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rose_88's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
Very different to the Shadow and Bone trilogy, but I loved it none the less. I loved how mismatch the ‘crew’ was, and I liked how each of their backstories were littered throughout, rather than getting them all at once. Though I really want to know more about Wylan, I was disappointed that there were no chapters from his point of view but I loved seeing him from other people’s perspective. I loved Kaz and Inej, and Matthias and Nina’s real action ships, as well as how different they were. I also really loved Wylan and Jesper’s dynamic, looking forward to seeing more of them. One thing i really didn’t see coming was that it was Jesper who gave away their plans, and it really wasn’t his fault, he didn’t mean to, but I know Kaz is gonna blame him, and I feel really bad for him, cause it is OBVIOUS that Jesper at least had a crush on Kaz, he literally said how he knew he was nervous when they first got to the Ice Court because he had the opportunity to see Kaz naked but didn’t take it. I just feel so bad for my boy Jes. I felt so bad when he realised he was ALWAYS the only one not knowing the plan/not knowing that Wylan had been tailored to look like the scientist. I know this is meant to be a darker series than S&B but JESUS. The amount of trauma these teenaged, these CHILDREN, have is absolutely astonishing. One thing I will say, it got very confusing between them getting a new plan and getting to the Grisha in the Treasury, I just felt it was very hard to visualise it, and the ending came very quickly after, I would really have liked to see how they all reacted when they escaped and how they felt about Nina’s taking of the drug and then getting back to Ketterdam. Usually, I don’t like cliffhangers, but I felt this one with Inej having been taken by Van Eck just creates high stakes for the next book, which I’m looking forward to. It also opens the opportunity for Kaz to refer to Inej as ‘my girl’. I love them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Blood, Abortion, Murder, Body horror, Classism, and Confinement
Moderate: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Cursing, Slavery, Torture, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
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