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stephliljazz'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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Self harm, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
orlafitz14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
rainyghost'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
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Stalking, and Gaslighting
emmirosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I will be honest and say I don't think I would have gotten through this book, let alone so quickly, if I hadn't listened to the audiobook. The audiobook narrator does a really good job and makes the experience really enjoyable. I love the dark and gritty world Leigh Bardugo builds for us in our world today. I think the way she writes and tells this story is unique in how she flip-flops between timelines, giving us little bits of information to trail us to the big finish. That being said there is a lot of world lore that gets thrown at us at once which can be a lot to take in.
I love Alex Stern as our main character. She's tough and gritty and I love seeing how she fights to overcome and conquer everything in her life, despite everything going against her. I loved seeing how Leigh Bardugo deals with the themes throughout the book, of race and class. Of an underdog getting a second chance at life, but at what cost? Just seeing how she writes and deals with Alex Stern's moral grayness throughout this book.
This book is definitely not for the faint of heart and is not a book for everyone but I'm glad I at least gave it a chance. I'm having mixed feelings about the ending but I'm interested to see what the sequel brings.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Car accident and Fire/Fire injury
aloe_v's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I thought this was good but a very slow read. It would've gotten a better rating if I'd been hooked, but unfortunately it took two weeks and some willpower to get through, despite liking it?
Would advise readers to be aware of the content warnings. I was glad I saw another review saying what happened at 26%. TW:
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
alyxbeau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I will put the reamainder of my review in spoiler tags to avoid people glancing at trigger warnings, but it will also contain actual spoilers.
At first I didn't think sny of it was for the shock factor. It seemed like the experiences our main character went through were described to us to explain her total fear at being touched by a ghost again after being raped as a middle schooler by one. But then her reaction to humans doing the same to her or trying to do the same to her, we're not as intense. They should have been. This is why I think it is all there for the shock factor now, and not included to show why her reaction was intense. Her reaction was intense only once. The trauma forgotten after that first incident at Yale.
This book is not for me. I stayed to solve the mystery of Darlington and got no satisfactory answer. I will not be continuing the series except to read a synopses of books 2 and 3, MAYBE.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
alexschrade'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
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit
alexijai98's review against another edition
- 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
Bardugo’s venture into adult fantasy was a good read! Weirdly predictable in the end, but still enjoyable. I’ll be reading Hellbent!
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
rhimineecat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Also the characters were so fucking cool. Alex was so badass and even the side characters were so loveable. Also please read the trigger warnings for this one, this was a heavy book with very serious topics.
The "magic" system was really interesting and it's always telling to see how these kind of powers are used and who uses them.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Murder
themdash's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism