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betweentheshelves's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
3.5
As in typical Leigh Bardugo fashion, the writing and the world building was exceptional. I don't think it quite tops Crooked Kingdom (Bardugo's best book, in my opinion), but it hooked me! The setting was intriguing, and adding to the intrigue was the fact that it's loosely based on her own family's history.
It was a little slow moving for me, and I think it might partly be because I listened to it on audio? The narrator wasn't bad, just wasn't my favorite. There is a good romance at the center of this, and if you like your fantasy a bit dark with a bit of romance, this will definitley be for you!
It was a little slow moving for me, and I think it might partly be because I listened to it on audio? The narrator wasn't bad, just wasn't my favorite. There is a good romance at the center of this, and if you like your fantasy a bit dark with a bit of romance, this will definitley be for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: War
karmascycles's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
So beautifully written and the story was incredible. I loved how mysterious and gothic everything was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Torture
Minor: Death of parent
becalexa's review against another edition
4.0
very solid 4 stars! the beginning was a little slow but once it got going i was quite interested. not the most intricate plot ms bardugo has ever written but it certainly had Vibes which i personally think was the point of this story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Torture, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
frmeden's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? N/A
4.5
picture me reading the ending on the bus with my heart in my fucking throat
leigh bardugooo you have so much talent, it felt like spain was honestly a whole other character in this book and so much love and care was given to every character, no matter how minor, that i was deeply invested in how each of their stories wrapped up
doesn’t quite join the ranks of six of crows but they’re not really the same story so probably incomparable? but it wrapped up so bittersweet and final and lovely. i liked this a lot
santángel you will always be famous and sexy
leigh bardugooo you have so much talent, it felt like spain was honestly a whole other character in this book and so much love and care was given to every character, no matter how minor, that i was deeply invested in how each of their stories wrapped up
doesn’t quite join the ranks of six of crows but they’re not really the same story so probably incomparable? but it wrapped up so bittersweet and final and lovely. i liked this a lot
santángel you will always be famous and sexy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Sexual content, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual violence and Death of parent
writingcaia'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
4.5
Enchanting and eery, magical and dark, with a historical setting that brings to life the horrors and hypocrisy of the Inquisition, the conversion and expulsion of Jews, and the fall of the Spanish Armada, mixing historical facts with magical ones that feel as true as the written down.
Amidst it all there is a girl grieving for a family and a future lost to poverty and inquisition, slaving away, until a casual and common (for her) little chant to fix the bread pushes her to display her magical talents, so intertwined with her past and traditions, driving her to find her lost strength and renewing her ambition - to be powerful, to be unique, to be seen.
Pushed into a political game between King and would-be powers she meets the strange but alluring Familiar, her magic mentor, and her life will never be the same.
A love story and a dark tale with villains and heroes disguised as either, where trust is earned and love stolen from the ashes of a forgotten world.
It didn’t dazzle me but it was still unforgettable!
Can’t wait for more like this from Leigh.
Amidst it all there is a girl grieving for a family and a future lost to poverty and inquisition, slaving away, until a casual and common (for her) little chant to fix the bread pushes her to display her magical talents, so intertwined with her past and traditions, driving her to find her lost strength and renewing her ambition - to be powerful, to be unique, to be seen.
Pushed into a political game between King and would-be powers she meets the strange but alluring Familiar, her magic mentor, and her life will never be the same.
A love story and a dark tale with villains and heroes disguised as either, where trust is earned and love stolen from the ashes of a forgotten world.
It didn’t dazzle me but it was still unforgettable!
Can’t wait for more like this from Leigh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: War
edamamebean's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book so much, I don’t even know what to do with myself. It was perfect from start to finish, genuinely the best I’ve read from Leigh Bardugo. I’ll be hard pressed to read a book that tops this one all year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Torture, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ljp817's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Excrement, Vomit, and War
tonib's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
4.0
“Do you know any real magic? Grand magic? The kind in stories?”
He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasped palms against his heart.
“Only this,” he said as morning drew near. “Only this.”
He took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, then he rested their clasped palms against his heart.
“Only this,” he said as morning drew near. “Only this.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Antisemitism and Fire/Fire injury
spicycronereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
4.5
I am a fan of all of Bardugo’s books but this is probably her most mature work to date. I don’t mean in terms of content necessarily (and certainly not in terms of steaminess). It takes a historical setting and adds magic, which makes it pretty dark. The themes of patriarchy and the violence of men are realized here in a way that you really feel the weight of them and a throughline to present times. Like there is a palpable weariness toward the violence of men and a familiar way that women have to band together for protection. It lends a sobriety or somberness to the text. In addition, the lyricism of Bardugo’s writing is elevated from prior books.
It did take me a bit to get into it. It is in third person POV and the characters are not necessarily likeable. FMC Luzia is sympathetic and she has a certain strength that evolves but I can’t say that I really liked her. The MMC Santángel is blonde, so there’s that 😂 I’m kidding. Mostly. But I would not say he’s a book boyfriend. I heard Bardugo speak recently and she said Valentina is her favorite character I agree that she has the best character arc. Also, what was the deal with the playwrite? Were her writings influencing things or was she just using everything as inspiration? It kind of felt like that went nowhere. The magic system is based in language, which seems like it isn’t that common these days. It is done in a way that feels fresh.
In terms of diversity, Luzia and a few other characters are Jewish and living in hiding, having descended from those who converted to Catholicism under the violence of the Inquisition. There are also a few queer folks among the secondary characters.
There is a romance element to the plot. Santángel recognizes Luzia’s strength and helps her develop, and then gets out of her way (which is one of my favorite micro-tropes(?) in romance.) . There is a bit of pining and romantic tension. And it becomes a closed door romance. I give it one swoony heart 💖 I actually think it would have been better and more romantic to leave the ending more ambiguous. We have ambiguity around the playwrite and the orange grove is never fully explained. I think it would have improved the book to gesture toward Santángel regenerating each day but not spelling it out. That would have aligned with the weightiness of the setting and would have put this at 5 stars for me.
There is a plot point where the Jewish characters are planning to travel to a land that is sanctuary for them. I was a bit worried it was going to be some kind of Zionist sub-plot but Bardugo has expressed support for Palestine and there is nothing to suggest that this place is intended as an analog to Israel. It is more that the characters are seeking somewhere free from persecution and there is no sense that this requires colonizing another place or displacing other people.
Overall, the setting and writing are lush. The plot is interesting and the magic feels fresh, with the weight of historical events adding a somber texture to the book. It was a bit of a slow start but then it really picked up. I really liked it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
It did take me a bit to get into it. It is in third person POV and the characters are not necessarily likeable. FMC Luzia is sympathetic and she has a certain strength that evolves but I can’t say that I really liked her. The MMC Santángel is blonde, so there’s that 😂 I’m kidding. Mostly. But I would not say he’s a book boyfriend.
In terms of diversity, Luzia and a few other characters are Jewish and living in hiding, having descended from those who converted to Catholicism under the violence of the Inquisition. There are also a few queer folks among the secondary characters.
There is a romance element to the plot. Santángel recognizes Luzia’s strength and helps her develop,
Overall, the setting and writing are lush. The plot is interesting and the magic feels fresh, with the weight of historical events adding a somber texture to the book. It was a bit of a slow start but then it really picked up. I really liked it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Moderate: Infertility and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
There is a threat of sexual assault but it does not occur.