Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May

19 reviews

lindsayflor_95's review against another edition

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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Self harm

Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, Death, and Self harm

Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse

prosenheim's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Blood, Death, Gore, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Death of parent, Rape, Torture, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Abortion

lucianagrimm's review

dark emotional mysterious slow-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? No

3.5

Wild and Wicked Things had beautiful imagery and lore surrounding its setting on the mysterious Crow Island. The landscape and its history are strongly embedded in the course of the plot. I loved the character of Émmeline but found Bea to be rather unlikeable. I struggled with the pacing. The slow burn as it was a mix of fast and slow and was difficult for me to keep up with. Overall, I liked the story and its establishment of breaking the boundaries of post war taboos with, not only witchcraft but also, queerness. Despite not explicitly detailed, the accents and traits of the queer characters are done really well, especially through their fashion and body language. I was slightly disappointed with the ended and had hoped for more information as to where the characters went next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Murder, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, and Death

seren's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Abandonment, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

darquedreamer's review against another edition

tense fast-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

Meh. I think this one could have been a lot shorter, and a lot more exciting. It didn't feel unique, and definitely didn't feel atmospheric enough for the time period, or vibes it promised. The characters were not really well developed, or likeable (especially Bea), and some of the plot felt like it came straight from a certain movie about witches, (not naming it because, spoilers). I just didn't love this one like I had hoped to... 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Death

epithetofthemoon's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage

Minor: Rape

joreada7's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, and Self harm

Moderate: Pregnancy and Violence

Minor: War

thereisnotry54's review

dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I enjoyed some of the over-the-top romance, but it was very confusing. There were interludes from other perspectives which did tie in nicely eventually. The style of book changed to get a lot more intense.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Murder, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, War, Abandonment, and Violence

Minor: Gaslighting, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, and Infidelity

mintedlemon's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

Really interesting introduction of the characters early on, I feel like there could be a really good spin off with the council as it was rarely mentioned. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, Grief, Gore, War, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Drug use

minervacerridwen's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

1.5

To be honest, I doubt I would have finished the read if I hadn't started it for a book club. The concept really appealed to me when I read the short summary, but from the very start, the first-person pov switching between two characters made it hard for me to connect to either of them. I also didn't find these characters very likeable or interesting, and in the beginning of the book the question of what Annie’s father had been hiding was dragged out for a long time. I think the intention was to build a sense of mystery, but the problem was

that it was very easy to figure out what his big secret would be in this context, and I was simply waiting to be proven right.

 

 

Then there was a “love at first sight” situation, which at the best of times is difficult for me as an aro ace reader to relate to, but after that point, I didn’t really have the feeling that the reader was made to fall in love with the characters along with them. All we knew was that Emmeline looked great in her “man’s suits”, but none of the characters really seemed to be good people. They were constantly ready to blame everything and everyone else, rather than taking responsibility for their own actions. And many of the bad decisions didn’t feel like there was a good reason for them in-story—they only furthered the plot. 

 

The best part of the story, to me, were the flashbacks. The story of the younger versions of the characters rebelling against their "saviour" was empowering, even if they're going through horrible things, and made me wish the book had focused on that particular tale instead. However, I’m also quite confused by Emmeline’s arc in these flashbacks. A large point is made of her suits and the fact she feels more comfortable in them, and in the fact that a (debatably) “less feminine” name felt better for her, but in the end all this seems to serve is

the reveal that the Lilith in the flashbacks is really her.

The gender journey I expected for her never comes. 

 

The worldbuilding, the magic system, the queer representation: there was so much potential in all these concepts, but it never quite hit the spot for me. 

 

I want to give a special shoutout to the artist who created the cover, as that one is a piece of art in itself. Absolutely gorgeous! 

 

List of content warnings under the following spoiler cut: 

CW self-harm, manipulation, sexual abuse, unvoluntary sex work, alcohol, death, murder, domestic abuse, violence, blood, psychological torture, body fluids, necromancy, mentions of abortion, mentions of using children’s blood for magical purposes.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Self harm, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Abortion, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Body horror

Minor: Vomit