Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

10 reviews

thefragranthand's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

This was just what I hoped it would be. I wonder how long I have to wait for the next one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Excrement, Domestic abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Trafficking and Mental illness

Minor: Vomit, Child abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Cancer, Blood, Suicide, Torture, and Gaslighting

lea's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

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

2.5

The trigger warnings are no joke. I have barely ever been triggered by a book but this was hard to get through at times. 

It's insta love too and the ending was kinda unsatisfying. 

For how hard it is to read, I am still giving it 3 stars because it felt honest in those parts. 

Edit: nah the more I think about it the less I like it. Lowering. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Torture, Child abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Murder

magnetarmadda's review

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Boy howdy this book did not hold back and did not blunt the edges of the Regency era, but it was very well done. I’m genuinely looking forward to more adventures of Gus and Julia

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Torture, Cancer, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Ableism, Child abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Rape, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Child death, Homophobia, and Miscarriage

smiti_nathan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Body horror, Blood, Violence, Cancer, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Grief, Classism, Death, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Child death, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, Child death, Death of parent, Racism, Slavery, Murder, Outing, and Rape

goldseamedglass's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Classism, Blood, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical trauma, Torture, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Suicide, and Trafficking

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child death, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, Religious bigotry, Vomit, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity and Slavery

bel017's review

 Some very dark history covered, but otherwise a heap of fun. The main character and supporting cast are fabulous. I loved the found family, competent protagonists, hiding in plain sight, and heaving doses of usurping the hierarchy, wrapped up in a slightly mad and fast paced adventure. I do love a good shenanigan. Can't wait for the next one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cancer, Classism, Rape, and Torture

katrinaward's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Suicide, Sexual assault, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

italapas's review

Well written and engaging but the content warnings are to be taken seriously. I stopped reading it because I was unwell and my library took the ebook back before I could finish. I don't know that I will seek it out again.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Cancer, Trafficking, Torture, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, and Domestic abuse

alhalpern's review

adventurous inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Incest, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Kidnapping, Suicide, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

parchment_and_papyrus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious 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

 

Review of ‘The Benevolent Society for Ill-Mannered Ladies’ by Alison Goodman 

Gus and Julia are two very different twins in both look and personality. Gus, standing at 5 foot 9 is independent, intelligent, daring, and feisty. Julia is more demure, empathic, loving, fiercely loyal and stands at a ‘ladylike’ 5 foot 2. We meet the twins on the second anniversary of Julia’s fiancée’s death. Still mourning his loss, the twins are navigating regency life as aging spinsters. A dear friend, Charlotte, finds herself on the brink of scandal when the twins step in. A favour that will lead to adventures and heroics that no-one could have predicted. A beautiful journey of deception, violence, fear, romance and above all sisterly love.  

What a joy this book was to read, I really didn’t want to put it down. There was never a dull moment in the lives of the Colebrook twins. The book was split into sections, each following a new ‘case’. And I say ‘case’ because it’s not like they are a detective agency taking on new clients, these are just situations that the twins find themselves in as their reputation for fairness and fearlessness goes before them. Do not fear, although these cases are not connected as such, there are connections within them. Relationships are built, characters developed, and longer-term stories evolved. 

I particularly liked how Goodman brought in topics that are so important today, like LGBT rights and mental health, and used real historical artifacts to present them in the Regency era. Some of the beliefs and therefore outcomes for people in the story are really quite horrendous so if you are triggered by these topics read with care, it’s especially difficult knowing that some of the accounts are based on real reports of the day. But it’s clear Goodman knows her regency history, you can see it in the world building, the context setting, the small details, that no stone was left unturned. I have read a lot of regency era novels and I still learnt some facts from this book. 

This book was written from the perspective of Gus and I’m so glad it was, because she is fierce! If you like historical settings where women act with modern attitudes, then this is a book for you. Gus in a lot of ways reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Bennet, if Lizzy had had a twin that brought her down to earth. Like Lizzy and Jane, Gus and Julia’s relationship is a wonder. It made me wish I had a twin sister. They both use the unspoken to communicate their feelings and ideas. A pause here, a nod there and a whole conversation has been divulged, it showed a love and intimacy that trumped all others. 

And I can’t go any further without commenting on the romance. At first it all happened a bit too quick for me. Gus’s love interest was calling her, ‘my dear’ (cringe! Regency language always gets me.) way too quickly. I’m all for love at first sight but the immediate use of endearments in a regency setting just didn’t work for me. Even if they felt that way, they would have such a wall of reserve that it made it feel artificial. Having said that as soon as it was out there, I pretty much forgot about it and boy was I invested. There was even a [spoilers ahead: skip to the next paragraph] there’s only one bed scenario and who doesn’t love that! 

I would definitely recommend if you like your historical fiction light hearted and easily digestible. A great summer read and a good foot in the door if you are trying the genre out for the first time. I can’t wait for the next instalment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Torture, Excrement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Death, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Racism, and Lesbophobia