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isabellehendo 's review for:
Crooked Kingdom
by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
This book ripped my heart out and glued it together in one fell swoop.
The character building/development is some of the best I have ever experienced in such a short time - it is merely two medium-sized books, yet I felt as if I knew each character in such depth. When I say I love the characters, I genuinely mean that. I could honestly write paragraphs describing each character, their flaws, and their strengths. That is part of what makes this book so enchanting; you feel as if you are watching a team of your most beloved friends rush into danger time and time again. I truly believe the characters are the strength of this book, but that is not to say that the plot and the worldbuilding are not fantastic. The thieving, backstabbing, and plan after plan will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting to see how they will get out of a situation and what miraculous things this wayward group of kids will attempt to pull off. The world, namely the city of Ketterdam, drags you in just enough to feel like you are there. That said, I would say with certainty that the characters pull you much further into the story than the world. I will recommend this book to everyone for as long as I live.
I need to add this paragraph because where else can I air my grievances? MATTHIAS!!?????!!!!!! Do you mean to tell me that in the first book, Leigh Bardugo decided to do a bang-up job at making me fall deeply in love with Matthias just to fucking MURDER HIM!? He was my favorite character coming out of the first book. His stoic nature, strength, and commitment to doing what he believed was right. His CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!? My god, the character development, the backstory, all of it. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME SHE PUT ME THROUGH ALL OF THIS JUST TO FUCKING KILL HIM OFF!? GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!!!!!!!!
I couldn't put this book down, which led to me sobbing hysterically at 12:30 at night on a Monday. I mean SOBBING. It gutted me. I feel like I felt reading about Sam's death in Assasin's Blade, except worse because I got Matthias for two fucking books. What in the fuck.
The character building/development is some of the best I have ever experienced in such a short time - it is merely two medium-sized books, yet I felt as if I knew each character in such depth. When I say I love the characters, I genuinely mean that. I could honestly write paragraphs describing each character, their flaws, and their strengths. That is part of what makes this book so enchanting; you feel as if you are watching a team of your most beloved friends rush into danger time and time again. I truly believe the characters are the strength of this book, but that is not to say that the plot and the worldbuilding are not fantastic. The thieving, backstabbing, and plan after plan will keep you on the edge of your seat, wanting to see how they will get out of a situation and what miraculous things this wayward group of kids will attempt to pull off. The world, namely the city of Ketterdam, drags you in just enough to feel like you are there. That said, I would say with certainty that the characters pull you much further into the story than the world. I will recommend this book to everyone for as long as I live.
I couldn't put this book down, which led to me sobbing hysterically at 12:30 at night on a Monday. I mean SOBBING. It gutted me. I feel like I felt reading about Sam's death in Assasin's Blade, except worse because I got Matthias for two fucking books. What in the fuck.