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david_slack110507's review
- 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
One of the main enticements of this book for me was the characters and I'm glad to say that the characters, at least our main group of 6, all were incredibly well-written and developed. I think their connections as a group as well as intergroup connections with one another were so well done. I loved them all - Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias - and I found that I was never once bored when it shifted to either one of their perspectives which I'm really glad this book did as everyone had a unique character background which explained why they were doing what they were doing as well as having unique perspectives on the heist that lay ahead of them.
Speaking of the heist, I found that the heist as the plot was actually really strong, and it helped move the book along at a brisk but nice pace allowing for moments to breathe before the next one arrived. I found the pre-planning and the constant shift in plan when something unaccounted for happened or when something wrong took place was extremely enjoyable and it was really good to see these characters constantly face change during their heist on the Ice Court and adapt the best that they could.
I also really liked seeing the world beyond Ravka and the Grisha's perspective as that was something that, now looking back on it, was missing from the Shadow and Bone books so it was interesting to see what the Fjerdans/Fjerda thinks of Grisha and vice versa as well as seeing the story set in a place of less elegance and extravagance than Ravka with East Stave and the 'Barrel'. It also built upon Grisha magic with the introduction of Jurda Parem, a drug that allows Grisha to do unimaginable things that break the previous limits of their power; I do wish we had gotten to see more of it but I also think that what we saw did demonstrate well enough why it was so dangerous to the world and why it was imperative that this not fall into the wrong hands.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this even if it did take me a lot longer than I wanted to but I found it to be a huge step up from the Shadow and Bone books and the next book is rated even better so I can't even imagine how good of a treat that'll be which I'm hoping to get around to relatively soon as I try and finish up the other books I have on the go. I'm interested in seeing whether or not the next book, Crooked Kingdom, will resolve the cliffhanger off screen (or off the page in this instance, with explanations in the form of exposition spread throughout to explain it) or whether it will start the book and wrap it up relatively quickly to then go onto the actual plot of that book but I guess only time will tell.
Graphic: Blood, Slavery, Kidnapping, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Torture, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Ableism, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Abandonment, Addiction, and Rape
Minor: Classism, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Alcohol
izzysreading's review against another edition
SPOILERS: She told the others or at least thought it, that Matthias hates her and kills Grishas, but she's still in love with him??? Plus, if I know that a person wants me dead, I won't go near them, so the end of her chapter was well deserved. She should've known better.
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Blood
Moderate: Drug use, Child death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual violence
johns6ka'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
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Rape, War, Police brutality, Racism, Child abuse, Animal death, Confinement, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Classism, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Pedophilia
bashsbooks'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Drug abuse, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Confinement, War, Murder, Grief, Trafficking, Slavery, Racism, Xenophobia, Violence, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: War, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Gore, Body horror, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
-Many references to one character's history of forced prostitution when she was a young teensydneyluxford'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? No
4.5
THE CHARACTERS. I JUST LOVED THEM SO MUCH. They’re so well developed and have the best personalities. I genuinely wish they were real.
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Body horror, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Animal death, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
infjkiki'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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Animal death, Gun violence, Slavery, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Torture, Gore, Trafficking, Blood, and Genocide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Excrement, Grief, Misogyny, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, and Panic attacks/disorders
lyrapollock'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
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Death, Addiction, Slavery, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Deportation, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Murder, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Deportation, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Animal death
ana_maria5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Death
ghostlyprince'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
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gore, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Child death, Gun violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: War, Ableism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Racism, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Physical abuse, and Sexism
serendipity421's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Slavery, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Gore, Addiction, Blood, Mental illness, Violence, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder