Reviews

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

rlstrayer1's review against another edition

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3.0

I picked up this book for one reason alone...the main character's name is Rachelle, and she is an assassin. I was like, "OH HELL YES". I told all my friends and family about this book, I got myself all pumped up and excited, I posted about it on Facebook, and I squealed when it finally made it's way to my Kindle through the library. It took me a couple of days to finish (silly thing called work got in the way), so I couldn't binge like I was hoping to.

Overall, a decent book. I had previous read Cruel Beauty , and thought it was okay. It was a bit dark for my taste, but the story was intriguing. I was hoping that Crimson Bound would be different, but it wasn't. It had the same dark overtone that permeated Cruel Beauty. One thing I did enjoy about this book is that it is based on the myth of werewolves and the Beast of Gévaudan. My little Teen Wolf heart leapt for joy at this.

I have a friend who is currently reading this, and she loves it, but her brand of book is dark fantasy. So if that is your thing, this is the book for you. Sadly, it wasn't for me.

keberwick's review against another edition

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3.0

I wasn't overly fond of this book. Admittedly, I did have the audiobook edition, and that may have had something to do with it. I found some of the book a little hard to follow and not as well thought-out as other fantasy novels I've read. This was my first Rosamund Hodge novel, and while I did enjoy Rochelle as a character, I was rather unimpressed with the love triangle, as well as Amelie's character. I felt that Amelie could have added so much more to the story than just being Rochelle's damsel in distress.

I found the writing to be very descriptive, but not overly so, which was a huge plus. Hodge did an excellent job of creating images with her words, even though I feel that it was a little convoluted. I would recommend this book, but with reservation. I wouldn't recommend it if you are tired of shallow characters and love triangles, however, if you can get past those two aspects, the storyline was very interesting and was very entertaining.

linwood's review

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adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book has an interesting magic system, a dark forest with evil trickster beings. However, I found it confusing at times and lacking descriptions that would have made it more enjoyable to imagine. 

indigoivee's review against another edition

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1.0

I’m aware that this was meant to be another fairytale retelling, but to be honest I had trouble figuring out which story it was. It had a lot of similarities to Red Riding Hood, but also Robin Hood and the overall magic world of witches. The only part of this universe I found exciting was that it was based in Gevudán. (I love Teen Wolf).

Aside from that, the story was rather boring and didn’t have one direct story line, it was quite literally only when the book was near the end when it got most exciting and all those loose ends tied together. But still, I wanted to enjoy the entire book, not just three quarters of it.

It was a let down from the previous fairytale book of Rosamund Hodge, but still bearable.

Favourite quote: “He grinned at her, and it felt like there was no space or barrier at all between them, like his smile was happening inside her heart. Without meaning to at all, she smiled back. They were both fools, perhaps.”

nyeran's review against another edition

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2.0

If I’m damned, what’s the point of pretending that I’m not?!

♠ Ho un problema con le protagoniste della Hodge. È così. E il problema delle protagoniste della Hodge è che parlano entrambe con lo stesso registro. Hanno la stessa bipolarità. Hanno gli stessi identici pensieri. Sono ugualmente banderuole. E il problema è che tolti gli scleri mentali di Richelle, nel libro non c’è altro.
La storie promessa nel blurb non c’è. Ci sono soltanto le infinite seghe mentali di Richelle che un momento è super depressa perchè è una peccatrice e non merita niente, è un mostro che merita di morire, che vuole morire, che nessuno potrebbe mai amare, e un momento dopo è una povera ragazza che è stata costretta ad uccidere sua zia a causa del marchio della foresta, che dondola COSTANTEMENTE tra due uomini e che ha la forza di volonta di un ameba visto che il primo fà cose contro la sua volontà e lei non dice mai niente.

♠ Ora scusate, dovrei continuare la recensione ma, come posso prendere sul serio una protagonista che a pagina 5 del romanzo toglie la giacca che la protegge solo perchè un forestborn -quindi un nemico- le chiede di togliersela?! Sopratutto considerando che lei è stata cresciuta per proteggere il villaggio da quelli come lui, lui è un nemico, è molto pericoloso, lei ne ha paura e nonostante tutto si fida, così, senza motivo. Lui non le da un motivo per fidarsi. Il suo pensiero è: Mi fidavo di lui. e io ero tipo: “Ma perchè?? Ma su che basi?”. Lui poi una volta che lei è senza protezioni, ovviamente la bacia -così, random-, la marchia e la condanna a diventare un mostro. E lei se lo merita perchè è una rincoglionita.

