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thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Suicide
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Genocide, Racism, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Vomit, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
Minor: Infertility, Suicide, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Excrement, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Hate crime, Medical content, and Misogyny
Drowning.thecaffeinatedlibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
5.0
Where do I even begin with this book? THIS BOOK.
After book 1 (A Broken Blade), I didn't know how it could get any better, but book 2 (A Shadow Crown) was a whole extra level of amazing. I naively thought this again, "how could it get better?" And holy damn, did Melissa Blair deliver with A Vicious Game. Blair takes everything that makes ABB and ASC so incredible, and someone weaves that into the magic that is book 3.
Balancing the light and the dark, AVG discusses the darker sides of addiction and grief while still giving us SO much love. Honestly, the love these characters have for each other makes me cry happy tears while I'm reading it.
Plotwise, so so so much happens in this one. Each book picks up the pace just a little bit, and the tension is palpable in this one. The threat of war is breathing down your neck, weighing down every moment. The absolute gut-wrenching sadness I feel for Keera, Riven, Nik and Syrrha is a genuine physical reaction – I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it.
The prose is getting darker, more heavy-handed too. The strings Blair has been pulling throughout the series are finally being revealed with some absolutely mind-blowing plot twists. The kind of plot twist that made me physically put the book down and think back on every single clue Blair left us. And that ENDING gahhhh!
In summary: I need book 4 asap.
After book 1 (A Broken Blade), I didn't know how it could get any better, but book 2 (A Shadow Crown) was a whole extra level of amazing. I naively thought this again, "how could it get better?" And holy damn, did Melissa Blair deliver with A Vicious Game. Blair takes everything that makes ABB and ASC so incredible, and someone weaves that into the magic that is book 3.
Balancing the light and the dark, AVG discusses the darker sides of addiction and grief while still giving us SO much love. Honestly, the love these characters have for each other makes me cry happy tears while I'm reading it.
Plotwise, so so so much happens in this one. Each book picks up the pace just a little bit, and the tension is palpable in this one. The threat of war is breathing down your neck, weighing down every moment. The absolute gut-wrenching sadness I feel for Keera, Riven, Nik and Syrrha is a genuine physical reaction – I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it.
The prose is getting darker, more heavy-handed too. The strings Blair has been pulling throughout the series are finally being revealed with some absolutely mind-blowing plot twists. The kind of plot twist that made me physically put the book down and think back on every single clue Blair left us. And that ENDING gahhhh!
In summary: I need book 4 asap.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm and Suicide
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