Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

8 reviews

mirimira's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Murder

chrisb913's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

This book had a lot of potential but for me fell kind of flat. I did enjoy the general spooky vibes and the House Under the Rowan Tree and Jaga were probably my favorite characters of the story. Sadly the story felt like it started in the middle of a story and did very little work to develop the two main character. It also felt like it heavily relied on the reader knowing the story of Beauty and the Beast, to the point that it felt like part of the plot was missing. All in all, it wasn't terrible but more just middle of the road.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

callistag1's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Death, Violence, Suicide, and Body horror

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Sexism, Vomit, Sexual content, and Blood

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

---

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

folkofthebook's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.25

“You are not a monster, Liska Radost. You are sunlight, and you breathe life into everything you touch.”

beauty in the beast meets howl's moving castle with much polish folklore & cultural influence and a whole lots of magic & forest 💚

there are lots of cozy cottagecore vibes and its a slower pace standalone, but it's an impressive debut novel. the magic system was intriguing with its interweaving of folklore creatures, and i found myself surprised at some revelations. there was a solid romance with some fun banter and a surprisingly charming found family. shoutout to the queer rep as well!

it was bittersweet but very touching, and i look forward to more stories from Poranek.

“There is a thing we do,” the Leszy says, “where we rearrange ourselves, cutting off pieces here and there to fit a mold that was never meant for us. I know something of that. But becoming the Driada’s warden taught me one thing: if the world had not prepared a place for you, you must take up a hammer and chisel and carve one out for yourself.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Grief and Death of parent

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

---

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

theespressoedition's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, Body horror, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Murder, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicide

katievallin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I liked the vibes: the sentient forest and house, the feeling of home, the found-family, the gradual romance. I liked the characters and the very obvious similarities to Beauty and the Beast.

I didn't like the body horror

and human sacrifice.

Those definitely made it seem more dark and evil than it started off being. I also feel conflicted about the clash between the church and paganism.

Also the climax was very sad, and I did not appreciate that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content

Minor: Animal death and Sexual content