Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

145 reviews

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

I liked the premise of the book. I especially enjoyed how much research the author put in to telling the story. At times the story dragged and felt like it was repeating itself. Overall an enjoyable and mostly lighthearted read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Child abuse, Racism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Blood, Medical content, Chronic illness, Classism, Sexism, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death of parent, Gore, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Cursing, Death, Grief, Slavery, and Forced institutionalization

broke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective relaxing tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Violence, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Addiction, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Classism, and Blood

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

this book was so well written. usually i don't like historical dramas bit this ripped my heart out (burned it) and put it back in again. simply beautiful

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Death, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, and Racism

dumpsterc0rpse's review against another edition

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse and Child abuse

readingqueerly's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.25

So this came out quite some years ago now and I remember it being a hype then. It's been on my shelf for so long and I was afraid it might have aged dubiously but no this was actually so much fun!!
I mean it checks all the boxes for me: a queer historical romance with disability and POC rep that has actual good plot, friends to lovers and a badass female character (who is the MC in the sequel which I will DEFINITELY be buying). 
The writing was quite compelling, a relief as one of the main reasons I put off reading this for so long is the fact that it's 500 pages long. But I enjoyed it from start to finish. There were enough propelling windings in the plot to keep it interesting and the wit and banter from the characters kept it light and breezy. 
Just a good time all the way through with some action and heart. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

meliflowers's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-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

3.0

Love a good rep for himbos!!

A well written book and a good story but it was a bit too predictable and cliché at times. I loved the characterisations and setting.

It's a good story but I couldn't really get into it or enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Racism, Homophobia, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Outing, Islamophobia, Slavery, and Forced institutionalization

andyourstruly's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

GGtVaV is a very indulgent queer adventure story.  Though the main cast all struggle with their own hardships, external and internal, the reader always knows they'll overcome to get their happy ending, and in that way, despite themes of racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, and physical/emotional abuse, it feels very light.

The author studied history in university, so a lot of the historical details of events and cultural norms are more accurate than your average YA novel, but there are still glaring blind spots, like the author not being well-versed in clothing culture or that almost every educated person would have been fluent in French in the early 1700s, particularly if they had a French parent.

My biggest takeaway with it was that, as fantastical as so many elements were, it seems strange that the author didn't just ... write an adventure where people happened to be queer or black or women.  It felt like a strange decision to hand-wave away a lot of actual problems they may have encountered but to really spend a lot of time projecting modern-day feminism onto a character from the era and bringing up homophobia and racism that wasn't even always period-accurate.  Fun book, may read the sequels, not so invested that I'm prioritizing it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Ableism, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

theultimatebooknerd's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I just thought this book was a fun read with a flawed main character. I have a deeper analysis on the book which actually goes hand in hand with extra stuff the author put at the very end of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Homophobia

Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, and Outing

fromjuliereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-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

3.0

I think there were aspects of this book done really well, but there were also parts I struggled with. I liked the adventure and the character interactions! I really struggled to like the main character... he honestly had few redeeming qualities. And I get that his behaviour and aspects of the facade were due to how he was treated at home and trauma, but it didn't negate the fact that he's pretty shitty to anyone around him. I also think this book could have been edited down - some parts dragged quite a bit. But overall, I'm glad I read it!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Confinement, Vomit, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Racism, Death, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism

Use of the word n*gro multiple times, epilepsy

mothfemme's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

My god, what can I say that I haven’t already screeched about to my roommates, friends, coworkers, and basically anyone who will listen to me?? In no way did I expect to love this book as much as I did. I looked past the heinous cover (crossing my fingers for a pretty reprint one of these days) and borrowed the audiobook on Libby, thinking nothing of it. I’m not typically over the moon for regency romances, let alone YA ones, but this came so highly recommended and it was queer, so I figured I would give it a shot. Reader, you should be the next one to give this a shot!!

The story takes off running immediately with its sarcastic humor and gay yearning, placing us in the perspective of Henry “Monty” Montague, one of the most real and lovable characters I’ve encountered in a long time. Monty is a total slut (affectionate) and always the life of the party, covering up his problems with humor, charm, and alcohol…so much alcohol. He is hopelessly in love with his childhood best friend, Percy, and the boys venture on a tour of Europe to have one last adventure before Percy goes off to law school.

After a social faux pas at Versailles and a petty theft gone wrong, Percy, Monty, and Monty’s younger sister Felicity are caught up in the reluctant adventure of a lifetime, featuring highway men, pirates, a sinking island, and evil noblemen. The delicate exploration of Monty’s trauma surrounding his father and how it has led to his avoidance and various addictions was weaved throughout the plot seamlessly, and added so much depth to this story. No matter how hard you try to run from yourself, your problems will always be right behind you, which Monty learns the hard way.

It really says something about the overall quality of the writing that I’m talking about the romance this far down in the review, but to nobody’s surprise, Monty and Percy’s connection was also phenomenal. Their chemistry was so sweet and so tangible, and never forced or rushed. 

I loved how the “conflict” (I use this word extremely loosely) within the romance wasn’t jealousy or miscommunication, but instead the importance of bodily autonomy and letting disabled people make their own decisions about how they would like to live their lives.

Exciting, endearing, and emotional, this book effortlessly delivers a story that has something for everyone. I will carry these characters in my heart forever, and I can’t wait to read the sequel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia

Minor: Vomit