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saloninareads's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
Stunning
zmull's review against another edition
4.0
Bennett's last novel, City of Stairs, was a great piece of fantasy world building, that also managed to have smart characters, a solid plot, and brisk pace. None of these things are a given in fantasy fiction. City of Stairs was a big hit and it deserved to be. Bennett has now returned with a sequel (his first sequel), City of Blades, this time in a new setting and with supporting character Turyin Mulaghesh moved to the center of the action. I'm happy to say its a good as City of Stairs. Maybe better in some ways, being somewhat less burdened by exposition. City of Blades is smart, engaging, and goes like a house on fire. Excellent.
jadom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
fast-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
4.5
bergha1998's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.75
This book focused so much more on war atrocities and trauma than I was prepared for. But it was done really well. It’s just a very hard book for that reason. I really liked the personal reflection Muglaghesh went through.
Fantasy, Philosophical Discussions, War
“Lonely places draw lonely people, she thinks as she walks farther north, the fort on her right. They echo inside us, and we cannot help but listen.”
“I just wish you to know that there is more to life than this. There is more to life than these… these great tasks we set for ourselves.”
“The way you feel about the place you grew up in is a lot like how you feel about your family.” “How’s that?” She thinks about it for a long time. “Like isn’t the same thing as love.”
“You aren’t born this way. None of us are. We’re made this way, over time. But we might be able to unmake some of what was done to us, if we try.”
“The world may not go on forever. But that does not mean we cannot try to make tomorrow better.”
“Peace is but the absence of war, and war itself is almost always inevitable. But when it comes, will our politicians admit it is war?”
Fantasy, Philosophical Discussions, War
“Lonely places draw lonely people, she thinks as she walks farther north, the fort on her right. They echo inside us, and we cannot help but listen.”
“I just wish you to know that there is more to life than this. There is more to life than these… these great tasks we set for ourselves.”
“The way you feel about the place you grew up in is a lot like how you feel about your family.” “How’s that?” She thinks about it for a long time. “Like isn’t the same thing as love.”
“You aren’t born this way. None of us are. We’re made this way, over time. But we might be able to unmake some of what was done to us, if we try.”
“The world may not go on forever. But that does not mean we cannot try to make tomorrow better.”
“Peace is but the absence of war, and war itself is almost always inevitable. But when it comes, will our politicians admit it is war?”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Child death, Abandonment, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, War, Racism, Colonisation, Xenophobia, and Genocide
rosebee00's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
karlijnvc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
spacedout_vy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
cloudsinthecupboard's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
4.0
Diving back into this epic, unique world where the old gods may not be so dead as many believe, and conspiracies are primed to explode. This time the story follows impressively feisty General Mulaghesh and takes us to a new, unique setting in this one of a kind world. The story is compelling and interesting, filled with mythology, past trauma, and memorable characters that are introduced and return. The visuals are wonderfully described which made for some terrifying moments in the story. I really loved the different aspects of the mystery and how the conspiracy unfolded. I absolutely loved the mythological aspect of the story, which made for some fantastic twists and a very intense ending. Mulaghesh was a great character to follow, since she took nothing from no one. I loved the flashbacks we were given in terms of her history, which was tragic and made her a rich, layered, and sympathetic character. These books are wonderfully written and definitely one of a kind, and you don't want to miss out on them!