Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - The Buried and the Bound

Have you ever picked up a book and been absolutely delighted not necessarily because of the book itself, but because you know that it is going to be THE story for someone? One that feels gloriously nostalgic rather than cliche despite not having encountered it before? "The Buried and the Bound" dragged me right back to the day when a teenage me discovered Holy Black's "Tithe" during its first publication round and the doors that it opened up as to what the face of fantasy could look like.

Now of course, the world of magic and fantasy is now notoriously almost over saturated with gritty urban and contemporary settings. What this story accomplished that so many of those that have tackled the intended vibe that the other book was hooking into have fallen short or stale to me is that it brought back the passion of , the concern behind, ferocity.

At first blush Aziza might seem like just another brash I'll take on the world alone and kick butt doing it heroine that has flooded the market. Maybe Tris comes off as the cliche outcast. What this captures is that each of these characters are relentless. They are relentless because of how very much they care. Found and blood family do not have to be separate. They do not have to negate or trump. They don't have to dissolve into petty or hormone fueled reaction alone.

This book also does something that I've only seen writers more like Seanan Maguire achieve. It does not use magic as a trope, a hook, of sorts. It doesn't cash in on the 'sexy monster of the year' choice. It brings in a variety of mythical sources, has them exist together, and displays the variety of the beautiful and the terrifying with all its shades in between.

There are open ends. Another skill I appreciated, however, was that it didn't feel like a catch to try to secure further publications. I would have been satisfied if this was a stand alone. Sometimes the potential for adventure is better than any happily ever after.

This wasn't a perfect novel. It wasn't entirely original if you will. But a book doesn't HAVE to be absolutely unique. It simply has to treat its elements with care and deliver an experience that brings something to the genre - a new combination, a way of expressing an idea, an interesting framing. I know deep down that this is going to set some young reader on the same path I was once upon a time. For them, I am delighted.

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chief_cook_and_librarian's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

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betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-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

This was a delight! Hassan does a great job of developing our three narrators and crafting this magical world that they all live in. There's a bit of a mystery as to who the Hag is and how to defeat her, and how to break Leo's curse. But the way it all unfolds is really masterful, and I was hooked the entire way through.

Leo, Aziza, and Tristan all had heartbreaking moments, but I think Tristan's storyline was possibly the most heartbreaking. He feels like he doesn't deserve love or happiness because of his past and just...ugh. You know there are teens out there that also feel that way because of the way they were treated by adults.

I love that the three of them made a little coven, and I'm honestly excited to see what they get up to in the next book! Because there are definitely story threads that need to be wrapped up.

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sab_rose's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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lilifane's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I was skeptical at the beginning, and it started out as a 3-star book, maybe. I needed some time to get into the writing style. Also, I'm not a big fan of fairy stories, usually. I don't know what it is. I love fantasy, supernatural beings, demons, mythology, whatever. But as soon as fairies, the fairy realm or this kind of folklore is involved, I lose interest very quickly. And this had a LOT of fairy folklore. But there were other fantasy elements as well, so it was okay, and towards the end I actually enjoyed even the fairy parts. There is a miscommunication trope that I usually hate. But it was done really well here. Or rather, the miscommunication of other characters caused the problems for the protagonists. And it was refreshing to be mad at adult side characters instead of the main teenagers for a change.
What I really loved were the characters and their dynamics. They felt so real and authentic. I think the author did a fantastic job of portraying emotions. They felt believable and personal. There is one chapter. And it's only memories, not even the characters interacting... but I was sobbing and crying.
Still, this is not a character focused story, it's actually very action packed and fast-paced. But I loved how the character moments we got really made an impact.
The plot was mostly predictable, but I think that was intentional. At least for me, it worked to know more than the characters. And it never got boring. So many things were happening all the time.
Despite not being perfect, my reaction to the ending and the release date of the sequel made it clear that this had to be 5 stars for me in the end.

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