Reviews with content warning for Excrement - Dziewiąty dom

First of all, I absolutely agree with many others in that there are problems regarding some of the representation that is stereotypical and harmful. Similar with Six of Crows, I don’t think the problematic representation was intended by the author and I know she has shown she’s willing to learn from the criticism she receives. The book definitely needed 1-2 more sensitivity reads, and she and her editors should have thought more deeply about certain topics.

The story itself is masterfully crafted. It’s more ingenious than Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, which I loved. There are amazing, well-developed characters and profound themes. I am excited to dive into the sequel.

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kelsnevi's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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jemms's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

4.5 ⭐

Characters: 1
All the characters felt real and original, each with their own secrets and motivations.
Plot: 0.75
Excellent blend of world building and mystery. My only complaint is that the big reveal at the end couldn't have been figured out with the information the book gave.
Pacing: 0.75
Engaging throughout, action scenes balanced with enough time to process the plot. Some of the backstory scenes snagged in places.
Writing style: 1
Visceral descriptions perfectly combined with all too human thoughts and dialog.
Vibes: 1
Creeping sense of dread, desire, and desperation woven with the fantastical that mirrors the mundane. 10/10

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aisling214's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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strixy16's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A little slow to start, especially trying to keep up with the time skips. But the ending makes it worth it I thought.
Definitely read trigger warnings for this book.

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cosmicwillow's review against another edition

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2.0

this review mentions sexual violence.

this book had so much potential. the premise is interesting but god it is suffered by poor pacing, boring characters, and abhorrent depictions of sexual violence.

my biggest gripe is with the sexual violence. obviously, everyone experiences it differently, from during the harm to after. but my god, this book deals with it in such a dismissive and harmful way that pissed me off so much. completely poorly written. you can write about sexual violence without reinforcing negative stereotypes and misconceptions, but i guess bardugo and every single person involved in getting this published have no idea how to do that.

also, a lot of this felt like it was dark for the sake of being dark, like it was a competition for “how edgy can we get here?”. it was annoying.

seriously disappointed by this.

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icepoppy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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