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tai123's review against another edition
dark
funny
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Addiction, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship
kingrosereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
4.25
I have to say, I really loved this book. It felt pretentious and like you needed a Ivy League degree to understand the first third of the book, but it really is so much more. The story follows Galaxy “Alex” Stern, a survivor who spent most of her life self-medicating after years literally being haunted then assaulted. Then she survives a mass homicide in which her best friend dies. She’s then offered this second chance and she takes it. However, she enters a world vastly different from her own and she tries hard to navigate through it and survive. That’s what Alex does, she survives. And the book is a journey I think survivors go through when they’re trying to get back to themselves and out of survival mode and actually start living.
I love Alex, I think she is funny, snarky, and witty. Though she’s a high school dropout, I resonate with her struggle from being a good student in high school and feel like you’re barely scraping by in college. I also came to like Darlington, though he comes off like a some elitist, privileged white boy who would look down at Alex for where she comes from, but he really respects her and they’re very similar.
I respect Bardugo’s attempt to bring race, gender, and class into the conversation, but it fell a little flat and was superficial at best. I hope she actually build upon what I feel is a core theme and that is Ivy League elitism, privilege, power dynamics, and the components that make that up.
This book heavily addressed the abuse women experience and their healing journey, and I think that’s powerful in and of itself.
The magical system in this book is pretty incredible. After struggling through the first part of the book, I can appreciate being thrust into the thick of it and having to work it out like a mystery on top of trying to figure out the mystery occurring in the book.
I hope we learn more about what Alex is, where Darlington is, and who Alex’s dad is. Lots of other unanswered questions, and I’m excited for the next installment.
I love Alex, I think she is funny, snarky, and witty. Though she’s a high school dropout, I resonate with her struggle from being a good student in high school and feel like you’re barely scraping by in college. I also came to like Darlington, though he comes off like a some elitist, privileged white boy who would look down at Alex for where she comes from, but he really respects her and they’re very similar.
I respect Bardugo’s attempt to bring race, gender, and class into the conversation, but it fell a little flat and was superficial at best. I hope she actually build upon what I feel is a core theme and that is Ivy League elitism, privilege, power dynamics, and the components that make that up.
This book heavily addressed the abuse women experience and their healing journey, and I think that’s powerful in and of itself.
The magical system in this book is pretty incredible. After struggling through the first part of the book, I can appreciate being thrust into the thick of it and having to work it out like a mystery on top of trying to figure out the mystery occurring in the book.
I hope we learn more about what Alex is, where Darlington is, and who Alex’s dad is. Lots of other unanswered questions, and I’m excited for the next installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Antisemitism and Excrement
sauvageloup's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I literally can't wait for the next one
Pros:
- my favourite part of the book was definitely Alex. Her characterisation is brilliant, she felt so fleshed out and real, it was almost uncanny in itself. I could picture her really well (unusual for me), and while many books and shows I think try to show a damaged, wild girl, Bardugo really hits it. How Alex acts and reacts to everything in the book, everything she says alongside her past and her abilities - it all perfectly made up her characterisation as a feral survivor. Her vulgarity isn't overused but perfect for hitting a punch, her emotions are all over the place and complex, she hardly knows who she really is but we get a clear sense of her absolute determination, its all so well done. Some MCs can be a bit dull, not really fleshed out and always reacting to the plot, but Alex comes into herself massively and finds her feet, and i love how she becomes a force to be recognised.
- the characters overall were great, from Darlington's charm to Dawes' awkward care. Hellie's gentle but damaged sunshine, Belbalm's promises and grotesquely awful Blake. I really hope Darlington is okay!!! can't wait to see what demon!Darlington turns out like
- the worldbuilding, though complex, was also fabulous. I felt like the brilliant details were lost a bit in the maybe too complex overall fabric, but it was great overall. The prognostications were gory but fascinating, the hell hounds, all the lore around the Greys and Alex's abilities, the compact mirror, the magic nexuses, portals and all the rest. The big magic was great but the details, like the library's summoning charm, were brill too.
- I also enjoyed the sharp tang of social commentary. Dawes calling out Sandow's victim blaming, Alex fiercely advocating for the town girl and how the book never condemns Tara - she came from nothing and had some ambition. Alex generally being a champion for the oppressed, because she understands exactly what its like, and how it feels to be the outcast, the forgotten, the mad one, the addict and the desperate.
- Bardugo's writing just felt like a big glow up. I don't think I could ever hope to write with such maturity and poetry, let alone with such an ambitious plot. One of those books I feel sick with envy when I'm reading it, but love it all the same.
