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shinysylveon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
The entire premise of this book is Bitterblue navigating being Queen in the aftermath of her father’s tyrannical reign. How do you rule a kingdom where everyone is suffering from PTSD?
On paper, the concept seems cool. Instead of just a paragraph or a few pages summarizing “what happened after”, you get a full book. The problem with that is it’s boring. It felt like there was too much happening and therefore nothing got the focus it really deserved. But on that same note, it also felt like nothing was really happening? It’s very bizarre to describe.
It just didn’t feel like Bitterblue’s book, or her story. It felt like an epilogue to Katsa’s and Leck’s story. It felt like a side character fumbling around trying to figure out how to be a main character, while the actual main character is off having another adventure. Bitterblue was more intriguing as a child in Graceling, and even in the flashbacks than she is in present day.
Po was still fun in this for the most part. Katsa, however, was extremely annoying and immature. Though to be fair, immaturity is part of her character, it is just more acutely apparent without the aid of her internal monologue cushioning it. It also didn’t help that the Audiobook narrator gave her this weird Scottish accent that no one else has and that Katsa didn’t have in the original audiobook.
This was definitely riding off the coattails of the other two books. The parts about Leck and discovering all the horrible things he did were extremely interesting. Everything else? Meh. My original rating of 3 stars was super generous, changing it to 2 (which is still generous). Here’s hoping the next one is better.
Minor: Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Self harm, Torture, and Suicide
kingorgan'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
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Homophobia and Medical trauma
jordyn_alexx'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 was longer than I remembered, but that was welcome. It was certainly familiar, but there were also less finer details that I remembered than I would’ve thought. I’m happy I reread it.
I’d forgotten how endearing Death was and how nice it was to witness the start of Bitterblue and Giddon’s friendship. I found myself not quite frustrated, but wishing Bitterblue did certain things differently.
Edit: Reread April 2021
With this reread I think I was seeing things from new perspective. It's hard to understand how things have progressed within the timeframe, but at the same time, I imagine it's realistic. After reading Winterkeep, it's nice to be reminded of how things developed in this book.
~
This was not my favorite of the Graceling books, but I still loved it. I connected really well with the characters and I was left wishing she'd write more.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Death of parent, Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Physical abuse
katherineguild35'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
3.5
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Medical trauma
ksykes'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
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Rape, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Pedophilia, Alcoholism, and Murder
Minor: Blood
dahlia_maxwell's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, and Murder
Bitterblue must unravel and deal with the abuse and manipulation of her now-deceased father. As she learns more and more of his horrible acts, it could be difficult to read for someone who is sensitive to topics of manipulation, abuse, senseless harming of others, incestuous pedophilia, or sexual assaultreadingrat'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
2.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicide, Death, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Blood, Sexual violence, Rape, and Violence
Minor: Trafficking, Addiction, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Alcoholism
lwooters'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: Violence, Grief, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Medical trauma, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Rape
bencaroline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, War, Self harm, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
siglerbooknook'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: Self harm, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Rape, Violence, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Medical content, Child death, Blood, Medical trauma, Classism, Child abuse, Addiction, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, and Alcoholism