Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel by M.L. Wang, M.L. Wang

665 reviews

mals_reads's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Oh, this was exceptional. Fantastic pacing, Wang was so punchy with every major event that occurred in this standalone (and what a standalone!). I love messy, flawed characters, and both of our main characters fit the bill (one moreso than the other). I was drawn in immediately by both of them, and Wang maintained my attention with unrelenting twists and an awesome magic system.

My only gripe is that I wish Thomil had a bit more of an influence in the finality of the story. I think what Wang wrote re: Sciona's character development and the final few chapters could be taken in a white knight direction even though it makes the most sense in the story given Thomil's status in the community, but I enjoyed the brief glimpse of the "after" we get.

Given the patriarchal system in Bright Haven, I would have loved to see some more gender exploration there! I wouldn't be opposed to exploring a different, maybe gender non-conforming character in this same world in the future!

Content Warnings

maddiiec's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

i’ve read the sword of kaigen i should have been prepared for this book but i was not. loved the magic system and the world. i thought it was frustrating but very striking how naive and dense sciona could be when she of all people should know how it feels to be prejudiced against. the end destroyed me (which i should’ve been prepared for) but it made sense and honestly a nice clean ending would not have been at all on theme. i’m going to be thinking about this book for a while.

Content Warnings

e_j_cook's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

pferdina's review against another edition

3.5

dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I liked the unique magic system. I liked the setting. I thought this was an engaging read and I didn’t mind the heavy themes of colonialism and feminism that some readers have complained of. I did find Sciona annoying because she was so incredibly naive and did not learn from her mistakes very well. She’s supposed to be a genius but she’s so stupid in some ways. I did appreciate that the ending was not simple or particularly happy.

Content Warnings

aligator15's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

esanazaro's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

voidform73's review against another edition

4.75

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

majesticallyawkward's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark funny hopeful 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

Content Warnings

mcire's review against another edition

3.75

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Would have liked more Thomil pov earlier on.

The ending would have shocked me more if this were the first ML Wang book I were reading but after what she did to Mamoru I knew Sciona couldn’t live

Content Warnings

spectacles_and_books's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

I'll just be here... Staring at the wall, because it's March and I've just read my Fantasy book of the year.

I don't think I'm actually able to put into words how much I'm going to make this my whole personality.

Sciona is now one of, if not my top favourite, female main characters I've ever read. She is magnificent.

The world building blew me away and the social commentary and exploration of patriarchy, women's fight for equality, xenophobia, colonisation was unmatched.

And then, to top it all off... Thomil. No words!

Please, if you read any Fantasy book this year, read this!

Content Warnings

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