Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

9 reviews

mirroaoror's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

There's just something about the world of Caraval that draws me in. I read this second book the day after I finished the first one, and oh my goodness, I am so glad that I did. Everything that I loved about the first book was just amplified here. I already thought that the world-building and the magical system was brilliant in the first one, but the world expanded even more here in the second one. And I really loved reading from Tella's point of view. The characterizations in general are also really good since there are so many interesting characters in this world. However, I do have to say that while the characters are well-written as individuals, it gets really messy once we delve into their relationships. They're filled with communication issues that never really get resolved (even between the sisters who just constantly lie to each other all the time and they once get to properly talk about their feelings and concerns without the other just refusing to listen or the other just avoiding conversation at all), or they're just tragically manipulative. But despite that, I still enjoyed the book. After the events of the first, I didn't think that I would feel as surprised as I did with the many plot twists and reveals in this one, but I was wrong! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Gaslighting

shriya_v's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I thought it was okay. It was pretty slow and I did put it down for a bit which is fine I think. I am giving this series a try and right now it is not wowing me but whatever lol. I really want to read the next series after this one so we shall see.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Blood

1_800_fuck_off's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

i enjoyed this book significantly better than the first one. 

the prince of hearts was what made me have hope that i would actually like this book and i did. 

he was a big part of that reason. 

i didn't dislike tella in this book, i hadn't disliked her in the first one, either, but i just didn't feel much of anything for her. moments in this book made me be like "oh, she's kind of cool for that ngl." that's kind of all i have to say about her though. 

when dante was revealed to be legend i was inclined to not believe it,, i didn't think it would be that obvious.

i expected a shock factor moment when legend would be revealed so i was kind of disappointed. even now i still can't believe it.. I really expected it to have been a better moment or at least have legend be an unexpected character. i guess i was so disappointed because in the first book they made legend to be.. well.. a legend. someone unattainable, magical, out of this world, out of reach from mortal clutches.

dante is just.. well.. dante, lol. he's the typical "bad boy", tortured, devil may cry, type of love interest. well, not fully, he does seemingly care a lot about donatella. but his character is built to be cocky, overconfident, seductive, funny, flirtatious, play boy sort of dude on the surface and have tragic backstory/serious, mean side which i can name many other LI like that on the spot sooo,,

yeah, not really impressed with his character. 

scarlett,, if scarlett hadn't been in the book i wouldn't have noticed. she literally has such insignificant scenes in this book but i'm sure it was to set up for the third and final book. 

the prince of hearts,

jacks.

now that was a great character. he instantly captured my attention. the plot twists actually plot twisted. i was actually surprised when he was revealed to be: 

1. the heir, 2. tella's friend, and 3. the prince of hearts.

he was just a wonderfully, well done morally ambiguous character. he's confusing in the best way possible. does he actually have a soft side? is he actually a cruel person?

is tella really his true love?

that was never actually confirmed since he would deny or say something else when it was brought up, kind of like to distract away from the topic. i like him. he's the first character that brought me some excitement in this series so far. i want to learn more about him but i don't know if i'd like to read a romance about him which i know the spin off series once upon a broken heart is about. ill probably still end up reading it because i don't like not finishing the complete story of a fictional world. 

anyways. pretty good book. on to the next one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Murder

Minor: Death

rescuing mother gone wrong, morally ambiguous characters for the win, legend not so legendary, found family??

amre23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Violence, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Confinement, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcohol and Death of parent

lynnloveshobi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Abandonment, Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, Confinement, Gaslighting, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Death

Minor: Cannibalism

cady_sass's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Not as good as the first book but better than expected. I thought reading from Donatella’s perspective wouldn’t be enjoyable but I grew to like her more than I thought I would. My biggest issue with this is actually the gaping plot holes it creates in the first, which was already teetering on the edge of being nonsensical. If you can pretend that the continuity issues don’t exist this might be a 4 or 5 star read for you, but, alas, you would be a bigger person than me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Sexual content

katvou's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Body horror, Sexual content, Grief, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Murder, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Violence

filipa_maia's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I am completely in love with the world, and the characters, that Stephanie Garber wrote.

There is no way that you can't like these sisters! They are strong female characters with layers: I love their backstory - it is what makes them so resilient and capable of overcome everything that Caraval puts in their way.

I really like the way Stephanie Garber chose to write this second book: we completely change the point of view, and now, Tella is our main character; there is a new, completely different, place; and, pretty much, every single character is new. All this, but maintain everything that made us love the first book.

With everything that was left unsolved in this second book, I can't wait to read the final one and know what will happen to these amazing sisters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Gaslighting

Minor: Abandonment

finallywakingup's review against another edition

2.5

I was enjoying the book until the end when it was revealed that the main character was only 15 years old. That made everything seem very icky and off for me. The 'well what if, but what if, but what if' that went on and on and on made the book really drag and the game playing in all the relationships (trying to make someone jealous, ignoring them, doing things to get their attention) is really unhealthy and not something that should be foregrounded in a YA book, but always seems to be.

Besides that there was still enough interesting things to keep me reading but it was tough going at times.

The author seems to have forgotten her own canon, or is just ignoring it. In the first book it was stated that Legend had had a relationship with Scarlett and Della's Grandmother. Now we're supposed to believe that he's only a teenage boy because that's how he chooses to appear. Really Della is getting involved with a man literally old enough to be her Grandfather which is just awful. Since I've realised this fact, and that the age difference is probably similar for Scarlett and Julian, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to enjoy the final book very much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship