5.13k reviews for:

Before They Are Hanged

Joe Abercrombie

4.3 AVERAGE

hattiesbooks21's review against another edition

4.0

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Reading this book, I was very happy about it as it would mean I would be continuing a series. Following the characters again, seeing what they had to do. The main characters have seemed to develop even more throughout the book. The stroyline and plotline of the book was very interesting. I loved reading the book with the fact that the writing style was very intriguing. The way the story was written allowed the story to flow nicely with a clear pacing.

hmj29's review against another edition

3.75

dark medium-paced

ryank74's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

laraloops's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark funny 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

shrubbyp's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

nicolebonita's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark funny tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

chilledbeansoup's review against another edition

4.5

dark 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

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I loved each of the plot lines and how different they were from each other: with Glokta we get to see a bit of warfare, but lots of political intrigue (and torture!). With West and Dogman, we get to see warfare up close and bloody, and then with Logen, Jezal, and Ferro, we get more of an understanding of the world and the wider plot, as well as some fantastic character development. In The Blade Itself, I felt that Jezal was a pompous asshole, but I found myself starting to like him after his “awakening”. 

Not quite a 5 star as I felt the last 2 chapters were a bit “meh” after the masterful battle scene in the North and then the questions raised after Glokta has a visitor, though that’s not to say they were bad, just an anticlimactic few pages after the previous chapters. 

I look forward to finishing the trilogy and seeing where things go from here!

4.5/5

esmayrosalyne's review against another edition

4.0

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Second read 2022: 4 stars

Just like the first time around, I enjoyed this slightly more than book 1. Kinda makes sense though, because this is just such a character-driven series that it's only natural to start enjoying it more as you spend more time with them.
Jezal is fucking hysterical btw. I could read an entire book from his perspective and I'm sure I'd be so entertained, lol.
Quite glad I decided to reread this one, can't wait to finish it up with book 3 soon :)

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First read 2020: 4 stars

starzanreyne's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

michellelatourelle's review against another edition

5.0

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-The characters have now been divided into 3 storylines, one of which is a grand quest

-the characters have only gotten better and better