Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Kargalar Meclisi by Leigh Bardugo

96 reviews

tinyjude's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.75

After watching the tv show I was really interested in this part of the story and characters, and they didn't disappoint at all. I had the books on my shelves for a long time and I finally found the right timming to appreciate them.

Since I already grew fond of them watching on the screen, it was easier to follow everything and appreciate the nuance in each character and story arc. It was enjoyable, especially getting to know more about each characters' backgrounds and wills.

If the screen adaptation sold Kaz and Inej romance with ease because of both actors' incredible work, I was even more invested into their interactions and the slow burn going on in the book. Damn, those final words they exchange... still hitting the right spot. Inej and Nina are my queens, I love them dearly, especially Inej.

The age of the characters is one of the things that makes it quite unbelievable; even just aging them two years could have helped solidify their prodigious nature and talent, but I guess some people will find it cooler if they are that young and proving to be such a threat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Trafficking, Death, Drug abuse, Body horror, Child death, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Xenophobia, Rape, Animal death, Sexual content, Deportation, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

xtayuya's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

A favorite. Listened to the duology twice in one weekend. Left me with the worst book hangover and so many feelings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Xenophobia, Drug use, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent and Child death

bakerindale's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Body horror, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Slavery and Trafficking

ofinkandscales's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Spoiler-free TL;DR Review:
This book is phenomenal, each character is well written, the pacing is great, and it will absolutely tug at your heartstrings at times.

Spoiler Review:

I originally got into this book because of my love for the Netflix series (#SaveShadowandBone) and boy do I regret not reading this sooner. Kaz Brekker will always be my favorite, the deadliest boy in all of Ketterdam. Of all the scenes in the entire book, the scene with the Crows riding the stolen tank through the Fjerdan streets, the sense of "this is it, we did it" had me in tears because for the entire book, everyone doubted this ragtag group of criminals kids, and despite all the doubters, /they did it/. And just as soon as they did it, it all went kettle up and now I can't wait to get into Crooked Kingdom. Even if I hadn't seen the show first, I believe I still would've fallen in love with this world of criminals and heists, each character is so well written, no one is flat and each one pops off the page as if they were a real, flesh and blood person. The way Leigh Bardugo describes her scenes makes the entire thing similar to a movie; the electric feeling of Nina taking the jurda parem and her power being felt by all, even the reader, the feeling of Jordie's bloated and slippery flesh under Kaz's hands, the turmoil Matthias feels between loyalty to his country or the girl he loves, and the feeling of walking through miles of snow and ice with only the promise of riches keeping you going.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Trafficking, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Addiction, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit and Sexual assault

The entire book revolves around a heist between a crew in Ketterdam and the country of Fjerda. Those who reside in Fjerda have a rank of people known as Druskelle who use religion as a justification for eradicating the Grisha simply for being different. The Fjerdans regularly claim Grisha are less than dogs, are monsters, etc. One of the main characters is kidnapped and trafficked into a brothel and forced to "work down" her debt. One of the main characters has deep trauma and suicidal thoughts at times. One character deals with addiction, and another deals with an abusive family. Gore is described in detail.

melincholyssa's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Blood, Ableism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Deportation, Child death, Grief, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Violence, Drug abuse, Death, Alcoholism, Sexism, Gun violence, Classism, Trafficking, Torture, Murder, Gore, Cursing, Child abuse, and Body horror

bookishperseus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Classism, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Murder, Slavery, War, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Body horror, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Addiction, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Violence, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Drug use, Abandonment, Death of parent, Genocide, Misogyny, Blood, Deportation, Gore, Grief, Body horror, Child abuse, Vomit, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, and Cursing

renewed_reader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Slavery, Body horror, Classism, Blood, Death, Genocide, Torture, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

cnjg88's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body horror, Trafficking, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Ableism, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Rape, Death, Addiction, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, War, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Vomit

cnjg88's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Child death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Murder, Kidnapping, Torture, Physical abuse, Gore, Cursing, Sexual violence, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, War, Religious bigotry, and Cursing

madelicious's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, and Gore