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violet_gray's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The “banter” is early 2000’s edgy stand up style humor.
The inconsistent mix of random French, faux old English and modern day English breaks all immersion.
I’m ok with mixing timelines but they don’t pay off. Also the contant moving of the goal post robs the story of anything remotely resembling a satisfying conclusion .
The world building is not there. There’s mushrooms, potatoes, water and vague other races. Where are they? How does that impact who they are and how the world treats them? 🤷🏼♀️
Now specifically for the audio version… oh dear. That was a hot mess of accents and styles.
Less objective thoughts.
This reads like fan fiction of many different properties , most blatantly The Vampire Chronicles (French Nobel woman in exile in the country side, married to drunk husband has a child that extra special and their name is Lion something) and The Last of Us (hear me out: grumpy dude who loses daughter must deliver children to authorities that will use her to save the world but then decides he’d rather burn the world than have her die. Also fungus monsters) but the author likes gritty comics and George Carlin humour and things they can do better and this was their attempt at that.
And as someone that likes all those things as well, I do wish this worked.
Hence the two starts instead of 1. But it doesn’t work cause the writing is bad. There is no real reason for this book to be this long unless you are aiming to appeal to Sanderson fans but can’t do all the world building he does.
If books were kids toys, Sarah j Maas would purple sparkly toy and this would the exact same crap plastic toy but in blue and black.
Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture
calton'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
Truth be told, initially I bought this book simply because I love vampire stories and a look at the illustrations inside told me that there is a ravishing main character at play. And when I started reading it, I understood from the first fifty pages that this book was so much more. I've read a lot of books in my twenty-something years of life, and there are books that come to mind when I am asked to name a favourite, but I'm pretty sure that from now it, this will be the name that will be on my tongue. It's simply incredible. It's brutal, cruel, and cold like the word that it's set in, it's filled with hatred, contempt, pain, loss and grief like Gabriel is. But it's also full of hope and love, of faith that's so often the last thing a person clings to and that saves him.
I've lost count of the times I've audibly laughed at the jokes, gasped at the plot twist (I couldn't see ANY of them coming) and cried. Dear gods, I've cried rivers over this book, it seems. Jay Kristoff really does know how to slam a knife into your heart and twist it.
The world-building in this book is simply incredible. The last time I read something so richly imaginative and unique was probably "The Witcher" series and that is simply beyond all words. The concept of vampire hunters that are half-vampires themselves, the different ranks of vampires, the four bloodlines and a mysterious fifth one. The concept of daysdeath and the religion based on Christianity yet very different, with the Holy Grail that's not a chalice at all. Absolutely astonishing.
The mysteries that are drawn through the whole book and that only start really dawning on you by the end, before they're fully revealed, are done expertly. Figuring everything out yourself and then seeing the final confirmation is what really makes your heart race and your jaw drop. The way I broke into tears after "They're home because that is where you buried them" will probably never be forgotten by me.
Moreover, this book features one of my favourite tropes of all time: a tired, broken man and a troublesome teenage girl that he comes to love like a daughter despite himself and becomes ready to not only let the world burn to save her but to set it alight himself. This trope always gets to the very bottom of my heart (The Witcher, The Last of Us, Logan) and here, it's done perfectly.
There are a thousand things that I could say about this book and this review would be half as long as it is, but they would all sum up to simply perfection. I've heard some people say that this book is full of red flags but in that case, I'm fucking colourblind and I don't give a single shit. It's cruel and brutal, full of blood and gore and strong language and that is just how I like it. I truly don't know where I will find the patience to wait for the next two instalments of this.
Finally, I'd like to add that I listened to the audiobook as I was reading along, and Damian Lynch is an incredible narrator for this story. I hope with all my heart that he will also read the next two books because his Garbiel is the Gabriel I fell for.
P.S. If the raw tension between de Leon and Jean-Francois doesn't get resolved in the next two books, then gods help me.
Graphic: War, Murder, Gore, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content and Torture
lifeonasofa'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
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Blood, Death, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Torture, Animal death, Homophobia, War, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Rape
xwritingstoriesx'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
3.75
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Homophobia, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism
thecourtofreading'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
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Animal death
jesicaj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Gore, Violence, Death, Cursing, and War
taryn_g'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
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Murder, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Blood
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Addiction, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Pregnancy, Outing, Self harm, and Vomit
andromeda_1998's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Sexism, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Torture, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Physical abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, War, Animal death, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Genocide
alanis_thespookyreader'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
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Grief, Animal death, Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Violence, War, Blood, and Body horror
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The book goes down a bit for its treatment of women. Many women are clearly there to entice the male reader. The main female vampire is often touching herself and trying to sexually manipulate the men chasing her...in public no less--very annoying. Women are often brutalized more explicitly than male characters. And if you're a woman, stay away from de Leon.
Besides a couple people, everyone else curses like a sailor. Every. Single. Person. There is an excessive use of the word c*nt, but most often its variations on f*ck. The book is also much more sexually explicit than I'm used to reading. There's even underage sex, including a drawn photo in the book, which is not a welcome addition. Finally, it's extremely violent and bloody.
With everything being said, there are epic battles, hidden religious secrets, a vow of vengeance, and a struggle of faith. De Leon is an intriguing character. Kristoff does have some beautiful passages about choice and life and fate. I don't know if I'd be able to read a book 2 as I can't imagine keeping all of this in my head!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Religious bigotry, Violence, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, and Animal death
Moderate: Homophobia and Rape