- I also loved the depth of Alex's past. Her mother loves her, but her all over the place ways hurt Alex, even though it wasn't the same as the trauma from the ghosts. Alex clearly has issues with food now she's in college, and her mother didn't help her with the basic, practical things, like buying clothes, life skills and making lunch boxes. This was another part of how Alex was fully fleshed out - she doesn't leave Len when she could've with Hellie and she's never blamed for that, but she doesn't have other options. She's a survivor but her experiences with school, adults, her mom, friends, the ghosts, abusers like Ariel and others all stopped her from thriving and making a life - not until she got some power. Power and money, she says.
Cons:
- slow to start and complicated. I struggled to follow all the names, places and worldbuilding being thrown at me and I'm not sure we really jump into Alex's story at the right time (or maybe we do... im not sure). either way, I did have to struggle to follow the early bits, trying to remember who everyone was.
- and the book does continue this way. i forgot who Michelle was near the end and other characters got confused in my head too. A character list alongside the map might've been good.
(- I did guess it was Belbalm from the moment we met her. She was too perfect within the messed up scene. The impact she had on Alex felt supernatural and I just knew there was something about her. I suppose this is a con because there wasn't any surprise for me at the end, but it didn't really negatively impact my reading that much. Dean Sandow was a strong suspect too, but I came round to thinking it was him more slowly. Oh and the minute Dawes said that a demon could survive being eaten, I knew Darlington was gonna be a demon)
(- i am bumping it up to 5 stars i've decided, because despite it's flaws it was overall brilliant and i want more so badly)
Despite a slow start, very good, very gripping, very enjoyable. Cannot wait for book 2.
Pros:
- my favourite part of the book was definitely Alex. Her characterisation is brilliant, she felt so fleshed out and real, it was almost uncanny in itself. I could picture her really well (unusual for me), and while many books and shows I think try to show a damaged, wild girl, Bardugo really hits it. How Alex acts and reacts to everything in the book, everything she says alongside her past and her abilities - it all perfectly made up her characterisation as a feral survivor. Her vulgarity isn't overused but perfect for hitting a punch, her emotions are all over the place and complex, she hardly knows who she really is but we get a clear sense of her absolute determination, its all so well done. Some MCs can be a bit dull, not really fleshed out and always reacting to the plot, but Alex comes into herself massively and finds her feet, and i love how she becomes a force to be recognised.
- the characters overall were great, from Darlington's charm to Dawes' awkward care. Hellie's gentle but damaged sunshine, Belbalm's promises and grotesquely awful Blake.
- the worldbuilding, though complex, was also fabulous. I felt like the brilliant details were lost a bit in the maybe too complex overall fabric, but it was great overall. The prognostications were gory but fascinating, the hell hounds, all the lore around the Greys and Alex's abilities, the compact mirror, the magic nexuses, portals and all the rest. The big magic was great but the details, like the library's summoning charm, were brill too.
- I also enjoyed the sharp tang of social commentary. Dawes calling out Sandow's victim blaming, Alex fiercely advocating for the town girl and how the book never condemns Tara - she came from nothing and had some ambition. Alex generally being a champion for the oppressed, because she understands exactly what its like, and how it feels to be the outcast, the forgotten, the mad one, the addict and the desperate.
- Bardugo's writing just felt like a big glow up. I don't think I could ever hope to write with such maturity and poetry, let alone with such an ambitious plot. One of those books I feel sick with envy when I'm reading it, but love it all the same.
- I also loved the depth of Alex's past. Her mother loves her, but her all over the place ways hurt Alex, even though it wasn't the same as the trauma from the ghosts. Alex clearly has issues with food now she's in college, and her mother didn't help her with the basic, practical things, like buying clothes, life skills and making lunch boxes. This was another part of how Alex was fully fleshed out - she doesn't leave Len when she could've with Hellie and she's never blamed for that, but she doesn't have other options. She's a survivor but her experiences with school, adults, her mom, friends, the ghosts, abusers like Ariel and others all stopped her from thriving and making a life - not until she got some power. Power and money, she says.
Cons:
- slow to start and complicated. I struggled to follow all the names, places and worldbuilding being thrown at me and I'm not sure we really jump into Alex's story at the right time (or maybe we do... im not sure). either way, I did have to struggle to follow the early bits, trying to remember who everyone was.
- and the book does continue this way. i forgot who Michelle was near the end and other characters got confused in my head too. A character list alongside the map might've been good.
