Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Angels Before Man by rafael nicolás

21 reviews

wei_lan's review

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was so intriguing and gut-wrenching for me. As someone who grew up in a deeply religious household, I related so hard to Lucifer’s relationship with God. 

1. Lucifer’s questions and perspectives felt comforting to me because I experienced the same sort of rabbit hole that began as being curious and ending with anger and hatred. I wish I had this book when I was in highschool. 

2. I adored Lucifer so much. His initial shyness and curiosity was what really hooked me in. I could see him changing and becoming more confident but being perceived as vain and immodest and it really made me think about the difference between them. Like, why should Lucifer not be proud of his appearance when he is the angel of beauty?

3. I knew what was going to happen but it still tore me to pieces when it happened. I almost stopped reading this when

Lucifer and his angels began burning heaven. But it was Lucifer’s understanding that they were probably going to lose that made all the difference. I was cringing hard at the thought of Lucifer believing that he could actually defeat God in their final battle, but him recognizing that it was near, if not completely, impossible made me love him even more. I think it also shows that he isn’t actually cocky with his confidence. He believes in himself and that’s enough for him.

4. There were a couple of times I zoned out and got lost or confused. Visualizing the angels’ houses was difficult for me and when I read about the on a bed or entering a room I was kind of taken out of the story trying to imagine what a bedroom would look like in heaven for an angel. 

5. As far as I can remember, there was not a single female character. I don’t know how to feel about that because I’m pretty sure this was based on biblical canon and I don’t there are any female angels, but having all male characters did make it harder for me to keep track of who was doing/saying what at times. 

6.

Hearing Lucifer create words with meaning was so cool!! Hearing him create “c*nt” and “f*cking” was so funny to me.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Body shaming and Cursing

Self-harm/Suicide attempt:

Lucifer stabs himself. It’s after the rape and I think he actually slices his stomach open.

Rape:

God rapes Lucifer in Eden. It is off screen, but heavily implied (or maybe also confirmed I can’t remember) by Lucifer limping after his meeting with God and his downward mental spiral.

kelseydaffodil's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

''What am I for, Father? In what way an I perfectly made, for what purpose?' To be something so abstract as beauty - it was as if Lucifer weren't more than an abstraction himself, an idea, a fantasy, the figment of a lonely, longing imagination.'

i feel. empty. this book is 6 stars. everything about the writing was so poetic. how the further Lucifer fell, the less correct punctuation, grammar and proper sentences were used in thoughts. his and michael's relationship. the whole idea of god. this book has broken my heart. the pain throughout it. it's so heavy and i don't have enough words to express this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and War

rizky's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

Ruin me, will you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and War

jacksons_books_and_music's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and War

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Such a beautiful poetically written book about the fall of Lucifer from heaven. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

fanboyriot's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Read For:

✓ Slow Burn

✓ Forbidden Love 

✓ Religious Themes

✓ Hurt/Comfort (mostly hurt)

✓ Amazing Character Development

˗ˏˋ ★ REVIEW ★ ˎˊ˗

A bit of a slow start for me, it took me several chapters to get into the writing style but after that I really enjoyed it, the author did a great job with the descriptions and character development.  Part one of the book was really good.  The storyline, the trust building between Lucifer and Michael was so wholesome.  And while it might have taken me a moment for me to get into the story the characters I loved right away; especially Lucifer.  He was my favorite.

Overall, it was a really beautifully written story; but also VERY emotional and a bit unhinged, in the second part of the book.  It was written really well but damn, was not expecting all of that.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Angst Level: 💧💧💧💧💧

POV: Third Person

Release Date: 24, September 2023

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

raisinreads's review against another edition

4.25

they struck my man down for being too gay 😔

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol

jellegolas's review

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Alcohol

gooseberry420's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

rmnedder's review

dark emotional reflective 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

As a recovering ex-catholic queer... this book was absolutely beautiful. Such a wonderful take on the fall of Lucifer. It's tragic, it's introspective, and it needles you with pointed questions about authority and autonomy. The prose is really imaginative and atmospheric; it literally feels biblical in its nature and scope. Despite the intensity of some of the content, I feel like everything was handled with a lot of grace and care. Lucifer is one of the most interesting, complex characters I've encountered this year; his relationship with the other angels, specifically with Michael, are so tender and impactful. 

My only complaint is that it took me a minute to get truly invested; it started out a little slower than I would have liked, but after the first ~25% it really picked up. Other than that, this was such a fantastic read. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that queerness exists in all corners of mythology.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Death and Alcohol