♠ Il triangolo sempre perenne che come in tutti i romanzi in cui viene ficcato non se ne capisce l’utilità se non quella di rendere Richelle una bandieruola. Come era Nyx, in effetti, perchè i protagonisti di questo romanzo sono la copia sputata di Nyx, Ignifex e Shade di Cruel Beauty. Persino il triangolo è lo stesso. C’è l’interesse amoroso misterioso, serio e rovinato, c’è la protagonista indurita da esperienze traumatiche (Richelle molto più di Nyx, onestamente) e c’è il terzo incomodo che dovrebbe essere quello che ti fà venire voglia di tifare per lui ma poi lo leggi e tutto quello che fà e dice suona inquietante e ti fà scattare continui campanelli d’allarme.

♠ Ma poi, nessuna delle relazioni di Richelle con Armand ed Erec è credibile. Richelle viene costretta a fare da guardia del corpo ad Armand, lo detesta perchè crede che sia un fantoccio e un bugiardo, glielo dice più volte, evita di parlargli il più possibile poi improvvisamente, dice che lo ama. Dice che ha un bell’aspetto, bei capelli, begli occhi e che lo ama. Ma come prima, senza motivo. Non hanno avuto una conversazione profonda dove lei ha visto che in realtà non è quello che pensava, no. Lei poi non ha mai avuto esperienze amorose quindi cosa ne sai che quello è amore, magari è solo il primo tipo che trovi attraente e che magari non ti sputa sui piedi per quello che sei?! Cioè...non lo sò, in certi momenti resto senza parole. 

emerygirl's review

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2.0

Full disclosure, I couldn’t finish this book. I made it to the last 50 pages and just couldn’t do it. But I had invested so much time that I had to see how it ended. So I googled it and read the synopsis and decided that I didn’t need to finish it.

I didn’t like it for a couple of reasons.
1. I hate being dropped into a new world and not knowing what in the heck is going on. I felt like I was supposed to know things about Rachelle’s world, that didn’t make any sense. Like what a wood wife was. And what a bloodbound was. And what it meant by endless night. Things that were pretty central to the plot line, and I was kind of guessing what they were
2. The book said it was a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. This book had nothing to do with Little Red Riding Hood. I looked up the fairy tale to see if there was maybe some dark version of the tale I had never heard that would make this book make more sense. There wasn’t. I have NO CLUE why they even associated this book with Little Red Riding Hood.
3. I found the love story stupid. I can tolerate a mediocre book if there is a good love story. There wasn’t.

So even thought I didn’t technically finish, I am giving it 2 stars. Basically because anything that can get published automatically deserves 1 star and....I’m feeling generous with my stars today.

steph01924's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars

I enjoyed the second half much more than the first, once things got going a bit. Once some things had been revealed. The first half was a bit slow and it felt like there just wasn't much there in terms of plot. Rachelle needs to protect Armand and find Joyeuse. That was it.

The writing itself is still beautiful and Hodge creates a great creepy, fantastical atmosphere, much like Cruel Beauty. I just didn't connect with Rachelle's character as much as I wanted to.

anotherstoryreader's review against another edition

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3.0

This book was just okay for me. Kudos to the author though this is the second book of hers that I've read and she's very talented. The world building is wonderful. She is a master of bringing you to the place in a story where everything feels hopeless and you can't see how The main character will survive. But she finds a clever way to bring them all back from the brink in non predictable ways.
Her characters are very flawed but you can understand how they came to be that way. I'm not sure what it was about this story that was only do so for me. It was enjoyable but just not enough.

luciearan's review against another edition

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4.0

První díl této série se mi moc líbil a ani tento díl mě nezklamal. A pokud budu mít do budoucna možnost přečíst si další knihu od této autorky, pustím se do ní bez pochyb a s nadšením.

claire_taylors_version's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0