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icedlemonade'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gore and Slavery
Moderate: Death, Ableism, Blood, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcohol
david_slack110507'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
One of the main enticements of this book for me was the characters and I'm glad to say that the characters, at least our main group of 6, all were incredibly well-written and developed. I think their connections as a group as well as intergroup connections with one another were so well done. I loved them all - Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias - and I found that I was never once bored when it shifted to either one of their perspectives which I'm really glad this book did as everyone had a unique character background which explained why they were doing what they were doing as well as having unique perspectives on the heist that lay ahead of them.
Speaking of the heist, I found that the heist as the plot was actually really strong, and it helped move the book along at a brisk but nice pace allowing for moments to breathe before the next one arrived. I found the pre-planning and the constant shift in plan when something unaccounted for happened or when something wrong took place was extremely enjoyable and it was really good to see these characters constantly face change during their heist on the Ice Court and adapt the best that they could.
I also really liked seeing the world beyond Ravka and the Grisha's perspective as that was something that, now looking back on it, was missing from the Shadow and Bone books so it was interesting to see what the Fjerdans/Fjerda thinks of Grisha and vice versa as well as seeing the story set in a place of less elegance and extravagance than Ravka with East Stave and the 'Barrel'. It also built upon Grisha magic with the introduction of Jurda Parem, a drug that allows Grisha to do unimaginable things that break the previous limits of their power; I do wish we had gotten to see more of it but I also think that what we saw did demonstrate well enough why it was so dangerous to the world and why it was imperative that this not fall into the wrong hands.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this even if it did take me a lot longer than I wanted to but I found it to be a huge step up from the Shadow and Bone books and the next book is rated even better so I can't even imagine how good of a treat that'll be which I'm hoping to get around to relatively soon as I try and finish up the other books I have on the go. I'm interested in seeing whether or not the next book, Crooked Kingdom, will resolve the cliffhanger off screen (or off the page in this instance, with explanations in the form of exposition spread throughout to explain it) or whether it will start the book and wrap it up relatively quickly to then go onto the actual plot of that book but I guess only time will tell.
Graphic: Blood, Slavery, Kidnapping, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Torture, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Ableism, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Abandonment, Addiction, and Rape
Minor: Classism, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Alcohol
axel_p'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? Yes
4.0
Minor: Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Trafficking, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Rape, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Torture, Vomit, Sexism, Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Slavery, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Grief, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Murder
altheas_books'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
*Spoiler* Trauma *Spoiler*mezzoanddolce'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
5.0
THIS. BOOK.
This book has been hyped by SO many people. Was I skeptical at first? Idrk. But ik now that that hype is 100% deserved. This book is so good and gets you hooked early. It is definitely a good 'investment' of your time.
see what I did there. lol
Graphic: Gore, Child death, Ableism, Addiction, Blood, Death, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol and Cursing
sloan_emmi92'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
5.0
First of all, the humor in this book was OUTSTANDING. I was audibly chuckling at all the clever lines that were just so hilarious and it made you love each and every one of the characters even more.
Also, the amount of times that I said to myself, “how is this writing so incredibly addicting and perfect?” while reading this was insane. Never have I read a book with such a perfect and smooth-flowing writing style.
Don’t even get me started on the amount of times I re-read lines that were hilariously flirtatious and made the other just speechless, especially Jesper’s. Every single character, except for some certain ones of course, we’re just so immensely love-able and made me want to be there with them and be a part of their crew.
This book easily became my top favorite book ever and I officially rate it ♾️/5🌟. I love Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, adorable Wylan, Nina, and Matthias so much that it hurts that I can never actually know them.😆
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Addiction, Child death, and Death
kits_den'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cursing, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Alcohol, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
mozimmerm'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Cursing, Gun violence, Murder, Genocide, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Misogyny
madisonstarkov's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Confinement, Violence, Death, and Torture
Minor: Child abuse, Trafficking, Addiction, and Alcohol
mothmans_secretary'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Addiction, and Blood
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Genocide, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and Murder