Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

69 reviews

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Okay, so this is one of the best books I've ever read. Granted, I just finished it, so I'm sure I'll come up with criticisms at some point. However, anything I expected to have a problem with while I was reading ended up getting wrapped up by the end. 

The book even calls the reader out at one point. Early on in the story, the frame character's lola says that the book is a love story. Then, at the end, Keema and Jun supposedly die. I was really disappointed! It just went into geneology of how the spear got into the frame narrator's hands. I spend the whole time skimming and mourning the supposed love story. But then the moonlit body literally says that "you" are unsatisfied. And it shows what happened to Keema and Jun, that they didn't die, and I was like wtf! I *was* unsatisfied and no longer am; it's true!


I can't think of something I didn't love about this book. The way that it's written is so interesting. The worldbuilding felt so complete. I felt less like I was reading a story and more like I was reading a history book from another world. In the best possible way. I love how the author took the time to explain little details, stuff that might not have mattered narratively but really helped the reader understand the nature of the world we stepped into. One of my favorite stylistic decisions was
how we would randomly hear the thoughts of people the characters encountered. When they received the Moon's power and were able to hear everyone's inner monologues, it didn't come out of nowhere because we had been able to do that the whole time!
That was so freaking cool to me.

The way things were described were just beautiful. Even the grisly parts were in their own way. It was such vivid imagery, and I ate it up truly. God, and the relationship between Keema and Jun was written so well. It evolved so naturally considering who they were and how they came together. Absolutely masterful work

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adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot

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One of the best fantasy books in the last five years. (full review on insta: dreareads_ and tiktok: dreareads)


Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging emotional 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

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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: Yes

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adventurous emotional inspiring
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional 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

WOW. Just Wow.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark reflective sad 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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