Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

128 reviews

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

0.25

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The main character is impossibly bland and frustrating. She is put through countless toxic or downright abusive situations. Both potential love interests are toxic and abusive. Her family is neglectful and abusive. This classifies, at best, as a dark romance. If you are already unimpressed by the offerings of that genre you will not have a good time reading this. The first sixty percent of the book is boring and toxic. After that it is no longer as boring but triple toxic.  
The audiobook narrator does good with the material she is given but this is definitely not a tale for me. People say the next book is better and this is the worst book in the series but I am not giving this author a second chance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Death of parent, War, Classism

reading_adventures's review against another edition

3.5

relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Blood, Gaslighting

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment

Minor: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War

sarahlizzie's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A very consumable book. The world is interesting to be in, but it feels quite shallow. The main character is very frustrating, and for a "fiesty, strong young woman" protagonist, acts in very foolish ways that made me put the book down and sigh. She also doesn't have a lot of agency and 99% of her problems end up being solved by someone else. The power curve is absurd. The book constantly reminds us how fragile she is and how rapidly she will die, which actually strips the narrative of all tension, because you know the protagonist is going to somehow live and succeed against ridiculous odds. The love interests are quite uninteresting, and I was not really convinced of love much at all, only lust. Going back to Feyre's agency, she is lied to, manipulated, drugged and assaulted and still seems perfectly happy with the relationships. It goes to show that just because a book is popular, doesn't mean it is high quality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

smoothwoven's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH

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This is a romance-fantasy novel, as supposed to a fantasy novel with romance. If you subscribe to the "Beauty & the Beast is hella problematic" ethos, this story is not for you....or for me as it turns out. Barf.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting

chaotic_hyperactive's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual violence

lizzydreadful's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

looooorush's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Classism

soph22's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I love Lucien first off, best character of the entire series. The sass and the red hair is just a plus. He’s so selfless. I love him way too much. And I love Rhysand , he’s sassy and brutally honest. Plus he sounds incredibly hot. Tamlin is great ofc, love that blond boy

Edit: This was before I read the second book!!!

Screw Tamlin

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Classism