Reviews tagging 'War'

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

6 reviews

abicaro17's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book starts off so strong. Alessandra is the second daughter of an earl looking to gain power and acknowledgement by marrying the Shadow King, Kallias. The problem? She plans to kill him right after. Alessandra is cunning, vicious, manipulative, and talented in many ways. I think the general plot was so fun! I love a good murderess and mystery. Alessandra is fun to read as well with all her inner monologue and complex feelings about people. My issues with this book stem from development (or lack thereof). To me, Alessandra and the world building feel underdeveloped. Alessandra is supposed to be this devious murderess with this plot, but her idea is quite literally just to poison him and hope the blame gets placed on a neighboring kingdom. Also past the first few chapters she doesn't seem very murder prone. I think her initial characterization was much more interesting than what we were left with. My other issue stems from world building. In terms of kingdoms and the country laws we are never given any explanations. This leaves me at a loss at times for why things are the way they are politically. I think this book could definitely benefit from some elaboration and possibly a different ending? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexism, Violence, War, Alcohol, Gun violence, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship

plsnotanotherdamselindistress's review

adventurous dark mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

So...this wasn't what I expected...

The story definitely contains a strong and confident fMC, but our girl is not likable...more like absolutely crazy and ehmm delusional.
It wss also great that the mMC supported her and acknowledges her wit seeing her as his equal, but the morals...

Both characters have a few things in common e.g. morally more than grey (as in anti heroes - figthing against a Robin Hood kinda guy, wanting to battle and in some way colonize other countries, working on strategies to oppress people), not reasonable and so on.

And while I can like morally grey characters you really feel like you are on the wrong side of the story in this book and I have now learned that is something I can not ignore (unreasonable killing - yes, this - no).

I liked that the society was diverse.
Not a fan of the ages chosen for the MCs even though it seemed fitting to how immature they acted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content and War

twiglt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Abandonment, and Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: War

haley49's review

adventurous

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The characters are bad people but you still root for them??? They are casually down with murder and classism but are kind of feminists so it’s okay??? 
My feelings on the main characters are mixed but I loved them evolving  together and realizing how alike they were, The pace felt natural and the story was interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, War, Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Medical content, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Alcohol

smazzeo96's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious relaxing 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Violence

Minor: War

ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Medical content

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Blood

Minor: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Murder, War, Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Child death, and Child abuse