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anni_swanilda'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
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Gore, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence and Alcohol
Minor: Child death and Vomit
e_emmaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Infidelity, Animal death, Body horror, Murder, War, Child death, Gore, Sexual assault, and Violence
hjb_128's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: War, Death, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Alcoholism
undecidedpersonality'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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Classism, and Torture
Minor: Genocide, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Self harm
klsreads'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
3.75
Graphic: War
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Body horror, Murder, Violence, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Child death
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Death, Confinement, Violence, Murder, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Racism, Gun violence, Torture, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Body horror, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Incest, Infidelity, Drug use, Fatphobia, Child death, Death of parent, and Child abuse
cecinamo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Sometimes this book is a bit week from a storytelling perspective, but the characters definitely make up for it!!! Alina, David, Genya, Nikolai, Tolya, Tamar, Zoya - literal PERFECTION!!!!
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, War, Death, and Stalking
Minor: Bullying, Alcohol, and Child death
david_slack110507's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I found that this book was much more gripping that the previous one which very much felt like the first book in a trilogy (Not a bad thing but it definitely had that feeling) whereas while the long chapters remain in this one (And I'm assuming in all of Leigh Bardugo's work) I found it much easier and enjoyable to get through as well as it taking me less time. I liked a lot of the new characters the obvious being Nikolai who I feel brought a lot of charm to the novel and his back and forth with Alina was probably one of my favourite parts of the novel. Speaking of Alina, this time around while she still doubts herself and has her insecurities she felt a lot more involved in the action and getting to see her utilise the Cut and her power was nice to see throughout the novel.
I also really liked that we got to see more of the military-type operation and world of the Grishaverse/Ravka and Alina coming into control of the Second Army was really cool to see as it was a nice change of pace to have her decide to fight back against the Darkling (As briefly mentioned above). Tolya and Tamar were also a pretty good addition to the ensemble of characters even if they don't get a lot of backstory or much to do besides protecting Alina.
I can definitely see how some may not like this book as like how I feel with the first book feeling like the first book in a trilogy the same could be said for this one which can definitely feel like the second book and middle-point in a trilogy with its main goal being to set up the 3rd book/conclusion and filling out the rest of time with character dramas and a larger focus on dialogue and development that action (E.g the main real conflicts only come at the beginning and the end and The Darkling remains out of the picture for nearly all of the book aside from the final confrontation and appearing physically to Alina throughout after her nichevo'ya bite)
Overall, I might have the unpopular opinion that I preferred this book to the first and found it to be much more engaging (Perhaps due to the first book having set up everything that the second book could easily and comfortably ease back into the world). I'm planning on trying to finish this series as soon as possible rather than taking a couple of months break in between like I did with this book and the first.
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: War, Gore, Grief, Stalking, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child death, Sexual harassment, and Animal cruelty
prettynerdy3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, War, Vomit, Child death, Gore, and Murder
rose_88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: War, Alcohol, Violence, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, and Blood
Minor: Dementia and Toxic relationship