Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

11 reviews

thevanessa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Definitely not the same as the Cruel Prince, but it still had that fairytale essence that I love. But with that being said, I really did miss my conniving little Queen, Jude, though. I felt like it really lacked that element of gray, that Jude always gave; the one that always kept you on your toes and on the edge of your seat in suspense, questioning where it would lead and how it would end, so I didn’t read it as quickly as I did with the Folk of the Air trilogy. I do really love Oak and Wren though, enough so that I’m gonna ignore the fact that I figured out the whole plot in the first few chapters😅

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Slavery, Physical abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Murder, Torture, Child abuse, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use

callidoralblack's review against another edition

adventurous emotional

• Loveable characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Gore, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, War, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Classism, Death, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Physical abuse, Torture, and Pregnancy

stewartj0421's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing and Confinement

isfantasi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Gore, Drug use, Torture, Confinement, War, Slavery, and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity, Cannibalism, and Child death

marynograce827's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense slow-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

This book is so empowering and gives the future look at the cruel Prince that I had been wanting. If you enjoyed the cruel Prince trilogy you will like this book a lot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Kidnapping, Gore, Alcohol, and Violence

Moderate: Rape

themichellegray's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.0

An average spin-off to The Folk of the Air trilogy that seemed only to be written as a way to capitalize off its predecessor's success. While this story added more lore to Faerieland's monarchy and explored the repercussions of a changeling's upbringing, there are far too many critiques to be ignored.

First and foremost, Oak's characterization was so wildly unbelievable compared to the beloved child we met in TFOTA. I understand this book takes place 8 years after QON and Oak has been forced into a dangerous position but there wasn't even a hint of the wholesome little boy we once knew. Nine year old Oak refused to learn proper swordplay and never showed an ounce of romantic interest in then-bridled Queen Suren. Holly Black simply copy and pasted Cardan's characterization onto Oak's teenage personality but toned down the cruelty/hatred.

Wren's storyline held so much promise since she had such a heartbreaking past to explore. Unfortunately, her characterization became convoluted amongst her confusing decisions and the forced romance. I never became invested in Wren because it felt as-if Holly Black didn't know how to explore the multi-faceted narrative when she's so accustomed to writing bad-ass female leads.

I went into this book expecting the author's clever twists and schemes but instead received a slow-paced quest and predictable ending. It wasn't as bad as the Modern Faerie Tales but nowhere near as captivating as The Folk of the Air trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual assault, War, and Vomit

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

_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

donatio's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I did enjoy Black's writing as always but the characters did not draw me in like Jude and Cardan did. I was intrigued by their personalities but in the end there was too much of the not telling someone, a trope I think is overused by now, and I was confused by the romance.

Suren and Oak were neither together nor only friends yet they did not say a word about it, like? And why are the love interests always taller than the protagonists? I am kind of tired of it.</spoiler >
It was a nice read and I will continue the story but it cannot compare to Jude's story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Torture, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Gore, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, and Physical abuse

krisalexcole's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Torture, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Child abuse