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singalana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Animal death, Chronic illness, Sexual content, and Cursing
Minor: Medical content, Slavery, Alcohol, Body horror, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Trafficking, and Vomit
josiah17'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
4.5
The character work is downright phenomenal. I just love spending time in the heads of these characters, and Abercrombie makes it so easy to feel engrossed with his accessibile and fluid prose.
The plot felt like it meandered a little more than the first book, as this still feels like a setup book for the culmination of everything in the third and final book. But just as I can look back and appreciate first book after finishing, I can do the same for the plot and understand that this is building up to something that will most definitely be extraordinary.
I can't wait to read the third book!
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Gore
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Vomit
whirl'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
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Violence, and War
Moderate: Rape
camam4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Vomit
amir_hamza'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
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Cursing, Gore, and Sexual content
Moderate: Self harm and Sexual assault
blueb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Genocide, Grief, Murder, and Racism
Minor: Rape
strawberrypinch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Gore, War, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Cannibalism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Colonisation, Trafficking, Murder, Cursing, and Xenophobia
Minor: Slavery, Body shaming, Racism, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Rape, Suicide, and Alcohol
jb567's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Trafficking, Chronic illness, Gore, Grief, Violence, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Toxic friendship, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Torture, and Xenophobia
imspaceman's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Torture
whichwitcher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We get top-tier character work again from Abercrombie. His writing is punchy and humorous, and, at times, it can be profound.
We got a little in the way of plot in book two, but I'd have preferred more. It felt like if The Blade Itself introduced us to individual characters and storylines, then Before They Are Hanged introduced us to how they interact as part of a group. I'm still itching to flesh out the central thread - and I'm dying to see how characters' storylines converge, if at all.
Please do be aware of the following trigger warnings prior to reading: Ableism, Alcoholism, Amputation, Animal murder, Assault, Attempted rape, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Decapitation, Emesis (vomiting), Famine, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexually explicit scene, Skeletons, Slavery, Torture, War
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Sexism, Animal death, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Minor: Alcohol