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baileyk113's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
1.) It felt like I was speed running the entire book. Every change of scenery and situations felt very abrupt and not fully explored. For example, I was so confused when Baghra told Alina to run. Perhaps this is a reflection of Alina’s life: never constant and always changing. I can get that, but this just felt too abrupt.
2.) Like some plot points, I thought some characters were underdeveloped. I wish we got more insight to Genya’s life, maybe a dramatic betrayal of trust/allegiance. Her losing her servant status just felt half-assed. I also think, if there were a betrayal, it would further Alina’s complexity as a character. Anyway, I also felt Mal was so underdeveloped. Like one minute he’s a playboy and the next he’s described as brooding. He gives the reader a tiny glimpse of what happened but I was just waiting for more. Also wish there was more indication that the Darkling was going to be evil—I wanted to guess and not just read dialogue from Baghra that he was evil. I guess I did connect Baghra to be his mother, but I could foresee him being evil from that.
3.) Alina’s powers are cool but I wanted them to be more badass. I was very happy when she managed to do The Cut at the end.
4.) I was expecting Alina to be more important in the last scene of the fold??? Like, she was used to create a path and then the Darkling just manipulated The Fold on his own???
5.) also, I didn’t like how long it took for the world building to happen, specifically around the explanation of the magic. Maybe I was missing it or forgetting details between my sporadic reading, but I felt like it took forever to understand all the different types of Grisha. I had to look up an article to fully understand who was in what group of Grisha and why.
Interesting story, not the best executed. Hoping the next books are a bit better.
Moderate: Murder and Violence
Minor: Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
marissasa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Violence, Medical content, Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Death, Genocide, War, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The world building and magic system is interesting (if not semi-lazy with the quasi-Russian culture) but the characters are flat and one dimensional. I was waffling on whether or not to continue the series but the idea of what comes next from the main character's POV doesn't thrill me so I'll probably look up what happens instead.
It's bizarre that the main character starts out as an orphan from war (roughly 8 years old), and seems mature beyond her 17 years by the time the main story arc starts (she is an apprentice cartographer in the army), and then regresses into angsty teenager drama full of petty, juvenile, and shallow plot points because of a chosen one trope?
Lastly, the romance was bad. Both dudes are controlling and manipulative, want to possess her, don't actually care what she wants. Think of any high school romance drama and you will understand the tropes thrown in this book. There's literally a glow up/makeover scene (multiple times actually because they want to emphasize how much she's changed from the 'skinny-but-not-in-a-hot-way' person she was before).
Minor: Body shaming, Classism, Dysphoria, Blood, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Murder, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Violence
thesecretsapphic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, War, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, and Rape
_piercingwords_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It was... Fine. But it felt like a typical YA fantasy book and I read the Six of Crows duology first, which caught me a lot more. One who expects an equal to it may be a bit disappointed. Also not a huge fan of first person narrated stories.
Overall still an enjoyable read, if I get the chance I will read the other parts, the storyline has potential.
Graphic: Kidnapping and Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal death, Murder, Violence, War, Animal cruelty, and Death
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, and Death of parent
faitherslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Genocide, Death, Gore, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide attempt
hazychapters'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
5.0
What struck me the most were the characters (of course!). I found them so real: I admire Alina who is a strong woman, and I'm proud of how she fights during the whole book. I identify myself to her as the one who doesn't really know who she is, nor with who she has to travel with to discover herself. I think she is, at first, a lonely girl who doesn't understand the world around her, nor the aims of the others. She just wants to help others. And this is why she is manipulated by them because her heart is pure.
Graphic: Animal death, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Abuse, attempted rape, dubious consent, orphan, profanity, suicidal ideationtessahartman'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? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, and Kidnapping
annaluisa0802's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Cursing, and Murder
chloevienna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Torture, Violence, War, Death of parent, and Cursing