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sgrunwald96'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: Blood, Death, Violence, Body horror, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Racism, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
felixfue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Animal death, War, and Child death
oliviaclaire'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
4.0
Hell Bent follows Alex's journey to retrieve Darlington from the depths of hell, a daunting task at the best of times. Throw in a threatening blast from the past and things become even more complicated. I have always admired book heroines who don't fit the sterotypical trope. Alex is dark and scarred and unapologetically a survivor and she fits beautifully into the equally dark academic world that Bardugo continues to craft around a very convincing portrayal of Yale. The lore in this series really draws me in and I loved learning more about the origins of the houses and the ritual of the Gauntlet. Everything from locations to magical items to new characters were fully and descriptively fleshed out and every individual felt immediately recogniseable from the others.
The only gripe I have with Hell Bent is that for a book of 480 pages it really does move a break neck pace for most of the narrative. There isn't much room for the characters, and therefore the reader, to stop and collect their thoughts. We're always hurtling into the next piece of the action.
All in all, Hell Bent was well worth the wait and I'll now return to being patient and pained as I wait for news on the third and final book in the trilogy.
Moderate: Violence, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Addiction, and Sexual assault
enyltiak'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: Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Gore, Gun violence, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Violence, Self harm, Animal death, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, and Racism
prairieraven'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
4.25
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Car accident, Gore, Addiction, Body horror, Gun violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Rape, Abandonment, Sexism, Slavery, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Sexual content, Violence, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Vomit, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Cursing, Police brutality, Racism, and Toxic friendship
veeloucagraph'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
2.75
She'd never liked that phrase, diamond in the rough. All that meant was that they had to cut you again and again to let the light in.
That was all there was in this world. No heroes or villains, just the people you'd brave the waves for, and the ones you'd let drown.
I've been trying to figure out a way to start this review and I believe the easiest way is to say, I couldn't wait for the sequel after Ninth House, and now I don't know if I want another sequel.
The second book in this occult New Haven setting felt disappointing, like it was shy, not going all the way with any of its themes, unlike Ninth House, which impressed, shocked and enthralled me by the end. The story moves along quite slowly but at the same time, as though we don't get enough time to breathe with the characters. Things are happening because they have to, we take characters along for the ride and feel their burden through the boredom their plot points create. The writing feels too preachy or distanced at times and a lot of the supernatural doesn't really make sense either with the tone or the logic the characters come up with. The stakes don't really feel high even though they're meant to be higher than ever and so much tension was lost because of the repetition in the plot, making important moments or reveals anti-climactic.
Maybe all that really needs to be said is that there should have been more secret societies, more rituals, more creatures, more demons, more Alex and Darlington, more of the exciting elements, which Leigh Bardugo seems to keep like a delicacy when your will to read is about to leave you.
Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Cursing
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Drug use, Slavery, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
margauxjpg'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: Mental illness, Blood, Animal cruelty, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Racism and Sexual content
alliemikennareads's review
4.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Gore, War, Murder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Blood
brosca'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
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Rape
cutevamp's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I picked this up thinking “this can’t be better than the first one” AND BOY WAS I WRONG.
THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING. GHOSTS AS A METAPHOR FOR TRAUMA. FUCKED UP MAGIC RITUALS. A KICK ASS TATTOOED BISEXUAL WOMAN WITH BLUE FLAME POWERS.
for real though this book made me cry. the plot is incredible and so are the characters, but what it has to say about going through horrible trauma & choosing to not just survive but live is incredibly touching. never thought I’d cry this hard over a rabbit. 100/100 stars
Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Sexual assault
Touches on institutional violence that is built on & allows sexual assault & racism to thrive. Main character is a recovering addict & SA survivor with suicidal thoughts. Themes are less prevalent than first book but deals with survivors guilt