Reviews tagging 'War'

Little Eve by Catriona Ward

14 reviews

akevaa's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Good and creepy. Excellent for the one time, but I think once you know how it all unravels a re-read isn't really in the cards (at least not for me). This is generally how I feel about Ward's works; Looking Glass Sound being an exception where re-reading is an excellent idea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: War, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Suicide

bookish_af's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Death, and War

Moderate: Pedophilia, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Kidnapping

racl's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.25

Sundial again, but on the ocean this time!
Culty, unhealthy family dynamics, beautiful writing, I enjoyed it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Drug use, Blood, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Pregnancy, War, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Rape, and Toxic relationship

charlottesreadingweb's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Having read both Needless Street and Sundial, I would say this is the best Catriona Ward book I have read. What it lacks in plot complexity, it makes up for in reflection on what it means to "be the villain" and how the pain of women & children is often unrecognized or ignored. I found myself heart broken repeatedly throughout this book. I found the ending poignant and beautiful. Fans of Needless Street may find this book underwhelming when comparing it's twists and turns, but I think it is a good option for gothic horror fans looking for a book that will pull at your heart strings. Please check content warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Confinement, Child death, Self harm, Murder, Miscarriage, and Incest

Moderate: War, Rape, and Pregnancy

grimdark_dad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Infertility, Murder, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Miscarriage

brianna_moye's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Animal death, and Death

Moderate: Pregnancy, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

Minor: War

zosiablue's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

"It is a kind of privilege, to witness the darkness." Another genius tale from Catriona Ward. Read this if you like rural moody Scottish hillsides, cults, women surviving in the billion ways women do, horrific trauma and the healing of it, and girl friendships in all their forms. Oh and a surprise circus elephant. The kind of book you hold your breath for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Confinement, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Child abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Drug use, and Miscarriage

Minor: War

_bxllxe_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Trippy. Gothic. Salty. Vicious. Alluring. Slow-paced, but rewarding. Some twists were predictable, some were surprising. I liked this one a lot. The House on Needless Street is better. Catriona Ward will always be an author I automatically purchase, though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Rape and Pedophilia

m_ichellep's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Self harm, Confinement, Death, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Child death, War, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Death of parent, War, and Suicide

seawarrior's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

5.0

Reviewing this several months after I first read it, so I don't remember details. Little Eve is an intensely disturbing gothic work about the horrors of isolation, miseducation and unraveling layers of lies. I found the book difficult to read because of the subject matter, but I was still excited to keep turning each page and learn Eve's fate. The final twist was actually something I was unable to predict, and the haunting characters and atmosphere have stayed with me long after I finished the novel. I highly recommend this book to those who can stomach it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia

Minor: War and Sexual assault