Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

17 reviews

sundayseesstars's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Death

Moderate: Child death

sproutedpages's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad fast-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

5.0

 

You were a child the first time the Saint of War came to you.

The Six Deaths of the Saint is a fantasy genre short story about a young, malnourished, and often ill girl that is visited by the Saint of War on her (presumed) deathbed, told mostly through second person perspective narration. Using evocative prose and unique character development, The Six Deaths of the Saint examines what it is worth to be seen, and what it means to be known, and to be loved. There is also a bittersweet (and likely unintentional) thematic parallel to The Iron Giant animated film that I think this story explores very well. I am genuinely in awe that such a striking narrative was fit into less than thirty pages. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide

Minor: Ableism and Child death

Character with PTSD, drowning

angeliquescollection's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Speechless. I’m in mourning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, and War

Moderate: Child death

vj_thompson's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

So much emotion was packed in the 30 pages. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. I felt like I was there standing next to the main character and her squire. The ending, wow wow wow. The ending gave me chills. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, War, Torture, Toxic relationship, Child death, Classism, Gore, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content

dancing_daisy's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was sceptical that a story could hold any weight when it is so short, but this book truly makes you feel like you’ve read a full length series. It truly left me speechless. It is so well written and compelling, I was crying by the end, it’s so utterly heartbreaking but in the best way possible. I think it may be one of my favourite reads ever!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, War, Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

abicaro17's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

I had never given a book under 100 pages more than 4 stars. This book deserves it. Not only does the author manage to establish a good story, but she manages to establish character traits and flaws as well! Almost no names or specifics but the weight of the plot balances out any need for specifics. I will be reading all these other novellas and possibly whatever else this author has written. My life was somehow changed by 30 pages! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Classism, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Murder, Torture, and Toxic friendship

peggy_racham's review

5.0

"I know him, and in knowing him I love him, and in loving him I cannot do as he wishes."

Never has a shorter story made me this emotional. Also second person prespective, which I love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Genocide, Body horror, Death, Grief, Violence, Colonisation, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, War, Gore, and Murder

pookiee's review

challenging reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

a well done medieval atmosphere, takes less than an hour to devour, and delivers a gut punch using one of my favorite themes:

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Child death, Murder, and War

skylar_cr_wolf's review

dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I read it while taking the train to somewhere. And this piece! It’s slightly haunting but extremely Beautiful. And yes, with a capital b! I love how you go through the cycle of the life

from a little girl made to be the Devil to turn out to be the Saint of War. Only to finally understand at the end what’s important!

It’s been very well made and it’s also my first time reading Alix’ writing style. I love it. This is among my favourite books now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: War, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood and Child death

I am not sure if I can label the relationship between the protagonist and the prince/king as a) slavery, b) toxic relationship or anything because it’s monarchy and the system of monarchy is absolutely strange and just something which feels bot necessarily right, especially when you consider in the time the short story plays

f18's review

dark slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Violence

Moderate: Suicide, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood and Child death