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maddierandolph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Cursing, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Drug use
victoriakerr131's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
nicosta_music's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
“Women are better at hating than men. They can focus it better, let it go better. Hell, witches are just plain meaner than wizards. This feels like feminine vengeance of some kind to me.”
Comedic gold. No person grounded in reality says things like this. It's also extremely telling how the minute Harry
Despite the weird misogyny and perviness that occasionally spewed from Harry's mouth, I thought he was a bit of an endearing character. He reminded me of a lot of my IRL guy friends -- sort of like the quiet, loser-type nerds who are actually chill when you get to know them (except my IRL guy friends grew out of the weird chauvinist attitudes).
The plot was fine. Nothing special, but I appreciate a mystery with magical elements. The way things always seemed to conveniently work out for Harry was also funny to me and kept me entertained. I'd recommend this book to anybody who think's they'd enjoy reading about an incel who lacks self-awareness bumbling his way through magic and crime scenes.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Animal death, and Child death
quiet_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Child death
tanman'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? It's complicated
4.0
I only mark it down a star for being inappropriate at times and for a slightly lackluster ending. Still satisfying, just not at epic as i was hoping.
Graphic: Gore, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Blood, and Drug use
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
jonwood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Given the length of the series, this book seems structured as a tv pilot to introduce the world and status quo that I expect to be shaken later. I will say, some of the magic descriptions I found tedious when he seemed to described the science of it, I’d rather things just be given rules of what can and can’t happen, don’t ask me to think critically about fantastical things, I’d prefer to accept they happen and think about the story instead.
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Death, and Blood
The main character can be seen to fit in the mold of noir hard-boiled detective, and comes equipment with the causal sexism that character type often entails.ekcd_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
It’s first of like twenty books, I certainly won’t be reaching for no2 right away but maybe if I get a slump or find it in a Little Library I’d keep it in reserves.
Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Blood, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Car accident, Drug use, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Addiction, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Vomit, Car accident, and Misogyny
cosmicquokka's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Addiction, and Mental illness
romamoody'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: Murder and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gun violence, and Domestic abuse
greebkit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The concept is genuinely interesting. Injecting fantasy into a classic noir/detective novel really works well. However, I have issues with how the female characters are portrayed. Early on there is a cringy "nice guy" speech that is only missing a neckbeard and tipped fedora. In it, the protagonist professes to be old-fashioned and not think of women as just a pair of tits, but then proceeds to describe every female character in terms of looks. I tried to move past that, but throughout the whole book every female character is written to secretly love the main character (either subtly or overtly). What's funny is that I really enjoy the noir/detective genre and I have enjoyed books with some outdated and sexist elements, but I have never cringed as much as with the characterizations in this book.
I think it's a shame because it is an interesting world within the book. The hints of the backstory are interesting. The way the rules of magic are portrayed is interesting. I really wanted to like it, but I can't ignore the sexist portrayals that are throughout the book. However, this is the first book in the series so I am going to try the next book so it is not so bad that it's unreadable. It just has a lot of cringy portrayals of women that don't serve a purpose except wish fulfillment. This cringy writing made an interesting concept less interesting and more annoying.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Sexism