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mitzee'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Excrement, Medical trauma, Drug use, and Medical content
Minor: Vomit
isabellemay14'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
4.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Drug use
Moderate: Body horror, Medical trauma, Violence, Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Excrement, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Death
subtlyfurious's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
The first few chapters are excellent (and the only reason I’m giving this book any stars). Bardugo weaves the character’s personalities and worldviews and backgrounds into the action flawlessly while also setting up a number of compelling topical themes.
It’s all downhill from there.
To me this feels like a YA book made “adult” by throwing in a bunch of disturbing content in for shock value alone. At first, I tried to give Bardugo the benefit of the doubt, believing she’d be able to give us a reason for why things weren’t just graphic, but borderline (or maybe fully) pornographic. But no. She fails to explore anything on a deeper level, speaking about complex issues such as classism, racism, and sexism without doing any work to ever dip below the surface. In fact, her ability to swerve away from actually choosing a side and stating an opinion is almost impressive.
Still, I pressed on thinking “surely Bardugo will find a way to wrap this up in a somewhat satisfying way.”
No.
The last 15% is a slog and (spoilers) the who that dunnit turn out to be both the most boring who-you-expect and the most throwaway character.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Excrement, Death, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Medical trauma, Murder, and Classism
paperbacklyds's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Body horror, Blood, Gore, Medical trauma, Rape, Murder, Medical content, Drug abuse, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Mental illness
circe813's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Excrement, Medical trauma, Vomit, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Body horror, Stalking, and Violence
trippyotter'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Rape
prairieraven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Violence
thenoodlevore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Classism, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Body horror, Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Grief, Gore, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, Excrement, Gun violence, Bullying, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Body shaming, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death, and Terminal illness
mel_issareads'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Drug use, Death, Addiction, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
quinnpjd930's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Murder, Medical content, Gore, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Rape, Body horror, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Murder, Misogyny, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Addiction, Body horror, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Drug use, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Physical abuse, Body horror, Blood, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence