Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

96 reviews

jessversteeg's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

Fascinating look at how Orthodox Christian faith might have intersected with medieval Russian pagan beliefs

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Murder, Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, and Blood

Minor: Vomit

ninariella's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Murder, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Violence, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicide, Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Child death, Death, and Violence

coballe's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Death

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Death of parent, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Child death, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Pedophilia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

The beginning was very slow, and for the first quarter or so of the book, half of it was not that prevalent to the book’s plot, but rather setting up for future books in the series. I was not particularly fond of this choice. The writing was very atmospheric, which I liked, but I didn’t feel the need to keep picking up the book to continue reading, so that’s why I can’t rate it too highly. I found the topics surrounding religious bigotry interesting, what with the prideful, fear-mongering priest and what not, as well as the consequences of actions persuaded by fear and the topic of offerings.

However, I do not wish we got more vengeance bestowed on the priest in the end. The irony of how he acted in the bear’s name, believing it to be God, as well as the fear of death Vasilisa put in him at the end, was quite good, though.

I am not sure whether I will continue the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Misogyny, and Child death

Minor: Sexual assault and Blood

araowl's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.25

This book has exactly the kind of writing I look for. Atmospheric and descriptive, the writing style just absolutely immerses you in this world. I found the characters to be multi-faceted and complex. I thought the main character what a bit of a stereotypical chosen one at first, but I think the author did a good job of making her much more layered than that. Overall this was a beautiful book with a very immersive setting, layered characters, and compelling themes. I would only say that the character of stepmother felt a bit flat to me, and it seemed like the beginning was quite slow and the ending sort of rushed. But I'm really excited to read the next in the series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, and Animal death

sustainably_lucia's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I struggled to get a handle on the story and characters in the beginning but then I settled into it nicely. This is the first book in a trilogy so it makes sense to take time to set things up. The ending was awesome! Vasya is a badass heroine and I love her!

The synopsis makes it seem like Anna is the villain when it is Konstantin who does much of the damage. They are both afraid of what they do not understand and take it out on others. Pyotr is a little misguided but he loves and cares about his children and wants them to be happy, even if he doesn’t understand them.

Themes: People choose to believe what makes them feel safe even if it is harmful. They also push away and villainize what they do not understand.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, and Misogyny

Minor: Child abuse

annjk's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

I found this book thrilling and the characters well fleshed out. The folklore immensely enjoyable or scary when the scenes demanded it. The twists and turns of this story were satisfying to be along with, not really knowing what will happen even if I roughly anticipated the ending. It's the road to the resolution that kept me on my toes and had me finish ca 300 pages in one weekend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

raptorq's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Child death