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black_cat_iiix'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
4.5
Moderate: Classism, Blood, Body horror, Sexism, and Animal death
Minor: Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Misogyny, Medical trauma, and Murder
celinbean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My main issue with the book is that there was always so much happening that neither the characters nor the reader had any time to just breath and process everything that happened before jumping into the next catastrophe thrown at them. There were no heartfelt conversations and the bonds between the characters were never truly explored.
There were so many plot twists unfurling one after another without really exploring the consequences. A lot of these plot points led nowhere or were a distraction for the characters. So many themes were touched on that i wish we had lingered on more (like the corruption at the heart of academia, the cost of magic and desire, the way our most intimate traumas can shape and distort us and what it takes to survive in a world that either wants to actively get rid of you or doesn’t care about you at all).
So overall i appreciate bardugo’s well of creativity when it comes to plot but i wish we had explored the emotional bonds between the characters more and lingered more on big reveals in the story to make them actually meaningful.
Also why was i absolutely convinced this was a duology and i would get closure for this whole story?? Now i probably have to wait another like 2 years 😭
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, and Rape
kimtazo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Police brutality, Gun violence, Vomit, Mental illness, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Slavery
alite428's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal death, Police brutality, Blood, Death, and Misogyny
britreadsbooks_'s review against another edition
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Sexism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Stalking
Moderate: Drug use, Colonisation, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Racism, Slavery, Animal death, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
andloveistoolong's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Murder, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Animal death, Drug use, Alcohol, and Racism
Minor: Toxic relationship, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, and Vomit
soniajoy98'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Racism, Addiction, Animal death, Grief, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Drug abuse, Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Classism, Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
em_of_swags'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: Gun violence, Murder, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Vomit, and Blood
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Torture, and Sexism
Minor: Slavery, Police brutality, and Body shaming
savvyrosereads'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
The sequel to Ninth House, Hell Bent continues the story of Alex Stern and Lethe, the Ninth House of Yale.
Hell Bent has been one of my most anticipated books for YEARS now, and I am so excited to report the wait was WORTH IT. The sheer brilliance of Leigh Bardugo’s mind astounds me—this book is impeccably researched and flawlessly believable even while describing an actual journey to hell. The story has multiple disparate threads, but they all weave back together seamlessly in the end (even picking up on things left over from the first book). And the action and excitement is pretty much nonstop, leaving you on the edge of your seat for the majority of a nearly-500 book (not an easy feat).
There isn’t a ton more I can say without spoilers—there remains one plot thread I really want to finally see expanded in book three (“I have appetites…” …IYKYK) but the deliciously slow unraveling of the story is part of the charm of this series, and of Bardugo’s writing, so I can’t be too upset.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: dark academia; fantasy series; found family vibes
CW: Death/murder/violence/blood; animal death/cruelty; mention of a suicide attempt (off-page)
Graphic: Violence, Animal cruelty, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, Animal death, and Blood
Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Vomit
jessiereads98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Police brutality, Torture, Body horror, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Confinement, and Racism
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, and Vomit