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ten_telegrams's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
alisonvh's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
ttumbletree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, and Blood
heli1403's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lostpaperbacks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, and Murder
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, and War
semogecarg's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death and Violence
theespressoedition's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Sure, the writing was just as superb as every other Schwab book, and for that, the book gets 3 stars. However, the story itself felt a bit repetitive and confusing. It seemed like I was reliving a lot of what happened in the first book but this time around, I liked the characters way less.
August was someone who I absolutely adored in the first book. I truly loved him and his almost chocolatey sweetness. However, in this book, he became almost villainous. I understand that was for his character to grow and change and grow again. But to see the roles reversed and have him be more on the morally gray side while Kate was almost a "damsel in distress," threw me for a loop. She was such a badass in the first book and was definitely the morally gray one. So yeah, the side-switching had me scratching my head a bit.
After the totally open end of the first book, I was excited to find out what would happen next in Verity and beyond. For the most part, things felt wrapped up, but I still had questions at the end. I guess that was so that I, as a reader, could kind of choose my own conclusion. I just hoped for a bit more finalization for everything.
Overall, the duology gets 3 stars from me. It was good, but it didn't completely blow me away or anything. I probably wouldn't read them again unless Schwab decides to add to them at some point.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
rosenau's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
alexiab's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
I expected more of August's personal journey to be about his shifting into his monster side and less about accepting the whole soul eating thing, but I suppose those somewhat go hand in hand. I also expected more "people who are sinners aren't necessarily evil" thing to be more of a prominent part of August's story, but whateva.
I'm also knocking off an entire star because I am just... so completely angry that Kate and Ilsa died. It didn't feel like character deaths that were inevitable, or that it was a peace that Kate or Ilsa would have wanted. I've seen Schwab do character deaths that, while devastating, make sense for the character's journey, but this felt like an abrupt stop to everything that Kate had been working for, and an abrupt cut off of everything Ilsa had endured. Overall just REALLY unsatisfying.
the more I think about this book the more irritated I am. I mean damn it's called Our Dark Duet WHERE'S THE DUET?! WHERE'S MY AUGUST AND KATE CONTENT.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Blood