Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

10 reviews

kaneebli's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

why can't books like this ever just have a goddamn happy ending. why's it always gotta be so bittersweet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Grief, Death, Religious bigotry, and Gore

Moderate: Suicide

writingandwhimsy's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gore, Sexual content, and Violence

osbo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Gore and Violence

ghostlyprince's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

haven't been this distraught over a book since grade eight I'm in agony I'm in mourning I'm

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Suicide

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Blood, Colonisation, and Abandonment

Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Child death

*There is a scene where someone poisons their cow on purpose to expose another character but it's the only on page depiction of animal harm/cruelty *There is a scene that implies a character is in a abusive marriage

lkristin2018's review

dark sad medium-paced

• 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

2.0

Certainly it was a compelling dark, folk-tale like story.  However, the combination of the main character being a minor, and her love interest being a 700 demon whose pet nickname for her was a put-down did not work for me.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Animal death

I did not like how the author portrayed suicide as a noble act. Suicide is a top cause of teenage death, and this romanticizes it.

mzquirk's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Death of parent, Murder, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Self harm, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual content

naluminum's review

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Death and Religious bigotry

ravnking's review

way too slow and i found the characters dull

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Religious bigotry

eatallthestars's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Death, and Gore

Minor: Animal death and Grief

creolelitbelle's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I love dark fantasy stories and fairy tale/legend/folklore retellings; this book does those aspects great justice. Prior to reading it, I was unfamiliar with Slavic tales aside from Baba Yaga, about who I recently checked out a modernized retelling. The gods of Leszy and Veles (spelled Weles in the book) feature prominently, and the protagonist's name, Liska (Czech or Slavic for "fox") epitomizes her character and physical traits. Throughout my reading, I found myself looking up concepts like Kupala Night and those various Slavic names to better understand the foundation of the novel, but knowing the background is not necessary to enjoying the narrative. I do think that the book could be enhanced with a little information at the end about the Slavic culture and how it relates to the plot and characters. For those who want to discover more about the originating culture, having that resources handy would be super convenient.

Liska's motivations entirely understandable, even if she diverts almost immediately off the forest path, a foreboding act in any dark fantasy or fairy tale, going back to "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Hansel and Gretel". The Leszy is harsh but mysterious and kind enough that I kept wanting to discover more about him and the house with Liska. Actions are committed rashly at times, but that is to be expected for a teenager and by superstitious villagers that run high on emotions regarding magic and witchcraft. The ending left me wanting more, wishing for one more page, but the note it dropped on provides hope. I loved how well multiple pieces of Slavic culture were woven into the book without my feeling lost or overwhelmed. I definitely recommend. This could be a wonderful book for spooky fall vibes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Gore

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent