Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

8 reviews

sunnydale's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

i checked out this book just because it was available on libby, and after the first few chapters, i was debating whether i wanted to continue. the bridegroom's perspective didn't hold much appeal for me. once azure's perspective was introduced, i was much more engaged—although i had to take some breaks when i realized what jupiter was. ultimately, azure's story was so compelling that i had to follow it through to the end. 

i enjoyed the fairy tale references, the haunted house, the theme of self-deception through personal narrative, and the girls' desperation to believe in magic. i still found the bridegroom's chapters uninteresting except as a framing device for azure's narrative, and i didn't enjoy the feeling of dread built around jupiter's predatory behavior. i ultimately found this to be a really satisfying story, but i'd be hesitant to recommend to readers i don't know well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Incest, and Animal death

Moderate: Medical content, Child death, Chronic illness, and Child abuse

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Eating disorder

Pedophilia/incest/sexual harassment details:

Azure's stepfather is sexually predatory throughout the book. He touches her in ways she does not like and tries to avoid, although his attempts at obviously sexual contact are thwarted. Azure is not supported by her mother or Indigo, who blame her and dismiss her fears, respectively. The increasing sense of dread culminates in a scene where Azure, having been drugged and stripped by Indigo, awakes to hear Indigo claiming to have walked in on Azure and Jupiter having sex. This did not happen, although later Indigo admits that Jupiter saw Azure naked and masturbated over her.

There is one chapter where Indigo bullies another girl over a period of time; many examples are given. Multiple sex scenes, mostly between the Bridegroom and Indigo within the first few chapters. One more occurs later in Azure's chapter about Lyric. Several dead starlings are described in detail.

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Animal death

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child death, Pedophilia, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, and Sexual content

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Violence

saliwali's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Grief, Child death, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Mental illness, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Medical content

blackcatkai's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

CW: toxic friendships/relationships, ableism, emotional as well as physical abuse (against children and adults), gaslighting, death, violence, alcoholism, disordered eating, body/fat shaming, classism, sexual assault of a minor (mainly implied/mentioned: not overly graphic throughout majority of story), abandonment, trauma/mental illness, body horror

this was so beautifully written and really did feel like a faerie tale. it is very much a slower gothic read so definitely set expectations accordingly. its a story that deals with a few very heavy topics so heed any content warnings beforehand, as well. i really enjoyed the way chokshi interwove two main stories together with a common thread tying them together. you feel a lot for azure if no one else and really root for her against all odds. the bridegroom is a very interesting perspective to read from, especially as his sections are more in the now while azures are in the past until they both crash together in the end.

now some people will probably see the twist coming before you actually get to the reveal, but i dont think that necessarily takes away from the story as a whole. IS there magic? is it all just a ruse? ultimately its left a bit open-ended for the reader to decide and i really liked where it went in the end, it really got quite the roller coaster of emotions out of me. will definitely read more of chokshi's adult work going forward, shes a master!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Abandonment, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, and Medical content

Minor: Ableism

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Self harm, Violence, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent

yadira315's review against another edition

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. 

DNF at 70%
I will be withholding my review due to the Harper Collins Union being on strike to get a fair contract. Review to come once everything is resolved. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pedophilia, Medical content, and Child abuse

tinybluepixel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Grief