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danicakvcs'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: Death, Addiction, Murder, Slavery, and Blood
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, and Child death
Minor: Suicide attempt and Fire/Fire injury
aamina'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
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Grief, Drug use, Child abuse, and Murder
Minor: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Medical content, and Child death
jazzsilvestri's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Suicide attempt, and Addiction
prettynerdy3'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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Trafficking, Violence, War, and Child death
Moderate: Medical trauma, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Slavery, and War
lis4so'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
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Drug use, Gun violence, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Gore, Addiction, and Grief
Moderate: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, War, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Violence, Child abuse, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Slavery
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Rape, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, War, Torture, Slavery, and Vomit
meg_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
The thing I loved most about this book was the characters and their development, which is honestly what I love about Leigh Bardugo's writing and the Grishaverse as a whole. After reading this story I am absolutely obsessed with Zoya as a character. She is such a powerful female character who does not apologize for taking up space or occupying her positions of power and simultaneously does not shy away from her femininity which I love. She is also full of female rage which is relatable and endears her to me even more. Beyond that, I found her storyline and her process of managing her grief throughout this story was so well done.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Trafficking, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt
britgirlreading'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
4.25
Minor: Murder, Suicide attempt, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Child death
syd991's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
After reading (and loving) the other Grishaverse series, the first book of this duology did not disappoint.
Like all of Bardugo’s books (at least in my opinion), I found the beginning a bit slow, but as soon as you move past the first 100-150 pages, the story picks up in such a dramatic fashion. To Bardugo’s credit, this is an entirely new story, separate in its own right from the previous books. Establishing the current state of Ravka and where each character is at mentally does take time.
But god, I loved Nikolai’s sarcasm and humour which filled the book (A particular favourite of mine is a stint about a spider in a suit). The characters developed in this book are exactly what I needed, and what I believe the Grishaverse needed.
Readers, do be warned, you do need to read ALL of the Grishaverse books (Shadow and Bone series and Six of Crows series, at the very least), as the plot and various events will most likely not make sense, and you will also spoil major elements in both series. I also read the collection of Grishaverse short stories prior to this, and I will say it was a nice addition, but I don’t feel it necessary. I can also imagine the Lives of Saints book might give you additional information, but I have not yet read it, but the elements were explained in an easy to comprehend manner.
This book reminds me more of Six of Crows, fast-paced and intricate, with such an amazing story. I’ve had to immediately pick up the sequel, Rule of Wolves.
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Murder, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Child death, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, and Suicide attempt
aaround132'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
lxxnne'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Body shaming, War, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Blood, and Addiction