(- i am bumping it up to 5 stars i've decided, because despite it's flaws it was overall brilliant and i want more so badly)
Despite a slow start, very good, very gripping, very enjoyable. Cannot wait for book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Antisemitism
the main character doesn't have an eating disorder but there's some food insecurity for her and her eating habits are unusual.orndal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Could have been real great with a better story structure and more world building. Linear storytelling would have helped with upping the stakes.
The ending came out of nowhere with little to no setup for the reveals. As a mystery novel, this is terrible.
The ending came out of nowhere with little to no setup for the reveals. As a mystery novel, this is terrible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, Rape, Addiction, Vomit, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Medical trauma
Minor: Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Cancer, Car accident, Classism, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, and Murder
teddywinter's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A fantastic read. Heed the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Addiction, Murder, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, and Body horror
Minor: Antisemitism
oliverreeds's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
loved. some of the plot stuff at the end was a little bit much tho. but the characters are great. can’t wait for a sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Antisemitism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Addiction, and Rape
quirkyhelma's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is quite traumatizing. It deals with extreme topics, such as r*pe, drug abuse and abuse. So major R*pe triggerwarning. But it does it in a such good way. It‘s respectful and gives you more perspective on the situation.
The plot twist was crazy! I’m still kinda stunned and so excited for the second book to see where it goes.
Also petition to make Alex and Darlington both officially bisexual. They’re so fucking gay!!!!
Also a question: Alex is theoretically Jewish, right? Since her grandma is Jewish, her daughter(Alex‘s mom) is also Jewish. So Alex is too, Right? Please correct me if I’m wrong!
Critique: I really liked this book, but there were some bad parts. Nothing terrible, but something not that good.
The end was kind of messy. I don’t know, if some things will difference in the second book. I, at some part, couldn’t really look through. So, yeah… but that’s actually it! So great book. I really recommend it.
For anyone who doesn’t really know what this book is: It‘s about Alex(Galaxy), who after an accident gets the opportunity to go to Yale. There she joins a community,Lethe, wich tries to control other society. These societies are made up of rich, powerful people, that have access to magic (so full of assholes). Lethe has the responsibility to stop these societies from hurting outsiders. Then a girl dies. Since Alex has experienced a lot of things, that the victim of the crime, she has the urge to investigate the crime. The people around her don’t really care, but she still does it…
Through out the book Alex has to dig up her past and try to make up with it.
The story takes places in this "universe", but it plays a lot with fantasy. Like I said:magic.
The plot twist was crazy! I’m still kinda stunned and so excited for the second book to see where it goes.
Also petition to make Alex and Darlington both officially bisexual. They’re so fucking gay!!!!
Also a question: Alex is theoretically Jewish, right? Since her grandma is Jewish, her daughter(Alex‘s mom) is also Jewish. So Alex is too, Right? Please correct me if I’m wrong!
Critique: I really liked this book, but there were some bad parts. Nothing terrible, but something not that good.
The end was kind of messy. I don’t know, if some things will difference in the second book. I, at some part, couldn’t really look through. So, yeah… but that’s actually it! So great book. I really recommend it.
For anyone who doesn’t really know what this book is: It‘s about Alex(Galaxy), who after an accident gets the opportunity to go to Yale. There she joins a community,Lethe, wich tries to control other society. These societies are made up of rich, powerful people, that have access to magic (so full of assholes). Lethe has the responsibility to stop these societies from hurting outsiders. Then a girl dies. Since Alex has experienced a lot of things, that the victim of the crime, she has the urge to investigate the crime. The people around her don’t really care, but she still does it…
Through out the book Alex has to dig up her past and try to make up with it.
The story takes places in this "universe", but it plays a lot with fantasy. Like I said:magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Antisemitism, Murder, Blood, Body horror, and Drug abuse
kingsteph's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Classism, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse
Minor: Antisemitism and Cancer
romiress's review against another edition
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Liked: Solid, developed side characters. Interesting, non-simplified mystery. Very interesting supernatural worldbuilding.
Disliked: Unnecessarily excessive timeline jumps, back and forth multiple times within single chapters. Climax was insanely fast paced. RPF elements (especially through the book's start).
Disliked: Unnecessarily excessive timeline jumps, back and forth multiple times within single chapters. Climax was insanely fast paced. RPF elements (especially through the book's start).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Drug use, Drug abuse, Excrement, Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction
Minor: Antisemitism
julesloyola's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Antisemitism