Reviews with content warning for Classism - The Inheritance Games

This book was like a CVS receipt… long, twisty, and never stops unraveling! The whole book was great but the last fifty pages were AWESOME. You can tell the author must have done a lot of research on wills, conservatorships, etc. and she even has her hand in some Sherlock Holmes-type puzzles. We even learn so much about our characters. For example, there are four Hawthorne brothers, and so far I can’t choose which one is my favorite. If you find yourself thinking, “Aw, man. That can’t be the ending,” don’t worry. It’s not!

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cadence99's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

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

2.0

Though definitely not for me, I see why this one is popular: it’s an INCREDIBLY fast paced easy read and it keeps you engaged.

HOWEVER this book is definitely built for the teenage brain. I am clearly not the target demographic- it smacked me in the face with eye roll moments every 10 seconds. I would’ve loved it as a young teenager 😂 but as an adult, not so much

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cdoubet's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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jax00's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

3.75

It took a while to keep with characters (I'm assuming that was intentional). I was hoping for more focus on the game aspect and not so much the drama with the ex.

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ashleyvharris's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The Inheritance Games is a fun, twisty mystery with great atmosphere.

My thoughts on this book have been a bit uncertain. On the surface, I appreciate Barnes’ story of puzzles and mystery and ultimately the importance of relationships in our lives. But the more I sit with the story, the more I am bothered by the nonchalance with which the emotional abuse of the Hawthorne grandsons is treated.

Tobias Hawthorne pitted his grandsons against one another with his “games” and raised them to value winning over all else. No wonder

Emily

happened… Their own mother was seemingly more concerned with the money and status they did not inherit rather than the mental and emotional state of her children.

At the very least, it would have been nice to see some acknowledgment that Avery was manipulated and used throughout the first book of this trilogy. Avery understands this reality herself, but the abusive qualities of her relationships with the Hawthornes is never truly addressed.

I thinks there’s so much potential for this story in books 2 and 3. I look forward to continuing this trilogy and hope to see a more overarching commentary about the ways in which money and influence can perpetuate abuse that goes unaddressed. These young characters need a lot of healing.

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