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hannah_steven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, War, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual assault
georgiaaa'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? Yes
3.5
Moderate: War, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Rape, Animal death, Gun violence, Death, Classism, and Death of parent
aliceloyallaleon'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: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Animal death, War, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, and Confinement
notyourhana'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: Animal death, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
Moderate: Bullying and Sexual content
itkit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Toxic relationship
anielabooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Animal death, War, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Slavery
Minor: Abandonment, Confinement, Rape, Grief, Excrement, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Death of parent
adrians_library'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
Graphic: Classism, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and War
Moderate: Blood, Abandonment, Colonisation, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Animal death
jaxgerman'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
4.0
I do love a fantasy book and this sure delivers on a beautiful and intriguing new world to step into.
Though I found the beginning a bit hard going, there were many complex new words and categories of people and all the world building made the first half or so quite slow paced but it did ultimately keep my interest till when the action started which point I was so gripped I didn’t want to put it down. I would also say that the world is seemingly very heavily influenced by pre Russian revolution Russia.
If your into YA Fantasy I would definitely recommend you give it a go.
Graphic: Death and Animal death
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
archaicrobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
There was no enjoyment on this ride. I don’t read a ton of fantasy but I feel like the world building in this book completely sucks. I have nothing but questions, what time period does this book take place? There is so much medieval talk of serfs, kings and queens, horses, tents, etc. that I thought ok this is classic high fantasy! But then the Fjerdans have rifles and not only rifles but assault rifles??? Ok so it’s not medieval maybe it’s early 1800s, 1900s? Who knows?!
This was just the first time I started questioning just wtf was going on in this world. Alina is a rare sun summoner who summons light, but the sun is just a giant ball of fire so honestly what is the difference between Alina’s light power and Grisha that can summon fire??
If the Grisha are so powerful than how the hell are HUMANS in power? What are volcra? They’re described as having leathery wings and sharp teeth so they’re bat demons?? And while we’re on that, what does anyone literally ANYONE that is not Genya look like?!! Genya is honestly the only character I remember that was actually described in detail.
In my opinion, there was so much potential here, but I feel like Bardugo chose to focus on her terrible “love triangle” than spend anytime at all crafting a well built world with engaging characters. I could care less about anyone in this book, Alina is bland and flip flops her personality traits throughout the entire book. Mal is an ignorant dick, The Darkling is an abusive, disgusting, pedophile considering he’s over 150 years old and sexually pursuing a 17 year old, the only mildly interesting character for me was Genya and she’s thrown aside halfway through the novel.
I kept waiting for the book to finish setting up for the “good stuff” to happen and instead it took a full tilt into the Alina x Mal x Darkling “love” triangle that I had to force myself to finish this book. I rolled my eyes so often the second half of the book I’m surprised they’re still in my head. Obviously I do not like this book, I will not continue the series, I will not be reading the six of crows, and honestly I don’t even know if I’ll finish Bardugo’s adult series at this point because I’m so underwhelmed by Shadow and Bone nothing else by this author seems worth it to me.
ALSO!! The frequency with which Bardugo has random men make less comments or unwanted sexual advances towards Alina is concerning and in poor taste. You don’t need rape or sexual assault to be introduced constantly to make things scary. I noticed this was another device Bardugo embraced in Ninth House and I find it distasteful.
I sat for a few days waiting for my anger at this book to pass but instead it’s intensified and I feel justified taking the one meager star away and giving Shadow and Bone the 0 it deserves.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Confinement, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Sexism, Abandonment, War, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
t_swizzle'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: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship