Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Raven King by Nora Sakavic

25 reviews

jenny_librarian's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

I think I'm a little bit traumatized...

Everyone always says how much they love this series, but they never mention just how freaking disturbing it is. Like, there's an on-page rape scene (the end of it, but the description is pretty obvious as to what happened) and really dark discussions of past trauma.

There's a violently arophobic passage in the middle that caught me completely off guard. Again, something nobody ever mentions.

I still barely see the main couple's attraction, and I've looking for it because that's all anyone ever seems to talk about when they mention this trilogy. Two books in and there isn't much to go on. I get that it's supposed to be slow burn, but this is almost non-existent burn... At this rate, it would take 2 more books for it to be somewhat believable if they ever get together.

So yeah, it's addictive, but I wouldn't recommend it.

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katerina_l's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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bigpenis's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny 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

5.0


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janeesjournal's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wie auch beim 1.Teil, sollte es hier definitiv wieder Trigger-Warnungen geben.

Der erste Teil hat mir schon sehr gut gefallen und hier entwickelt sich die ganze Handlung nochmal deutlich weiter und wird richtig intense und spannend, so dass ich es zu, Teil gar nicht aus der Hand legen konnte.

Man ist einfach so unfassbar in die Leben von jedem einzelnen der so interessanten und tiefgründigen Foxes und noch sehr natürlich in das wirklich verzwickte Leben des Protagonisten Neil’s. Ich kann gar nicht in Worte fassen, wie sehr ich mit den Charakteren mitgelitten und gefühlt habe. 
Jeder einzige hat eine wirklich interessante und tragische Hintergrundgeschichte, die auf ihre ganz eigene Art definiert, wie die Charaktere sind.

Besonders bei Neil fragt man sich immer wieder, ob und wie seine Vergangenheit ihn letztendlich einholt. 

Der Schreibstil ist zwar recht distanziert und einfach, aber er passt wirklich sehr zu den Charakteren und auch deren Gefühle werden trotzdem wirklich gut rübergebracht. 

Auch Exy wird immer spannender und obwohl ich gar kein Sport-Mensch bin, fiebert man total mit den Foxes mit, feuert sie an und hofft auf einen Sieg - ganz besonders gegen die Ravens.

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fanboyriot's review against another edition

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dark 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

5.0

Read For:
Good Humor
Chaotic Gays
Found Family
Fictional Sport
Hurt/Comfort… Mostly Hurt

Ugh, the relationships in this book really develop so much and it’s so good.  The plot really comes to life, problem after problem shows up and Neil is just stupidly there.

I used to not like this book as much as the other two, the angst was just too much but after so, so, so, many re-reads I love seeing how the characters develop, how the relationships build, platonic and romantic, Neil shares more, learns more about Andrew and it’s actually written really well.

Plus it’s super funny to re-read this and see just how much of a simp Andrew Minyard is for Neil so early on.  It’s something I don’t remember noticing through my first read but no I can’t unnoticed it.  Neil just being like, “I just asked.” the whole time.  Meanwhile, the foxes are just staring at him horrified Andrew didn’t kill him yet.

The end with Wymack picking Neil up at the airport after Christmas gets me every time, the emotional damage, the wholesomeness of David Wymack doing everything for his Foxes.  So good and so damn depressing all at once.  Pain and suffering but also iconic quotes and laughing at a short little blond man with knives simping for a pathological lair who is very much not “fine” at any point in his life.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Release Date: 10, July 2013
POV: Third Person
Spice: n/a
Rep: Demisexual (MC), Gay characters, Mental Illness

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fenr1r's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • 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? It's complicated

4.25

basically, i absolutely loved this book. but, I also didnt. there r a lot of issues w it, especially andrew and how his character is written. a lot of things make no logical sense. characters make choices that are like 100% obviously not a good choice, and they should know that having been through what theyve been through

My critiques/questions abt this book pasted from my GR review

Again, Nora, what medication is Andrew on.

Also why wasn't Renee with them for the little Christian thanksgiving dinner? Why did Neil let Andrew be by himself at Nicky's parents house?

Why hadn't Bee already called in for Andrew to be put in rehab? I just don't understand. I am stupid, so I probably passed over where it was explained, but so many things just don't make logical sense.

Since this book is about a made up sport I'll give it the benefit of the doubt but there is no explanation offered to whatever drug Andrew is on, how and why a drug that induced something similar to a manic state would be given to him, and why it would be court ordered that he's on it. A friend told me he has bipolar depression, okay, and since he beat these dudes almost to death, having him on meds he is now seems... dumb. Instead of putting him in something similar to a manic state in which he is obviously still dangerous in, focus instead on slowing him down and actually... balancing his mood. Which like, the healthcare system is shit and treats disabled people horribly, I know, I just don't understand what even an ableist government gains by doping Andrew up to where he's just being an annoying asshole all the time, only for a certain period of time, then having him go through rehab because whatever he was on was clearly highly addictive.

Idk,,, as a mentally disordered person I just gotta rule this one off as too little research done or something. Instead of appearing like a well written character who's lived through so much trauma and his brain actively working against him, it just comes off as shock value. "Look at this ruined crazy unhinged damaged unable to be fixed boy who does crazy things!!"

ALSO GIRL HOW IS 5FT TALL OVERLY MEDICATED ANDREW SOME KIND OF PROTECTOR AGAINST A LITERAL ORGANIZED CRIME/MOB GROUP THAT HAS JUDGES AND PROSECUTERS ON THEIR PAYROLL???? IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE . WHY IS RIKO SO SCARED OF AN ILL LITTLE MAN? </spoiler/



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natnat_7's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.75


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spaghettii's review against another edition

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

5.0


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galpalkirk's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny tense medium-paced
  • 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

5.0

Finding out that this was originally supposed to be a manga explained everything and now I’m revising all my reviews to give it 5 stars because it is so fun. Truly the Riverdale of books. Bending the rules of reality because the author has never lived in reality.

Important: Do NOT take this as me recommending the series. Unless you’re my friend and you’re funny.

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gargoylex's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny medium-paced
  • 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


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