Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

62 reviews

hanz's review against another edition

dark sad medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Death, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcohol

sarahfr1end's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Infertility, and Pregnancy

lynneliu's review

challenging informative sad 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Classism, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Infidelity

coleyreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Grief, Sexism, Rape, and Misogyny

arminam's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Grief, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Alcohol, Blood, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Torture

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Fatphobia

emilybarbian's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Grief

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, and Lesbophobia

shoohoob's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Genuinely one of the most tense books I have ever read. There is such a feeling of terror and anxiety in every word of this book. I somehow knew what was coming and STILL managed to be shocked at the end. Every time there was even a shred of happiness, it was taken away just as fast. I loved it!

I also wanted to note that this is NOT a romance book. The sapphic aspect is interspersed and is not the main focus of the book. Just be aware of that in case you are recommended this book as a sapphic read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Blood, Animal death, Torture, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Grief, Death, and Cursing

nicnevin's review

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This story is capitivating, almost as if by magic. 

That tasteless joke aside, its a beautiful piece showing how minor quibbles can lead to such devestating consequences. 

The relationships and social connections throughout are stitched together with a raw, real intensity. Its beautiful. 

A warning though, it can be intense so just a heads up! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Torture

mapscitiesandsongs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No

4.5

This was easily one of the most bleak, depressing and aggravating books I've ever had the pleasure to read. 

I literally had to put the book down a few times because I couldn't handle it any longer. Nevertheless I quite enjoyed it, if you can call it that. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric. I was instantly transported into the rough and bleak landscape of Northern Norway. The characters are all well-written. This is especially true for the two main characters Ursa and Maren, but also for the kirke women in  Vardø. I wanted to jump into the book and strangle all of them. An author has to be very good in their craft for me to actually want to do that.  Loved the LGBTQIA+ aspect of the story.  I also found the ending quite fitting for such a bleak book.  A happy ending wouldn't have made sense and I appreciate the author for choosing the most realistic outcome. 

I can highly recommend the audiobook, which is read by Jessie Buckley. The way she pronounced all the Norwegian names and words really drew me into the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Violence, Colonisation, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infertility, and Infidelity

waterbridge147's review

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Torture