Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Magian syvempi sävy by V.E. Schwab

169 reviews

nice_frogboy's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

2.5

this book blends involuntary compulsion and sex in a way that was not disclosed, and which i personally do not care for. in the first half of the book, we have:

attempted rape on a protagonist, whippings of magically compelled S&M slaves, someone discloses being compelled to offer sexual favors in the course of an ordinary business transaction, involuntary boob grabs, one protagonist straps the other to a bed and summons a nude clone of them for implied sexual gratification, magical torture, magical chains, the other protagonist is in the bed again...

and so on. there are readers who will enjoy this, but me, i think i really need to know up front if the author intends to go all Anne Rice and such.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, and Blood

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

rubybastille's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.0

Fun but feels like it's doing a lot and some threads felt left behind. Each London is vividly imagined, from the sumptuous Red to spine-chilling White. I wish we could have learned more about Kell's lost past and the vanishing Antari, which feels like a big deal but isn't really addressed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Torture, and Sexual harassment

mformato's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

Ignore how long it took me to read this, life just got in the way. When I did read it, I flew through the pages. I was loaned this book after originally thinking I wouldn't be interested and I adored it. Good fast pace writing and interesting stories and characters to discover. Overall it felt like had this been a stand alone fantasy, I would have been satisfied as the story wraps itself up neatly and the world was immersive enough that you could have just let your imagination wander with where things could have gone. But I am interested in seeing how the story actually continues.

Not full five stars because of too many coincidences that move the plot along despite fitting well with the characters themselves.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Blood, and Murder

eparris's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Violence and Blood

Minor: Cursing, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury

yruss972's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.5

The book is full of characters consciously being compelled by magic to betray themselves, their families, friends and  countries against their will. Sometimes the magic is worked via non-concentual kissing. Very disturbing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture

lisa07xie's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense 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

3.5

I would give it free point five stars and I really like the story itself it does have a different view of Magic then over books. It was kind of hard to get into for me because the beginning was Just Not for me but after some time I began to enjoy it and I accustomed to the writing Style which was really descriptive and it is in 3 Person but we get to see the pov from so many small Characters even which I think is quite rare. But the romance was lacking I was told it has a romance subplot which I think is really untrue the romance in this book was a whole sentence long which was quite disappointing... But I did like the Characters and the story it was something different

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

omnombailey's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

3.5

I found the first and last 20% to be really enjoyable and compelling, but the middle was such a tedious drag. Would've finished the book a lot sooner otherwise. At least the prose is gorgeous. Don't think I'll check out the rest of the series tho

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault

The sexual assault is an attempt and very brief.

valerian_honeybee's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcohol and War

cozy_tea_reader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Torture, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

yilliun's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Torture and Injury/Injury detail