Scan barcode
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Laini built a gorgeous and unique world, where you both want to love in it and are just slightly terrified by it. How could she write this without stepping into the world?
My only complaint is that I felt the organization of the book just didn’t quite work for me.
Graphic: War
Moderate: Blood
kiwij96'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
Not super in love with the idea that Karou was potentially being groomed by Kaz as it mentions in the beginning that they had been a couple for a while before their break-up and he is now 20 while she is 17. I also felt super uncomfortable with the Akiva and Karou romance plot too given the age gap there too.
My only other gripe is Chapter 22. It felt massively out of place and I had to reread the chapters either side of it to figure out how it fitted in with it all. Felt like an afterthought but misplaced in the sequencing.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Grief, and Slavery
Minor: Islamophobia, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Mini reviews for each book are below, but the main takeaway: READ THESE BOOKS!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone (4.5 stars): The world building was incredible and the characters pulled me in! Also the ending absolutely BROKE ME into a million pieces.
Days of Blood and Starlight (5 stars): Possibly a hot take but this was my favorite of the series! I absolutely loved it, start to finish, and literally could not put it down.
Dreams of Gods and Monsters (4 stars): An amazing conclusion to an incredible trilogy! It wasn’t my favorite ending and I could probably nitpick a lot of things, but overall SO emotional and captivating!
Night of Cakes and Puppets (5 stars): An absolute DELIGHT of a novella spotlighting Zuzana and Mik, who might be two of my all time favorite secondary characters.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
Minor: Sexual harassment
cosy_armchair_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
It is such a mysterious tale which really drew me in and made me want to stay.
The only complaint I have, which really isn't that much of a complaint and more of a personal preference, is that when we take a look back on Akiva and Madrigal's memories it feels very slow and slightly dreary and I would rather get back to the action that had been carved so wondrously in the previous chapter.
I loved the element of magic, love and wishes. And hope.
So beautiful. Top marks for Laini Taylor.
Moderate: Blood, Death, and War
Minor: Abandonment
jadehusdanhicks'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
4.0
I truly didn’t see the twists and turns coming and was sat with my jaw dropped to say the least. Dived into the next one already
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, War, and Death
moonchild_cos'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
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Torture, Genocide, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Sexual content, Medical content, and Trafficking
scarlett_f'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Grief, Murder, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, War, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
Minor: Toxic friendship, War, and Sexual content
doodeedoda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Slavery, Rape, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
kayelina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Moderate: War, Blood, Sexual content, Torture, Murder, and Violence
donatio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I liked the characters as well as the world-building but some things didn't sit right with me.
Furthermore I had a problem with some comments made in the book I can't recall specifically now and the fact that everyone seems to be beautiful (ly thin) in some way upsets me.
Still the story managed to draw me in, to care about the characters.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, War, Classism, Animal death, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Child death, and Torture