Scan barcode
aliciaw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
The volume of telling, not showing especially in the first half of the book was too much. I wasn't rooting for Charlie and her character development felt pretty flat. Perhaps in part it was that app name dropping happened without any necessity: Facebook, YouTube, Patreon, Slack, Zoom.. all of these could have been written in a way that won't require the reader to be aware of the apps. It dates the book and requires the reader to be aware of these things as they are now regardless of when they pick up the book or any familiarity with them. Urban Fantasy with a robust magic system and morally ambiguous characters can be made without need to change things in any reprints due to the rate of change in technology. The premise was good, but the execution could have been tightened up and more time spent on the magic system. It needed a better ratio of showing over telling. I had to push myself to keep reading it because if this had been my introduction to the author, I would have dnf'd it by around the 20% mark. I don't know if I'll pick up anything else in the series but this was a miss for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Blood
Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Really interesting premise for a story. Fantasy with a badass, curvy, female protagonist who is a little rough around the edges but sharp as a tack. I’m excited for the second one…in 2024. Really starting to get into fantasy stuff more and more. Will also be checking out this author’s other books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Child abuse
kayladaila's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Death of parent
black_cat_iiix's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit and Gore
Moderate: Body horror, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Violence, and Child abuse
Minor: Abandonment and Panic attacks/disorders
aseel_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
i liked the dark, gritty atmosphere of this book and there were several plot moments that were unpredictable, which was nice. but overall, i just felt that the book didn't make sense and it didn't flow well - jumping too much between recollections of the past and the present.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail
maregred's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Blood, Alcohol, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Drug use
Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Abandonment
sydapel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
this had better be the start of a series, that's all I'm saying. There were a lot of elements I liked about this, from a plus sized kick ass female MC to the themes of greed and memory and forgiveness that always really draw me to urban fantasy. My grievance comes mainly from how little I felt I understood any of the magical elements, especially in the final act. Sure, I was hanging on every thread, but I'm not entirely sure I followed them in their entirety.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this one! The beginning was a little slow but then it really picked up and I could not stop reading!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Self harm and Physical abuse
sauvageloup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
SO GOOD! Wish i hadn't tried to rush quite so much because of the event and savored it a bit more but still loved it
pros:
- the magic!!! i haven't read a book (that i remember) with shadow magic in it and i loved the whole thing. the alterationists, quickened shadows, the way the magic became known to the general public through the internet, etc. all of it :D
- Charlie. She's such a mess but she never really means badly by it and I loved how there's the reveal at the end how's she's been holding herself back because she's been afraid of what happens when she really tries. Her nickname of the Charlatan, her past with Rand, her really grey morality but still being loyal and good at heart, as well as her proud sexuality and her relationship with Vince - she doesn't realise how much she likes him and they've kept so many secrets, and yet they're both totally dedicated to the other and i loved that :)
- all the other characters!! Vince was amazing and I didn't guess at all that he was Edmund's shadow, which i should've really, but i'm so glad Charlie wasn't that fussed about it and i loved Posey, with her determination to be a gloamist. she was a mess too and making some questionable decisions, but she comes through for Charlie and i liked that she got some healing at the end too.
- the ending was bittersweet but in kind of a perfect way. I liked the possibility of Vince/Red getting his memory back and that Charlie wasn't gonna quit on him.
