Reviews tagging 'Gore'

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

23 reviews

lyramadeline's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

This was an incredible, moving, emotional, and necessary novel that shines a light on a time of history not many people know about. It had me hooked the whole time. This is only the second Rita Sepetys book I’ve read, but she’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This book was just as good as her book, Salt to the Sea, which I read earlier this year.

Full review to come on my blog.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Violence, Death, Blood, and Gore

arthomas's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Torture, Chronic illness, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, and War

t0rixoxo's review

dark inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Torture, and Gore

Minor: Sexual harassment

rmfickfack's review

emotional informative inspiring 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Police brutality, Gore, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Torture, and Violence

sarahflanders's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, Gore, Medical content, War, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Gun violence

greylandreviews's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

“How could we expect others to feel our pain or hear our cries for help when all we could do was whisper?”
A really informative and interesting book. I really like when Sepetys only writes from one point of view. When she does multiple, it just becomes jumbly and pacing is kind of thrown off. The narrator for this one was good also.
I never knew this about Romania and I'm really glad I learned about it. Giving a voice to a silent past is what Sepetys is a master at.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Animal cruelty, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Excrement, Body horror, Violence, Medical trauma, Genocide, Gore, War, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Vomit, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Cancer, and Sexual assault

addyruth17's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This book reminded me of the way I got sucked into Ally Carter books in middle school, with a delicious extra Les Mis flavor to it. I'm upset I didn't know this history before; I'm so glad Sepetys is sharing it in such an accessible and engaging way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Police brutality, and Blood

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Medical content, and Terminal illness

Minor: Confinement, Excrement, and Sexual harassment

c_serpent's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This was very well written. However, the first 60% were just <i>constant</i> fear, oppressive and claustrophobic observation, and paranoia. Honestly, it was almost impossible to get through.

When the actual revolution started, and everyone was being tortured and shot and dragged around by police and imprisoned, things were actually happening, and even if they were horrible things, it became possible to continue the story. Anything is better than just paranoid obsessing over whether or not your family and friends are betraying you. (They always, always are.)

This book was well written, and it was hard to get through, and I didn't enjoy it. I'm gonna give Sepetys another chance, because her writing is great. But boy howdy. Wow. I'm glad this book is done.

Three stars for Cristian and Liliana. Two stars have been removed because this book might have shortened my lifespan.

Total score: 3/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, War, Blood, and Genocide

readingwithkaitlyn's review

dark emotional medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexism, Death, Torture, Murder, War, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Violence, Police brutality, Misogyny, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Gore

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Excrement

Minor: Death of parent, Child death, Classism, and Alcohol

violet_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I can't believe I waited this long to read a book by Ruta Sepetys! What an amazing author, I was completely immersed in the story. The characters are so well written that they are all brought to life. Even secondary characters are more than just props for the main characters. Really loved this one and I can't wait to read more by Sepetys.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, War, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, and Gore

Moderate: Excrement, Torture, Grief, and Blood