Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Book of Night by Holly Black

56 reviews

khakipantsofsex's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Incest

aliciaw's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

The volume of telling, not showing especially in the first half of the book was too much. I wasn't rooting for Charlie and her character development felt pretty flat. Perhaps in part it was that app name dropping happened without any necessity: Facebook, YouTube, Patreon, Slack, Zoom.. all of these could have been written in a way that won't require the reader to be aware of the apps. It dates the book and requires the reader to be aware of these things as they are now regardless of when they pick up the book or any familiarity with them. Urban Fantasy with a robust magic system and morally ambiguous characters can be made without need to change things in any reprints due to the rate of change in technology. The premise was good, but the execution could have been tightened up and more time spent on the magic system. It needed a better ratio of showing over telling. I had to push myself to keep reading it because if this had been my introduction to the author, I would have dnf'd it by around the 20% mark. I don't know if I'll pick up anything else in the series but this was a miss for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Blood

Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

lauramparis's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Death

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

jaja_1212's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, and Abandonment

jayteenun's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Alcohol, and Gun violence

dalenora's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

4.0

This book was honestly pretty difficult to get through at the beginning, it really took a bit to pick up. Towards the second half though, it was hard to put down! I will say that I predicted the big twist at the end the minute it was foreshadowed, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing (usually you don’t want something like that to be TOTALLY left field) but I also wasn’t shocked at all by it like I think I was meant to be. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Really interesting premise for a story. Fantasy with a badass, curvy, female protagonist who is a little rough around the edges but sharp as a tack. I’m excited for the second one…in 2024. Really starting to get into fantasy stuff more and more. Will also be checking out this author’s other books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Child abuse

kayladaila's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Self harm

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Death of parent

black_cat_iiix's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit and Gore

Moderate: Body horror, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Violence, and Child abuse

Minor: Abandonment and Panic attacks/disorders

damsels_with_daggers's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse