Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

59 reviews

bethy_joy's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Slavery, Blood, Violence, Torture, Child abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, War, Dysphoria, Vomit, Grief, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Abandonment, and Cannibalism

kayanoelle's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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

This was surprisingly good!!!
When I started the book, I was a little shocked by how dark the themes were, it definitely took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Let me tell you, I suffered with them. Everyone is just miserable all the time tbh and I almost started crying like 5 times because everything was so unfair haha.
Wren is an incredible protagonist, I felt like everything she did or thought was SO in character for how she grew up and everything that happened to her.
And Oak… dude, are all the characters in Holly Black’s books destined to despise themselves? ‘Cause it does feel that way.
I don’t know why but this book really took me by surprise, I couldn’t put it down and I love the complexity of the characters, how everyone is morally gray and the fact that I can understand why they all did what they did even though it’s all messy now. How they’re all struggling with themselves while also trying to be a decent person.
And the fantasy setting was lovely as always. (Lovely is probably the wrong word but you know what I mean.)
My only point of criticism is that the story was too fast paced sometimes, they were in one place and then somewhere else two pages later. And the conversations were too short and people kept getting interrupted. But maybe that’s just my personal issue because I do love my dialogue in books. And Oak and Wren and Tiernan and Hyacinth felt like my personal travel buddies haha.
Idk I just want y’all to give this a chance if you’re still considering.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: War and Rape

kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, Child abuse, Cursing, and Confinement

Minor: Torture and War

sh543's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

nojgli's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book ate me, chew me up and threw me up so that it can start again.

It's been a hot minute since I've read anything with such raw emotions, all while accompanying a handful of characters with their own complex personalities, backgrounds and feelings. Since it's a pov book, you're given many clues to figure out the twists except they are always worse than you'd think.

I advise people to check TWs because child abuse is basically the core of the story, but if that does not trigger you or you're ready to face it Holly uses language that will both rip you apart with with rawness and make you feel seen.


Also Holly of you're reading this, we got the memo with the hooves , for me personally I think you overdid it. And they are not sexy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Stalking, Violence, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder

_alyssar_'s review

dark tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Infertility, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

natashaleighton_'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It should come as no surprise (as a self confessed Holly Black super fan) that I absolutely loved this! It was really good to see Oak and Suren again after the events of The Queen of Nothing and I enjoyed getting to delve into the details of Suren’s childhood both before, during and immediately after her time with Lord Jarel, Lady Nore and the Court of Teeth. 

The writing was once again full of whimsy and magic, though of a slightly darker tone than what we previously saw in The Folk of The Air series—but I felt it suited the story (and Suren’s character arc) perfectly. 

I admit, going into this I had expected Oak to be my favourite given how much I loved him in the original series but Suren (who now prefers to be called Wren) definitely stole the show in terms of character development and the layered, deeply emotional backstory we finally navigate. I honestly forgot how young she was when we last saw her, which only makes her experiences all the more heartbreaking.

I liked Oak, but he was certainly very different to what I had envisioned —given his time in the mortal world I expected to see a little more human influence in his character. Instead, what we got was a Locke/Cardan-esque fairy prince prone to secrets and manipulation. And though there were glimpses of Jude’s influence, I still wasn’t certain whether his motivations were in the best interests of those around him (namely Wren) —and as it’s told solely from Wren’s POV, we never really get to explore much of his character which was the only thing that disappointed me.

Wren’s arc definitely made up for it though and the chemistry between her and Oak was exceptionally good, and definitely mirrored Jude and Cardan’s interactions in The Cruel Prince (sans the cruelty and bullying.) 

Overall, an action packed and plot twisty start to a new (spinoff) duology that takes us back into the magical court politics and bloodthirsty fae of Elfhame (and The Folk of The Air series).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Child abuse, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, and Death

anastashamarie's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

⚠️ Warning: this one has a lot of childhood trauma in it. 

❄️ As a character study of Wren and her trauma, this is A+. As an adventure odyssey, it's enjoyable. As a romantic fantasy, I kind of wanted more. 

🏰 I wish the romance burned a little slower. I LOVE friends-to-lovers, but I don't think it had the chemistry I was seeking. There was also a surprising about of plot armor, and at times, it felt like the book was rushed, not in terms of pacing (pacing was actually pretty good) but in terms of publication? Like it wasn't as polished as a lot of Holly Black's other plotlines. 

🗡️ BUT I love grown-up Oak's arrogance. I double loved the exploration of Wren's trauma and character. I loved getting to see Elfhame again. And, yeah, okay, even for my complaints, I will be anxiously awaiting the next one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Murder, and Kidnapping

Minor: Child death, Infertility, and Suicidal thoughts

allichuckran'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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Kidnapping, Violence, and Murder

gellyreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Black just keeps fucking me up!! Oh my goodness! I wasn’t expecting this POV, let alone another Elfhame visit, and I fell in love with Wren quickly. The last couple of chapters felt a little kitschy, but that’s standard for this series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, War, Torture, and Kidnapping