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bookerage's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The main characters of this book are Valerian, who is on a quest to save his life, his servant "Boy" who was given no name and can't remember his own parents, and the boy's friend Willow, from which we don't have much background either. The personalities are shown through their relationship with each other, rather than described from the author, which is well executed, you just have to push through the first 50 pages, where little information is given to the reader. The story is set in a "distant time and place" and I pictured Victorian London, which turned out to be far off as there were later in the story catacombs mentioned under the city. This somewhat bothered me, I wished we've been given an actual location. Overall still a good read, if you don't mind unlikable characters. The plot was thrillling and unpredictable.
On another note, this is a YA read, but the book contains explicit graphic violence and other controversial topics, see all the content warnings.
On another note, this is a YA read, but the book contains explicit graphic violence and other controversial topics, see all the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Addiction
bearystarry's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Murder, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Vomit, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, and Classism
clstrifes's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When I first read this, I was like 9-10 years old and I thought it was well written but the Death of Korps freaked me out so I stopped reading it. Years later and I remembered the summary of this book but not the name or cover so I asked a book group on goodreads (titled: WHATS THE NAME OF THAT BOOK????) to help me out, within a few hours, I got a reply and I confirmed it was the book, I’ll come back to thank the person who solved it for me on this review later.
(THANK YOU AGAIN BECCA! YOU’RE AWESOME!!!!!)
The book started off well, it had promise of the dead days and a good mystery at first with all these deaths what force it was that was coming for valerian. This book is very plot driven which I appreciate but at times it doesn’t line up with the characters either. It felt that the “kids are smart and adults are creepy and mean” trope which at the time of the writing, YA was still in its infancy so I’m not surprised by that. I gave it three stars because the plot has potential and the pacing was good and I liked the concept of the dead days being used in here.
(THANK YOU AGAIN BECCA! YOU’RE AWESOME!!!!!)
The book started off well, it had promise of the dead days and a good mystery at first with all these deaths what force it was that was coming for valerian. This book is very plot driven which I appreciate but at times it doesn’t line up with the characters either. It felt that the “kids are smart and adults are creepy and mean” trope which at the time of the writing, YA was still in its infancy so I’m not surprised by that. I gave it three stars because the plot has potential and the pacing was good and I liked the concept of the dead days being used in here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Violence, and Murder
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