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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
Murder mysteries, magic, conspiracies, academia, social commentary—what more could you want?
I actually really enjoyed this one. The premise is super interesting, but the pace can be pretty slow at times and it took me a bit to really get into it. Alex is kind of a confused, impulsive mess, but as the story goes on, you see her figure things out and learn more about her. Watching her grow was honestly pretty satisfying. Darlington was likable, he's got that perfect protagonist type, but I felt like he wasn't fully developed yet. Since it's a series, I'm guessing there's more to come, so I'm not too bothered by it. For the other characters, I feel like they were written for Alex's sake, so not much to comments about.
Plot-wise, I didn't have any issues. The world-building was solid, and Bardugo does a great job creating a moody, atmospheric setting. The history parts dragged a little, but I get why they were necessary. The supernatural elements were okay. I wasn't super into the ending, but I mean, it's fantasy, I can't complaint for it not being realistic. For heads up, there are some triggering topics in here, so definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
This was my first time reading Leigh Bardugo, and now I'm definitely curious to try more of her books.
I actually really enjoyed this one. The premise is super interesting, but the pace can be pretty slow at times and it took me a bit to really get into it. Alex is kind of a confused, impulsive mess, but as the story goes on, you see her figure things out and learn more about her. Watching her grow was honestly pretty satisfying. Darlington was likable, he's got that perfect protagonist type, but I felt like he wasn't fully developed yet. Since it's a series, I'm guessing there's more to come, so I'm not too bothered by it. For the other characters, I feel like they were written for Alex's sake, so not much to comments about.
Plot-wise, I didn't have any issues. The world-building was solid, and Bardugo does a great job creating a moody, atmospheric setting. The history parts dragged a little, but I get why they were necessary. The supernatural elements were okay. I wasn't super into the ending, but I mean, it's fantasy, I can't complaint for it not being realistic. For heads up, there are some triggering topics in here, so definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
This was my first time reading Leigh Bardugo, and now I'm definitely curious to try more of her books.
4.5 stars, really. Sharp writing, with interesting characters. I guessed a couple of twists, and enjoyed them all. Really expertly crafted blend of history, occult/fantasy, and a real place. The note from Bardugo at the end was also just really stunning writing. She captures all the things we can't quite say ourselves.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
dark
mysterious
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
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a wild story. It took me a while to get back into it after I put it down but I’m glad I made it to the end. The final 1/3 was exciting. I love mysteries unwind. I did feel like the reveal of the culprit(s) was a little rushed and haphazard but I really enjoyed the story beats. The ending was satisfying for a cliffhanger. I’m looking forward to seeing how they handle the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit
Moderate: Drug use