Reviews tagging 'Grief'

King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard

14 reviews

wrappingpaper's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny slow-paced

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

3.5

I flew through about 75% of this book, took a break for a few months and found it pretty difficult to get stuck back into. Overall I feel like the plot really carries this book, not the writing or characters. Mare is less annoying but I didn’t really like the ending and her reaction in it. 
I did however enjoy the multiple povs to get a break from constant Mare and an insight into other characters. 
In general I feel like this book could’ve told the same story in a lot less pages so I’m slightly worried for War Storm bc  imo as these books get bulkier the pace slows down. 
Overall I still enjoyed this book, still gonna finish the series (at some point) , just didn’t enjoy it that much compared to the first books. I have hopes it’ll pick up again tho. 
I still recommend this series to people who are into dystopian ya fantasy politics all that stuff. 
A lot of gore, murder and mentions of trauma/ptsd tho so don’t read if you’re sensitive to that 👍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief, Blood, Classism, and Gun violence

Minor: Alcohol and Vomit

prashiie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

"He caught me back then, ensnaring me in a prince's trap. Now I'm in a king's cage. But so is he. My chains are Silent Stone. His is the crown."

As Mare has been kept as a prisoner, there is not a lot that she can do. So the first part of the story felt very slow. But actually a lot of things were happening in the background. Sometimes doing nothing is just as powerful as actively trying to fight your enemy. Slowly we see the cracks in Maven’s court and how he is struggling to keep his crown. He makes new alliances and breaks his promises, much to his court’s annoyances. After all, he is just a lonely boy trying to survive and that scares the shit out of him. The only thing we can really count on in this world is Maven’s obsession with Mare.

But Mare doesn’t see that she also has a weakness for Maven.
“In spite of myself, I feel the familiar longing for a boy who does not exist.”

I mean, it has become boring by now. He showed you who he really is and still she goes on and on about who you thought he was.
“How many times does one wicked boy have to betray you people before you learn?”

Even though the book started a bit slow, near the end it got very exciting. I think it portrayed the changing dynamics well.

I was shocked to see how it ended with Cal and Mare!! At this point I don’t see how they will ever get back together, but I do hope so…

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Emotional abuse, Classism, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Torture

Minor: Grief

kenzie_simone456's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, War, Gun violence, Gore, Grief, and Violence

julienicole1106's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Classism, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, War, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Sexual content

stitchof's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Blood, Gaslighting, War, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Death, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic relationship

kingspite618's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

man do I enjoy seeing a bunch of fucked up insane and incredibly mentally ill teenagers and young adults make a bunch of incredibly problematic and questionable choices repeatedly like their lives depended on it for a whole series straight!!
5 stars cause everyone ate and slayed and delivered and served cunt. also relate to some of these characters on a spiritual level. they are just like me fr. also YASS

evil queer villains/spoiler> we love to see it!!
The character developments and arcs and overall construction of the characters is also incredible. Go read it right now!!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Domestic abuse, Torture, Abortion, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Confinement, Outing, War, Grief, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence

anniereads221's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

4.0

The only thing I love about these books is Maven. He is such a complicated character and I love him dearly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Vomit, War, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Sexism, Torture, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Murder

PTSD

victoria_elaine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I was gonna give this a 3.75, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I really love these books, but the sections where Evangeline or cam were narrator if three me off and felt slow at some parts. The ending threw me for A LOOP btw ❤️💔 (major rant in the spoiler)

The story between Cam and her brother was really touching and I loved that they saved him. Evangeline just was not doing it for me. I loved her and Cal training together because just💕💕💕 and also they got a little 🥵🥵 but there’s no details so don’t think that’s gonna happen or nun’. ALSO CAL AND MARE TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER WHEN REUNITED BECAUSE OF MERANDUS ALMOST DESTROYED ME but I’m so happy they were baes again😌 UNTIL THEY FREAKING WERENT?!?!!! Still emotionally recovering, might not ever get there

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Emotional abuse

readwithde's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.25

I really enjoyed this book. Having the characters split gave them some extra time for progression (both character and plot).

While I get why Mare would be kept prisoner for so long, I would have preferred more interactions with the court, if not with Maven.

Even bringing in Evangeline's POV chapters earlier would have helped that section fill out a bit more, even if it tipped her family's hand a bit.

Cameron was an interesting POV for the Scarlet Guard/red side of things, which again left much of the political machinations off the page, but at least gave the basics. Even Kilorn would have been a better choice, in my opinion. 

I feel like the final third of the book dragged a bit, at least up until the climax,

the second battle at Corvium.

It just felt like the pacing was off after

Mare was rescued by the Scarlet Guard.

I think there was too much build up in the beginning that didn't leave enough room for the three bigger battles.

Finally,

I know we should want Cal to choose Mare, but I don't think he's wrong to ask Mare to choose him instead. I'm hoping there is a way for compromise in the final book, but I'm happy that each of them are actually dealing with what they want instead of throwing away their convictions, training, or lives.

Overall, this was a strong sequel, and I was surprised by a few things; I'm very excited to read the final book and the short stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Vomit

readwithzoe_'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Pregnancy and Torture

Minor: Vomit