance, with explanations in the form of exposition spread throughout to explain it) or whether it will start the book and wrap it up relatively quickly to then go onto the actual plot of that book but I guess only time will tell.
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
c_l_ara's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Torture, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Genocide, and War
sebwayne84's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Trafficking
axel_p's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kalelove's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
josiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
issed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s not only 3 pairs of couples doing a heist together, but the book also focus on family and friends, and that’s what I liked. There was different form of love.
The trauma they experienced are sticking with them and influences their behavior, and not just used as a tool to make us empathize with them.
They are all very complete.
If I had to say something « negative », I would say that inej’s trauma is a little overlooked/not detailed, but it is explainable by the fact that the book is YA and it would be too shocking to include explicitly sexual assault scenes.
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia
elsaehho's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore, Racism, and Sexual harassment
johns6ka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Pedophilia