Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

18 reviews

s1x0fh03s's review

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Body horror, Violence, and War

lri_reads's review

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Body horror, Violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War and Gaslighting

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, War, Abandonment, Body horror, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Death of parent, Racism, and Xenophobia

Relationship (explicitly unhealthy/abusive) between teenager and character who appears around the same age, but is 100+.

rose_88's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense fast-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

4.0

Knew some things about it from social media, wanted to read before  watching the show, but only really heard about ‘Six of Crows’, but I really enjoyed this book. I felt there could have been more about Alina’s dynamics with people other than the Darkling, like more about her time with the other Grisha and her time in the army, but i did like how the author portrayed the Darkling and Alina’s relationship/dynamic.

I liked how the relationship was first portrayed as one where he had been searching for her for ages and so fell in love with her due to his longing for someone to help fix the Fold, but then when you find out more about him and realised ‘oh shit he played her, he SEDUCED her’ which was really really shit on his part, just to get her to trust him.

 

I also really loved Bahgara, just everything abiut her. How she was this mean and scary teacher who was the one person not pulled towards or enamoured by the Darkling, then you find out SHES HIS MOTHER!?!?! And everything just gets more sad cause she still loves him but knows he may be too far gone. But also wtf? Like we know barely anything about her? How’s she get her powers? How did she birth the most powerful Grisha minus the literal Sun Summoner?  Was she just as powerful as him, but just chose not to show it? ANSWERS I NEED ANSWERS!!

 

I thought there could have been more about Mal, it was him who found the stag and he was so concerned about Alina, even thought he never got her letters. He’s so much better than the Darkling

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Cursing

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Sexual assault

onefineelephant's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

7/10. I think the magic system and even the political system are interesting. However, I usually hate love triangles and this is no exception. I typically love the friends-to-lovers trope but Mal kind of sucks at the beginning. Like, who would sleep with a ton of girls when you're actually in love with your best friend the whole time?? I like Mal more by the end. Also, them confessing their feelings wasn't satisfying at all and fell kind of flat. I think that the character of the Darkling is super fascinating and complex, which I love. I am not a fan of Alina which is really unfortunate because she's the main character - but this is because she is TOO MUCH of a main character. She just wants to fit in when she clearly is unique, she is a peasant in high society, she only has one friend and doesn't get along with other girls (aka she's not like other girls), and she won't kill when it is absolutely necessary. The dialogue is kind of so bad that it's good. Like it's very bad but most of the time it made me laugh because of how bad it is instead of making me say "this is stupid." The ending was awful, in my opinion. I know there are more books in the series but the events of the last 50 pages made me say "what the f is this?" about 8 times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and War

Minor: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Self harm and suicidal ideation are mentioned but not acted on. Also, there is an attempted sexual assault but it does not progress further.

mermaidreef's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Classism, and Animal death

marissasa's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

I actually enjoyed this read a lot more than I thought I would, just from my limited knowledge of what this book and series is as a YA fantasy from the early 2010s. Although I didn't get attached to any of the characters, I was still interested in Alina's storyline and felt like I could continue reading quickly and easily as the plot progressed.

Maybe I'm just not into villains, but I wasn't surprised by the Darkling's actions at all and I didn't like his moments with Alina from the start just because I felt like they had no reason or buildup to liking each other. Some of the training chapters felt longer than they had to be, and it felt very YA trope-y when Alina had the vision of the stag in the last act and was able to summon her power over the Darkling's hold in the exact moment she needed it.

Despite these things I still decently enjoyed the book and like it enough to continue reading the rest of the trilogy before I jump on the Six of Crows train.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Violence, Medical content, Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Death, Genocide, War, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

goodgraces's review

adventurous tense fast-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting

safety_pin's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The book is a hundred times better than the tv show!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

Moderate: Abandonment, Colonisation, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Slavery

therobinjoyce's review

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

5.0

Shadow and Bone really is one of the greatest Young Adult/New Adult fantasy series I’ve ever read.

Not only does it encompass tropes such as the found family, the chosen one, a thrilling love triangle, and friends to lovers, but we also see so many amazing and wonderful creatures and countries through the eyes of her characters.

The writing style is just incredible and so easy to read. It sucks you right into the story. All of the characters are so diverse but so well written, their character arcs providing just the perfect amount of tension and fulfilment.

There’s still a debate open whether this series will have me leaning more towards darklina or malina but I’m so excited to dive into Siege and Storm and find out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Genocide, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Death, Body horror, Animal death, and Abandonment