Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Wicked King by Holly Black

83 reviews

smcrain's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Now I know not every book is gonna speak to everyone but this one really hits the right notes for me. Idk maybe it's because I was really not sure what to expect from this series. I'm not gonna lie; ever since True Blood and honestly maybe longer, Fae/Faeries have not been my thing. I don't really actively go looking for those stories; I was way more into knights, dragons and elves. Suffice it to say, I was kind of dragging my feet about reading this one. But I finally started a few days ago and boy did I get sucked right in. I think being completely new to fae fiction gives this series an advantage over me. I know there's SO many out there now, but for me this is the first I've read, and I'm really loving the land of Elfhame. I'm so intrigued by the weird rules and the love the cunning Jude displays while operating within them. 

I still love Jude, but this follows the format of a second installment in a trilogy, where our heroes go through some tough times and trials. And boy does she ever this book. She makes lots of mistakes, and at times I was frustrated, but honestly the twists and turns just kept coming. I could hardly come up for air for want of finding out what was going to happen next. This one was definitely a book I lost sleep over due to the ever infamous "one more chapter" mentality. Cardan comes into his own a bit more in this book, especially at the end. Honestly he's such a conundrum for me, I dislike his personality, but at the same time I'm basic and he's hot so I'm giving him a lot of leeway all the time. He does exhibit and get more backstory and wit/craftiness this book so he's at least earning some of my attraction outside of just superficially loving anyone described as dark haired, gorgeous and the usual that will have me ready to lick them. The ending is def an OMG/WTF moment. I have never been SO glad I do not have to wait a year or more before I'm able to pick up the next book and find out the conclusion to this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture

Minor: Blood and Sexual content

diana_raquel's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, War, Gore, Death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Sexual content

daenerystargaryen's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Confinement, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Child abuse, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Sexual violence

Minor: Vomit and Suicidal thoughts

orakuruno's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Now this is an enemies to lovers

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, War, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Drug use, Bullying, Violence, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Gore

Minor: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Trafficking, Torture, and Slavery

vereadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

2blueshoes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

After a first book so mind bogglingly horrifying, I surprised myself by truly enjoying this sequel. The Cruel Prince felt like a sort of nightmarish junior high, where love isn’t real, everyone is miserable, and no one wins. The Wicked King felt a bit like high school, with characters finding their footing, and forging real relationships - and of course the stakes are much higher. 

Yes, the FMC is still deeply un relatable to me, and her choices made me want to pull my hair out in frustration. 

Yes, all of the characters continue to operate so far beyond morally grey areas they are all difficult to root for. 

And yet, somehow in the midst of the ever-more-complicated political schemes and endless list of confusing character names… I found myself loving this story. The plot twists were plentiful and intelligently written (I guessed exactly one). There was such steep character development that the FMC and MMC became entirely different people. There was relationship angst, but it was elegant rather than despicable. There was exactly one spicy scene and it was fade to black. The MMC’s tail wasn’t mentioned, praise be. 

 If you don’t care much for back story or world building, read a synopsis of book one and jump to book two. It will absolutely have you on the edge of your seat - or in my case - yelling “OMG” loudly in the car. 

I will immediately read book three. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Torture

Minor: Bullying, Gore, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Vomit, War, Death of parent, Medical content, Slavery, and Suicide

gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• 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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book a lot more than the first. I think this was due to the book focusing on the politics and the battles one has as a ruler rather then the drama of the first book.
It easily kept me entertained throughout the whole book and has me very interested in the third and final book and how everything is going to be wrapped up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Confinement, and Violence

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Child abuse

picaresquedreamer's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying and Emotional abuse

magdapuczynska's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I gobbled this thing up quicker than any other book. It's a big improvement from the first book in the series and just the right mix of plot and spicyness. I'm looking forward to the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Confinement, and Bullying

Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content

shelvesofivy's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I know that sometimes sequels suffer, but I personally found this one leagues above the first book in terms of tension, intrigue, and overall pacing. God these characters now have me in a chokehold <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Death

Moderate: Torture, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Self harm, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, Drug use, and War

depictions of drowning