Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

91 reviews

ajj244's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence

Minor: Animal death, Racism, Animal cruelty, and Suicide attempt

pikkumarja's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

En ymmärrä, miten tämä sarjan kakkososa kalpenisi ensimmäiselle. Oikeastaan pidän tästä yhtä paljon! Tässä kirjassa on paljon arvoituksia, juonittelua ja ihaninta found family -materiaalia ikinä. Tykkään todella paljon tällaisista dark academy -estetiikalla ja -tunnelmalla ratsastavista fantasiakirjoista.

Pidän erityisesti siitä, miten hyvän ja pahan rajapintaa käsitellään. Voiko kahdessa paikassa ja kahdessa roolissa elää yhtä aikaa?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Torture, Sexual violence, and Drug use

Minor: Vomit

greta_1251's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Death of parent and Murder

Minor: Slavery, Suicide, Vomit, and Sexual violence

_likethefruit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.5

As a sequel to Ninth House, Hell Bent is a fantastic book with an epic adventure to hell. Unfortunately, the epic level of this journey is so complex, and loaded with so much history and context, that the book is sometimes an information overload. I kept wondering if I missed too many details from the previous book, but in reality, the author was dropping more world building so casually that it felt pre-established. This made the book a little harder to read, but the adventure was totally worth it. Total book hangover after this one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Drug use

Moderate: Body horror, Sexual violence, Gore, and Classism

Minor: Slavery

twocats_witchery's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual violence, Death, Blood, Gore, and Sexual assault

constancet's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Slavery

folkofthebook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

“Galaxy Stern,” Darlington said, his eyes flashing gold, “I have been crying out to you from the start.”

nothing makes me happier than when the second book lives up to the first book. and when it's even better?? 😩🤌🏼

“But I like this life better.”
“Better than what?”
“Better than what I was living before. Better than a world without magic.”

this is one of those series i read and can't help but feel envious of both the characters and the author. the characters for getting to live this life, and the author for having been able to dream it up.

“Life is cruel. Magic is real. And I’m not ready to die.”

one character that i really came to adore was mercy. i feel like she was all of us readers, wishing so badly to find a way in to live magic and leave the real world behind. tripp was also a very endearing character who brought some lighthearted comic relief in as well. i did not care for hellie after this book, esp bc the babbit rabbit story.

“Fuck off.”
“I did miss you, Stern.”

the agonizing slowburn of alex & darlington is SO DELICIOUS oh my god i just know the pay off is going to be well worth it.

“Come on, Darlington,” she said. “Let's give them hell.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Animal death, and Grief

Minor: Rape, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

jacksons_books_and_music's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

5.0

I was told Hell Bent had better representation than Ninth House, but I’m not sure that’s true. Like in Ninth House, there were clear attempts to call out racism. In the acknowledgements is even a book recommendation on Yale’s racist history. But unfortunately, there were also moments in Hell Bent that were offensive, regardless of intent. Info about a particularly offensive moment is at the end of the review, under “Slight spoiler.”

At first, I thought I liked the story of Ninth House better than Hell Bent. But after thinking about it, I’m not sure that’s the case. It’s still a very well-written book.

I felt certain reveals weren’t set up as well as the reveals in Ninth House, even though they were set up well overall. I enjoyed the villains in Ninth House more, even though these ones were still engaging. 

I love a lot of the characters and enjoyed getting to see more of their backstories and growth. That’s where the book really shone for me. There were many exciting, engaging, and emotional scenes. There was a moment when characters are trying to cover up something they did that had me laughing out loud. The friendships and teamwork were beautiful!

I don’t want to spoil these moments by listing them. But I definitely look forward to the next book in the series!

Slight spoiler:

This was not a big part of the plot, hence why I still gave this book a high rating, but it’s still a big problem. 

I thought the protector symbol for Turner, the only major character who is Black, should have been different.  I understand the author might not have wanted to compare the only Black character to an animal, but all the other characters had animal protectors. So, it was weird when Turner was the only one who didn’t. 

I thought it was disrespectful to use an oak as his symbol, given the violence that involves trees that has historically been committed against Black people in the U.S. I get Bardugo wanted to use something strong and dependable, like a “mighty oak.” But it just doesn’t work and is actually really offensive. I wish she had realized this or someone had pointed this out to her prior to publication. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cursing, Death, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Misogyny, Gun violence, and Vomit

Minor: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Drug use, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

joensign's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, and Stalking

Moderate: Gun violence, Animal death, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual violence, and Racism

Minor: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Confinement

katemarie99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Was considering a 4.5 at first but no -- it deserves the whole five. That destroyed me 🙃🙃🙃

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying

Moderate: Sexual content, Addiction, Racism, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Blood, Gun violence, Body horror, Hate crime, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt