Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

91 reviews

wanderonwards's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, and Suicide

Moderate: Death, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape

bchallis's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide

nickthefailure's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

binca's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Torture, Mental illness, Violence, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: War

beebeewin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

Review from 2024: I was originally not a fan of this novel as at the beginning it is very slow. Kristin Cashore does take a lot of time to build the isolation of our lead character and her growth into being a queen, but I feel like that dragged a little. Also, I think the romance at the beginning takes away from the really dark and intense topics Cashore was trying to discuss. I think the love interest,

Sapphire

, is an interesting character but I feel it would almost be better to not have the romance blossom until the end.  I think the ending is truly where this book shined. As I discussed in my 2012 review, the ending is a little bit more nebulous than the other books in this series, but that is the beauty. There is so much Bitterblue is dealing with as a character, and it would be disingenuous to pretend that it was all resolved by this end of the novel. Instead, Cashore beautifully shows the process it would take for a kingdom and individuals to be rebuilt. The emotional resonance is felt, and especially the way

Fire is tied into the story is so fucking perfect. We know Fire had a similar complicated relationship with her father, which makes their conversations and relationship so poetic.

I also now how the ability to say there are sequels so this ending feels less definite and more of a new beginning with Leck firmly in the past, as it feels like the arc of his role in this story will fade into memory with this story. The expansion of the world excites me and I am ready to read the next novel. 

Review from 2012: 4 stars I really liked this book but for some reason I feel the story is uncompleted! This is the last book in the trilogy and in a way I feel lost. More so then at the end of the previous two books. I hope maybe another book will be written but I doubt it. This book was well written and suspenseful. There were so many mysteries solved and crimes committed. I loved how entirely everything was interconnected. So many surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the characters in it!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Self harm, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape

laurab's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

lumberelk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Rape, Medical trauma, Suicide, and Mental illness

Minor: Vomit

therobinjoyce's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A great continuation to the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore. I’ll admit, it was a lot harder to get into than Graceling but not as much so as Fire.

It was fantastic to be reunited with Bitterblue, Po, Katsa, Giddon, Raffin, Helda, and to also get a glimpse into some of the characters we got to know throughout Fire once more.

It was a fantastic YA fantasy and this one was filled with far more political intrigue and court politics but it was amazingly done and we still had a harrowing and gritty adventure through this fantasy realm once more. 

Bitterblue’s character has matured so much as have some of the others, but it was wonderful to follow her as an adolescent making her mark on her world and trying to rule. The whole cast of new characters that were introduced were also great and I loved so many of them. 

Just a fantastic follow up to the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Torture, Gaslighting, Blood, Self harm, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Pedophilia

Minor: Kidnapping

elle_dee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, and War

charlieash's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

katsa and po brought a deranged energy to this book. tackling each other and grappling in a fountain and screaming and crying and holding each other ... that's love baby!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Torture, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Rape