Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

65 reviews

ladystardust1979's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Grief, Blood, Violence, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Rape

readyforit's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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? Yes

4.25

4.25⭐️0🌶️0.5💧

I can’t believe this missed me during my 2014 dystopian phase but I’m glad it found me 10 years later. I think I would’ve liked it more if I read had a copy to read while I listened, since there are a lot of fantasy-esque names to remember. I liked the narrator a lot but I had to slow it down since he has an Irish accent so I couldn’t get through it as fast as I normally do with audiobooks. The beginning was a bit slow to start, as most fantasy books are with world-building, but surprisingly it also slowed down in the middle after Darrow entered the institute. This author is really good at jerking you around with his twists and turns though I’ve never had my jaw on the floor as much as when reading this series. 

Darrow is a labor worker in the poorest class of people in the solar system, red. He and his people are told they’re making mars livable for higher classes, but we soon find out the dream has already been realized and all classes of people are living on mars, and other planets. To free his people he must become one of his enemies, a gold, and bring them down from the inside. He goes to the institute (aka hunger games for district 1 kids but somehow more brutal), where he makes friends and enemies, trying to win. We meet a lot of side characters who are all deeply fleshed out, and you either learn to love or hate.

If you liked the hunger games, divergent, or the maze runner, you’ll love this series. I’m definitely going to try listening to the graphic audio and reading along to a physical copy to see if that’s a better experience. Overall, I really liked the book and will reread! I wish this had a larger fan base for a series or movie or better fanart though, since I’m someone who has trouble picturing things in my head. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Grief, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Genocide, Police brutality, Death, Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Slavery, Body horror, Sexual assault, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Suicide attempt, War, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, and Vomit

I’ve seen this labeled as YA but I wouldn’t let your kids read this, it’s really gory. I’d recommend hunger games instead

goodwillcunting's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Red Rising is a book about power, and about hope, and about all that matters to being human once everything else is made perfect. The cast is messy and complicated in a way that makes you forget who you’re rooting for. The worldbuilding is engaging, but still tethered in reality enough that it comes easily to the reader. The story is full of plot twists, unlikely alliances, and highly detailed action, and I would recommend most to read it. 0.25 stars were taken off for pacing and the other 0.25 for excessive use of the word “piss.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, and Death

Moderate: Cannibalism, Classism, Excrement, Grief, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Rape, and Trafficking

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, and Death of parent

saskiajva's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.25

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter. I love the concept and the plot, the whacky and interesting characters you meet, and the detailed world building. It’s often formulaic but it’s a formula i love dearly. This book is fast paced, and occasionally left me wishing the author used more show-don’t-tell, however it was typically the gorier parts that weren’t shown so for many readers I imagine it’s appreciated. There were even a few key moments that happen fully off page, and as someone who loves big epics with intense battles and mind games, i was left wanting more.

Even with these faults, I ended up plowing through this in just a couple days and am excited for book 2 and 3. I highly recommend this for fans of the Hunger Games and anyone who loves world building that features the cruelest of humanity and those moments that make you go “holy shit, that’s messed up”. The audiobook narrator also does a great job, though there was at least one line i couldn’t understand what he said even after rewinding, and it was hard to tell who was talking on occasion, but overall it did not take away from my enjoyment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Excrement, Death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, War, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Grief, Murder, Blood, Classism, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Gore

Moderate: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Misogyny

guessgreenleaf's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, War, Classism, Slavery, Death of parent, Death, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Grief, Gore, and Murder

Minor: Rape

cepbreed's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

The adult men who make book content on TikTok dickride this book so hard I was expecting something different. Red Rising is an amazing book, but strikingly unoriginal. Tell me why this has the plot of every dystopian novel enjoyed by me and my peers in middle school. " Chosen One" attends an academy for the elite and must fit in and rise to the top. Also, a lot of the twists were similar throughout. Pierce Brown just loves parentship twists. If he wrote Harry Potter Voldemort would’ve been Harry’s dad. Not that this is real criticism, because I EAT these basics up every time, I am just so shocked no one mentions it. Still, Darrow is PEAK. What an amazing protagonist who carries the novel beyond the standard plot. You become so invested in this man and his future: his pain, his passion, everything. Sevro captured my heart too, totally unexpected. I am so eager to read the next book in the series which is insane because in the review of the last book I read, I think I mentioned how much trouble I'm having continuing series. Like I'll read the first book and love it, but for some reason can't get myself to actually start the second. Wild. Thank you Piece Brown for such a compelling novel! The world-building is so intricate I am so obsessed. Brown has really thought of everything, from the most subtle slang and habits to the obtuse. I have an urgent NEED to understand all the loose ends left at the end of this book. What will happen with Cassius?

How will Darrow's new position under the ArchGovernor affect his relationship with Mustang??? With the rest of his peers??? I am also so eager to see Roque recover and their brotherly bond.

UGH I'm just so obsessed with this series!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Murder, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Gore, War, Death, Grief, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Rape

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Animal death, and Slavery

Minor: Death of parent

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book is Brave New World meets Hunger Games, with way more oppression. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Grief, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and War

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Torture, Animal death, Violence, Murder, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death of parent, Cannibalism, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

Minor: Colonisation

stephanieluxton'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

5.0

This book book did not hook me from the very beginning. It takes a but of time to get a feel for the setting and what is going on. I found myself thoroughly captivated during the second half.

This book is about 16 year old Darrow - a member of the Red's on Mars who beleiie they're slaving away in the planets mines for a higher purpose of terraforming the planet to get it ready for future generations. He lives with his family and wife, in terrible conditions. An act of disobedience triggers a series of events which shatter his entire world and he learns Mars is already terraformed and Mars is a bustling, fairly high tech civilization run by the Golds. His people, the Reds have been lied to in order to create an entire cast of people who are literal slaves. Darrow is then presented with the opportunity to infiltrate the Golds and must push himself beyond the limits to move up in society in order to reform the system.

So much happens in this book. The book takes place over the course of a couple years and it's fantastic. There's a ton of characters but they feel complex. The stakes feel super high in this book. I love feeling afraid for the main character. There's little twists and turns throughout the whole story. I loved not knowing how things would play out. The character growth is unreal. Darrow changes so much during the story and it's empowering to experience his growth - although he messes up quite a bit too.

I can see how some people may think of the Hunger Games or Lord of the Flies while reading this but it's definitely it's own story. I am not someone who enjoys series a lot, but I am really excited to keep reading this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, War, Grief, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Misogyny, Slavery, and Bullying

Moderate: Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Alcohol

Minor: Excrement

A lot of dark things happen in this book but none are described in absolutely excruciating detail. You can probably handle it.

pamelamoreno's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Animal death, Death of parent, Death, and War