- Salt was such a good villain too, and Charlie's horror story past of meeting him first was so well done and creepy, because she was so young and relatively defenseless then, but still managed to keep her wits. she's such a survivor :)
- i definitely felt the similarity between BoN and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. There's no dark academia, but the main characters are both 'not on their first mistake, but maybe their last' (as Black put it), a bit older, survivors and smart but jaded and making bad mistakes. there were strong resonances in the magic too, even though it's entirely different, there's the same wild danger of it and not quite knowing how it actually works or how the magic arises/the shadow is quickened. And there was a similar complex, mystery-based plot where both had too many names and was a bit confusing. but i loved both books all the same, and that type of tired-but-fierce female MC who is holding onto life with her teeth is the best :))
cons:
- there's a lot of names. i definitely got lost. Malik and Mahir i muddled up, i forgot who Paul Ecco and Adam and a bunch of the others, as well as small clues like the magnet Charlie found. i did rush through a bit, but it was still pretty complicated
- i did also find that Charlie's chaos kind of spilled into the plot? so i got lost a bit about how much time this was all taking, and the clues/plots/twists and turns felt very haphazard, according to just when the thought showed up in Charlie's mind. it definitely felt organic, but maybe a bit too much so
- also i'm not quite sure what was hinted at with Vince and Adelaine? did she have a relationship with Red? or Vince? or did she hurt Red when Vince wasn't there? idk
But overall, adored it and can't wait for book 2 :D
pros:
- the magic!!! i haven't read a book (that i remember) with shadow magic in it and i loved the whole thing. the alterationists, quickened shadows, the way the magic became known to the general public through the internet, etc. all of it :D
- Charlie. She's such a mess but she never really means badly by it and I loved how there's the reveal at the end how's she's been holding herself back because she's been afraid of what happens when she really tries. Her nickname of the Charlatan, her past with Rand, her really grey morality but still being loyal and good at heart, as well as her proud sexuality and her relationship with Vince - she doesn't realise how much she likes him and they've kept so many secrets, and yet they're both totally dedicated to the other and i loved that :)
- all the other characters!! Vince was amazing
- Salt was such a good villain too, and Charlie's horror story past of meeting him first was so well done and creepy, because she was so young and relatively defenseless then, but still managed to keep her wits. she's such a survivor :)
- i definitely felt the similarity between BoN and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. There's no dark academia, but the main characters are both 'not on their first mistake, but maybe their last' (as Black put it), a bit older, survivors and smart but jaded and making bad mistakes. there were strong resonances in the magic too, even though it's entirely different, there's the same wild danger of it and not quite knowing how it actually works or how the magic arises/the shadow is quickened. And there was a similar complex, mystery-based plot where both had too many names and was a bit confusing. but i loved both books all the same, and that type of tired-but-fierce female MC who is holding onto life with her teeth is the best :))
cons:
- there's a lot of names. i definitely got lost. Malik and Mahir i muddled up, i forgot who Paul Ecco and Adam and a bunch of the others, as well as small clues like the magnet Charlie found. i did rush through a bit, but it was still pretty complicated
- i did also find that Charlie's chaos kind of spilled into the plot? so i got lost a bit about how much time this was all taking, and the clues/plots/twists and turns felt very haphazard, according to just when the thought showed up in Charlie's mind. it definitely felt organic, but maybe a bit too much so
But overall, adored it and can't wait for book 2 :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Body horror, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, and Cursing
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Drug abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Incest, and Forced institutionalization
the self harm is only explicitly for finger pricks for blood, but there's a lot of bad, self-sabotaging decisionskayteslibrary's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I first devoured Tithe back in either junior high or high school, and have ardently been Team Black ever since. I was utterly delighted to discover that she was releasing a novel for adults (not that my age stopped me from tearing through The Cruel Prince et al...) and really disappointed when I struggled to get invested in the story for probably the first half of the book--I'd classify it as "fine", but not at at all what I had come to expect/hope.
Once it clicked in, though, I was sold. Tonally, it lacks some of the macabre whimsy of Black's YA offerings but not the trifecta I've come to know and love: heroine with a traumatic background, (view spoiler), and a cast of characters you wouldn't ever want to hang out with but would be delighted to watch in a limited series (just saying).
An enjoyable, even if not amazing, read that left me curious to see if Black continues the storyline or universe in future books.
Once it clicked in, though, I was sold. Tonally, it lacks some of the macabre whimsy of Black's YA offerings but not the trifecta I've come to know and love: heroine with a traumatic background, (view spoiler), and a cast of characters you wouldn't ever want to hang out with but would be delighted to watch in a limited series (just saying).
An enjoyable, even if not amazing, read that left me curious to see if Black continues the storyline or universe in future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Physical abuse and Drug abuse
More...