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rini's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Me gusta las temas del libro, y los personajes pero no entiendo mucho el final? Es un poquito cómica que el libro es más complejo y interesante que la película pero la película es mucho más coherente. Pero fue bonito!
sarahwpotter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
daniw2327's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
mortemautgloria's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
grapefruitjuice's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Confinement
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Medical content
samwescott's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
Oh my goodness, this book is a treasure. The characters are witty and evolve from humorous stereotypes into clever and complex people that steal your heart. Nimona in particular is a really great character. I have never seen a woman in any piece of media who gets to carry so much rage and never be forced to give it up or "deal with it". She's unapologetically murdery, but still gets to be warm and endearing. (AND she's a shapeshifter who chooses to be short and chubby!) This book made me care about all of the characters so much.
The story building is also really well done. After the first chapter or so, I caught myself wondering how the author got such a large book our of these characters. They were cute, but seemed so simple and stagnant. But Stevenson subtly started introducing plot points that became a huge conspiracy and suddenly there was a huge, whirring plot and it had entirely snuck up on me.
I cannot recommend this book enough and I WANT MORE.
Re-read ----------------------------------------------
This is such a gooooood book. This is my second read-through since it was given to me by a friend and it is even better then second time. The characters are lovable and all complex and gray in their own ways. Nimona is a fantastic enigma, humorous and strong and adorable and kinda super-evil. Goldenloin and Blackheart start off as stereotypes, but are quickly revealed to have layers and priorities and a complicated history. It's a story about friendship and loyalty vs morality and ideals. Plus, there's an awesome science lady, a poisoning conspiracy, and lots of dragon stuff.
I cannot recommend it highly enough. My friend loves it, I love it, my mom loves it, my little sister loves it, and the friend I passed it on to loves it. READ IT.
Third re-read ---------------------------------------
This time I listened to the new full-cast audio production. It was really good! The voice acting was dead on and some of the humor carried over a little differently, which I liked a lot. Also, I've found that this insulated story acts as a great palette-cleanser between more intense series reading. Such a lovely story.
Fourth re-read——————————————————-
Came back to this story nine years after my first read through and after seeing the new (beautiful) animated movie. I think the movie is its own really cool thing, but I still vastly prefer this version. An older Ballister with a lot more agency and bitterness. A more complicit and harder to forgive Goldenloin with a much better character design. An angrier and less silly Nimona with a lot more monstrousness in her soul. A story with a more ambiguous ending and complicated morality. A city with less neon and buzz. It’s just infinitely more to my taste and I’m so glad the movie acted as an impetus to bring me back to this incredible book.
The story building is also really well done. After the first chapter or so, I caught myself wondering how the author got such a large book our of these characters. They were cute, but seemed so simple and stagnant. But Stevenson subtly started introducing plot points that became a huge conspiracy and suddenly there was a huge, whirring plot and it had entirely snuck up on me.
I cannot recommend this book enough and I WANT MORE.
Re-read ----------------------------------------------
This is such a gooooood book. This is my second read-through since it was given to me by a friend and it is even better then second time. The characters are lovable and all complex and gray in their own ways. Nimona is a fantastic enigma, humorous and strong and adorable and kinda super-evil. Goldenloin and Blackheart start off as stereotypes, but are quickly revealed to have layers and priorities and a complicated history. It's a story about friendship and loyalty vs morality and ideals. Plus, there's an awesome science lady, a poisoning conspiracy, and lots of dragon stuff.
I cannot recommend it highly enough. My friend loves it, I love it, my mom loves it, my little sister loves it, and the friend I passed it on to loves it. READ IT.
Third re-read ---------------------------------------
This time I listened to the new full-cast audio production. It was really good! The voice acting was dead on and some of the humor carried over a little differently, which I liked a lot. Also, I've found that this insulated story acts as a great palette-cleanser between more intense series reading. Such a lovely story.
Fourth re-read——————————————————-
Came back to this story nine years after my first read through and after seeing the new (beautiful) animated movie. I think the movie is its own really cool thing, but I still vastly prefer this version. An older Ballister with a lot more agency and bitterness. A more complicit and harder to forgive Goldenloin with a much better character design. An angrier and less silly Nimona with a lot more monstrousness in her soul. A story with a more ambiguous ending and complicated morality. A city with less neon and buzz. It’s just infinitely more to my taste and I’m so glad the movie acted as an impetus to bring me back to this incredible book.