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sophieamreacher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
da3m0nic's review
- 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
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
nerdkitten's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Excrement, Trafficking, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment
singalana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Body horror, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Colonisation
jb567's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
whichwitcher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We get top-tier character work again from Abercrombie. His writing is punchy and humorous, and, at times, it can be profound.
We got a little in the way of plot in book two, but I'd have preferred more. It felt like if The Blade Itself introduced us to individual characters and storylines, then Before They Are Hanged introduced us to how they interact as part of a group. I'm still itching to flesh out the central thread - and I'm dying to see how characters' storylines converge, if at all.
Please do be aware of the following trigger warnings prior to reading: Ableism, Alcoholism, Amputation, Animal murder, Assault, Attempted rape, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Decapitation, Emesis (vomiting), Famine, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexually explicit scene, Skeletons, Slavery, Torture, War
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Genocide, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Minor: Alcohol
marthadude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Fatphobia and Suicidal thoughts
There is a scene where a female character is about to be raped but is saved. There are also consensual sex scenes. They aren’t too graphic but they get the point across. Lots of mentions of death, war, and torture.btrz7's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Classism
taglharp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
From a structural point of view, middle books in trilogies are always hard to judge for me. Not much experience analyzing them as I do with beginnings. The better they are in the elements I favor, the harder I know how to review them. This one is no different.
But. Say one thing for Abercrombie, say that he does not let you down when it comes to characters. Bastards they might be, bastard roles they might play, and yet no matter how vile... they fucking grow on you. If you were ever attached to any characters you met in the first book, well. I have both good and bad news for you in this one.
(And though I do have some qualms about certain choices in the narrative, they're few compared to the good.)
NGEL, don't think I'll be able to keep myself from jumping on the Last Argument of Kings ASAP.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, and Cannibalism
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault