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lainiereads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
I had no clue what happened in this book before I read it, except that it had Nikolai and Zoya, and that people loved them. And both of those things were true. Plus, other great characters, and a lot of crazy plot twists, AND amazing quotes??? Perfect.
The style of this story was so much more similar to the Shadow and Bone trilogy than the Six of Crows duology, and the only explanation I can provide for it is that the main location was Ravka again, and the tone of the story was more serious and grim than the heists of the crows.
I did think that this book felt mostly like a set up for the next one, so I am really looking forward for the action in Rule of Wolves (which I also know nothing about). There was a lot of time spent as exposition for the main conflicts to come, but I still could not have predicted that the book would have ended the way it did. Leigh always knows how to keep me on my toes.
Also, the dialogue was amazing, as always. I mean, this story revolves around some of the funniest characters in the entire grishaverse, so what do you expect if not constant witty retorts? Like with the previous books, I found myself laughing out loud one chapter, and holding my breathe the next.
I definitely recommend this book to fans of the Bardugo's other works, and I really look forward to reading Rule of Wolves. Since this one felt a bit like a set up for its sequel, I am hoping to get a new favorite out of that one. :)))
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Body shaming, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
esmeralda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Having Nina as a character is wonderful, although personally I am slightly disappointed (if unsurprised) by her choices.
Moderate: Violence
ellieprb05's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction and Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Miscarriage
megloveswords12'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
4.5
Graphic: Suicide and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Violence, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, and Miscarriage
lilencius's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
that aside, I enjoyed the writing style in this book. I really liked Nikolai's and Nina 's, specially, perspectives! Those were really fun! I'm looking forward to see Nina's sapphic romance blossom!! Zoya's perspective felt a little flat for me sometimes, and I think it's because I don't really have connection with her character, but I really appreciated the flashback to her backstory during the beginning of the second part of the book. That was really well written and I really enjoyed it, it really showcased the author's talent!
I am definitely reading the second one, but I'm not really excited about where the plot is going. I still think it has potential, though!
Graphic: Violence
queenmackenzie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
‘Ravka was his first love, an infatuation that has begun in his lonely boyhood and that had only deepened with age. Whatever it demanded, he knew he would give.’
‘For a moment, Nina had stood alone with death on the docks, two weary travellers, long time companions.’
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, and Blood
valyn_grebe'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Sexism, Slavery, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
blakethebookeater's review against another edition
- 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
https://youtu.be/_dH-mSya8uY
okay. let me calm down for a sec, but holy shit this book is amazing.
So this books interweaves the end of the Grisha trilogy and the end of the Six of Crows duology while also still being a standalone duology (I would highly recommend reading both prior series first however). It follows King Nikolai as he grapples with his country at war on multiple fronts while dealing with the darkness inside him, his general Zoya as she assists him in running the country, and also Nina as she processes recent events and also goes undercover in order to smuggle Grisha out of Fjerda.
Nikolai and Zoya are together most of the book, so it ultimately feels like there are two main stories: Nikolai & Zoya and then Nina. And that's perfectly fine. The bouncing between the two plots felt perfectly natural and I LOVED everyone's POV in this book, but especially Zoya and Nina. This book really felt like Leigh being like "oh you don't like angry, complex female characters? BOOM here's two of them and they're not Mary Sues and they get to be messy and complex and powerful and you will LOVE IT" to all the stans who bitched about Alina from the first trilogy.
This plot also went in some WILD CRAZY directions that I did NOT see coming AT ALL. And when an author does that to me, I really have to tip any hat to them because it is very hard to surprise me anymore.
Overall I loved this book with all my heart, and the characters were just so wonderful and I really hope Netflix lets the show get to these plot lines because they are honestly TOP TIER.
5/5 stars
Graphic: Medical trauma and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Child death
kaylamoran'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
4.0
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, and Medical content