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adrienreads's review
- 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 is dark, but if the first book was too explicit/intense for you, this one definitely felt "lighter", more-or-less. Still dark and horrific, but there was far less (on-screen at least) sexual violence, and overall I had a much easier time with this one. Again, still not "light reading" by any means, but worth noting.
If you've loved Bardugo's other books, this one scratches that same itch, and more.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Addiction, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Grief, Police brutality, and Death of parent
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death
Minor: Slavery, Misogyny, and Racism
renorsomethin's review
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny and Violence
Moderate: Animal death
morguemoth's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Gore, Classism, Vomit, and Animal death
Moderate: Colonisation, Misogyny, Rape, and Drug use
Minor: Self harm, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
elysianemily's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, and Sexual content
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Mental illness, Racism, and Misogyny
green_amaryllis's review
- 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: Blood, Murder, Death, Animal death, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death of parent, Grief, Drug abuse, and Vomit
sfdogmom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death, Classism, Animal death, Death of parent, Blood, and Misogyny
keen'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
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Animal death, and Drug use
Minor: Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
smuttymcbookface's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A gripe I had with the first book was the constant flicking between timelines to add mystery and intrigue from the start. Although there was some mild timeline hopping here, it felt much more natural whilst achieving the same effect.
I was truly invested in the characters, and I could feel the strain on Alex and Dawes as they were constantly pushed to the limit. The setting of Yale, with the constant references to certain architectural features of the buildings, was woven in to deepen mysteries without boring. The research done for this, as well as the lore, must have been extensive and Leigh Bardugo has done an unbelievable job of weaving it all into the story without info-dumping.
I enjoyed that there was no cliff-hanger ending, just unresolved threads of plot. Although the pacing is slow to start and ridiculously fast to end (so much was packed into the last quarter), I didn't find myself bored or racing through any of it. I enjoyed that there were still small conversations of friendship woven into all of the drama, and that Alex was constantly appreciating the normality of her non-magical life.
My only real complaint was that some of the journeys felt a little bait-and-switch in their conclusion.
Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Violence, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Police brutality, Racism, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit
frawst_disasta_reads's review
- 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
5.0
To me it was more enjoyable than NH.
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Murder, Gore, Blood, Death, Classism, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, and Slavery