Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

26 reviews

kiwij96's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

The political worldbuilding of this series is honestly stunning. I'm so glad that the second book distanced itself from the educational Hunger Games-ness of the first book because at times that was stagnant. But this was so much easier to read. So much happened in these 450ish pages that I don't even know where to begin.

Falling out of touch with friends, betrayal, plot twists which I didn't see coming but thought worked for the characters. It was all so perfectly chaotic I loved it. That ending was a stroke of genius.

Two gripes:
1. The first 6 chapters could have been a prologue just to catch us up on Darrow's life since book 1 since a couple of years have passed. It also felt a bit clunky at the start.
2. I have literally no idea what any of the things are which confuses me sometimes - like what is a ripWing, or a HC, or an anything?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, War, Murder, Classism, Sexual assault, Torture, Death, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Rape, and Slavery

Minor: Suicide and Pregnancy

tiana_king's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

There was so much treachery in this book. Despite not being in a hunger games situation, it still had plenty of action. We finally find out who Ares is! The revolution is in full swing and I’m apprehensive of where it will go from here because that ending was a dozy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Grief, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical content, and War

Moderate: Genocide and Slavery

Minor: Colonisation

murrayscottferguson's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Kidnapping

haley49's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

…I’m traumatized with that ending. What

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, War, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Child death, Cursing, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, Colonisation, Trafficking, Blood, Body horror, Vomit, Child abuse, Genocide, Torture, Classism, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cannibalism and Rape

ohyeah_karyn's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Cursing, Murder, Suicide, Slavery, Classism, Death of parent, Body horror, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, and War

praaliine's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

where do i even start? golden son was really something, only one other book (series) has ever put me through an emotional wringer like this. every little detail in this book was worth paying attention to because pierce brown leaves no stone unturned. this was in no way a senseless science fiction, it really explored the tragedy of human nature and the relationships developed in this book were the most profound and complex i’ve ever read. there’s a big cast of characters and not one was irrelevant, pierce brown breathed so much life into the supporting characters that i cried at their pain.

i really love how Darrow, as hot headed as he was (rightfully so), remained self aware through it all, he’s broken, confused, (stupid)ly brave and gets ahead of himself way too much, yet he realizes this and isn’t afraid to say so.

I could go on all day about every single character, but i’ll stop here. it took me longer than i would have liked to finish the book, but that’s on me because i’m pushing through a slump. golden son was epic, i’ll always recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Medical trauma, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol

theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Cursing, Death, Murder, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Torture, Child death, Classism, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Abandonment, and Kidnapping

Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Trafficking, War, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Rape, Hate crime, Mental illness, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Excrement, and Genocide

joshoonet's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.0

• I had a bit if a hard time getting into this book, mostly because the feeling of having to read another ~1200 pages to finish the series was kind of daunting
• But then I ended up finishing the majority of the book in one day, so it was absolutely captivating!
• Almost as good as the first one, but of course higher stakes and more complicated politics
• Lost focus a bit during the big fighting bits
• Love how nothing is ever quite how it seems, everyone is scheming all the time
• Starting the third book immediately!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, War, Gun violence, Classism, and Death

Moderate: Vomit, Cursing, Murder, and Kidnapping

Minor: Child abuse, Genocide, Torture, and Excrement

War and pretty much all the violent and gory stuff:

well, there's war breaking out. A shit ton of people die in quick or gruesome ways, sometimes it's described in detail, sometimes not.

Vomit:

a couple of times someone has to vomit after experiencing a lot of physical turbulence aka being jiggled around. It's gross, but not overly graphic.

Kidnapping:

a child is getting kidnapped by the main characters for a short amount of time. It doesn't get harmed and doesn't seem terribly disturbed by the while thing.

blueberry0531's review

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Classism, Murder, and War

Moderate: Slavery, Blood, and Torture

Minor: Sexual content

bibliorama's review against another edition

adventurous 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

Enjoyment - 5
Ah the part where shit hits the fan. My favorite!

Also I'd like to preface this by saying the terror that these Golds cause, while entertaining to me in book form, does not mean I want real life politics to emulate it in the slightest (even though I think sometimes it does to our detriment).

Start - 4.5
Once the book gets going, it doesn't stop. It's full steam ahead.

Characters - 5
Faves are still my faves (Sevro and Virginia looking straight at you). Though some new dynamics were introduced that by the end caused some major heartbreak and backstabbyness.

These are some of the most chaotic characters I have ever read, like every intrusive thought wins out. The theatrics of this book are also top tier and its politics are such a show. This book has one of my all-time favorite scenes being where Darrow challenges Cassius to a duel in the most dramatic fashion. It serves a political purpose while also being satisfying to see a character not half ass anything, he just takes it there.

Best quote:  “My honour has been pissed upon. And I demand satisfaction.”

Atmosphere - 5
We get a lot more of the world in this book and more of the Sci Fi elements which were fun.

Plot - 4
Again, is it plot or is it vibes? It's very much just characters doing the absolute most and then having to deal with the consequences of their own actions. This creates a fascinating journey to watch go down, and man that ending was . . . the worst in the best way. 
 
Ending - 5
Everything culminates to that ending and I'm not entirely sure how Darrow gets himself out of this one. There are betrayals where some I could see coming, but they still hurt. The characters are the stars of the show being complex, messy, and endearing. 

and dammit I second guessed Virginia again. She's my literal fave and yet there's the feeling that her and Darrow are going to have a tragic end. 

Style - 3
Writing is good, it has to be for me to connect as much as I did to the characters. 

Overall - 4.5
After finishing this review, I want to go pick up the third one now. I've waited long enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Classism