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Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Okno skąpane w mroku by Rachel Gillig

214 reviews

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

honestly enjoyed this way more than i expected. gothic fantasy with a card-based magic system, intriguing lore, political conspiracies, and a gentle, naturally-developing romance. one “fade to black” spicy scene. FMC is a little annoying in the beginning (but i read a lot of fantasy so i’m used to it lol) but she grew on me by the end. 

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adventurous medium-paced

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It was fine. The beginning was the best part, along with the overall aesthetic of the entire novel with the dark clothes, the gothic atmosphere, the simple magic system, and the mist clinging to the city.

Once it got past 55%, I started getting annoyed with the repetition of character descriptions and certain phrases. The main romance was not for me. Elspeth also started to get on my nerves the more the novel went on.

I'll still read the second book, but I'm not in a rush to do so.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
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

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

 **Quietly moves this to my All-Time-Favorites shelf, and orders the second book….

I had the same feeling when I was reading The Cruel Prince: this book was meant for me, and I am the target audience. Every time I put the book down, I kept thinking about the story. And I think it’ll be on my mind for a while even after I’ve finished. I guess I’m a sucker for gothic dark fantasy….? It definitely had one of the coolest magic systems I’ve seen in a book. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

One of the best books and duologies I’ve read recently and ever!
Rachel Gillig continues to be a unique, poetic, beautifully spoken, and well-written author with this as another testament to her work.
This darker take on a fairytale style “what if?” manages to be completely its own, while reflecting many beloved pieces of tales you may know, making a world that is both easy to fall into and dazzling in detail. Perfectly planned, leaving breadcrumb details to unravel the mystery throughout every chapter while remaining completely unpredictable without hindsight, and consequently leaving you hooked for one more chapter every time you reach a final page.
Easily loveable yet complex characters are quickly enthralling especially as their dynamics mix and unfold leaving blossoming friendships, addictive romance subplots, and family roots ready to fight for one another… or those that they have found to call such. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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