Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

9 reviews

jesshaleth's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-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

4.75

A dream about a play of a folk tale your grandmother used to tell you. And yet it doesn't feel distant and alien, like an abstract telling might, it just feels mythic and beautiful. ...okay well no some of it was quite graphic and I couldn't call it all beautiful, check the content warnings, but like it fit into the themes and vibes somehow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Violence, Murder, Ableism, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Vomit

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Abandonment, Alcohol, Rape, Torture, Child abuse, Sexual assault, War, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Physical abuse

eatallthestars's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book redefined what a 5 star book is for me. It feels this masterpiece was crafted by gods and cradled by angels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War, Alcohol, Sexual content, Child death, Violence, and Torture

immovabletype's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, War, Death of parent, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Child death, Classism, Death, Gore, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Cursing, and Excrement

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Trafficking

cadence99's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

5.0

It’s so rare that I find a book that is truly top of my list, five stars, yet this one has absolutely hit it out of the park. A rolling, poetic masterpiece that weaves together two ends of a long tapestry with such beautiful precision. I listened to this one on audio and I’d HIGHLY recommend the experience as it very much feels in the style of oral storytelling. I suspect that this book will stay on my mind for a long time, and it has certainly earned a spot among my all time favorite reads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Vomit, War, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Grief, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Addiction, and Alcohol

rhi_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder, Violence, War, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Dysphoria, Child death, and Torture

Minor: Alcoholism, Classism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Homophobia, and Confinement

vigil's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Abandonment, War, Death, Body horror, Animal death, Child abuse, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Cursing, Confinement, and Alcohol

kaschaller's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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, Ableism, Grief, Colonisation, Gore, Body horror, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Torture, Excrement, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Confinement, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, War, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Sexual content

Minor: Infidelity

caseythereader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

Thanks to Del Rey Books for the free copy of this book.

 - THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER is one of those books that I simply have no idea how to review because it's so special. I've never read anything like it, and even at 500+ pages, I did not want it to end.
- The storytelling style took me a minute to get a handle on, as the narration drifts through many viewpoints and realities. The only way I can describe it is that the story felt liquid, and I was carried along the currents.
- The world Jimenez has created is vast and detailed, filled with so many characters with whom I would gladly spend whole separate novels. His writing is gorgeous and delicate. Even though this story is often harsh and violent, it is filled with tenderness for its characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, Murder, Vomit, Excrement, Abandonment, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Confinement, Death of parent, Blood, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Violence

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Suicide

boglord's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

(Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Spoiler Free Summary: “You” are pulled out of your day to day world and into the Inverted Theater, carrying only memories of your lola’s stories, and a spear that has been passed down for generations. The show? The 5 day journey of Keema of the Daware Tribe and Jun the Red Peacock as they cross the country carrying precious cargo and running from the Terrors of a crumbling empire. Along the way, they must contend with a magic like they’ve never seen before, talking telepathic tortoises, the unbearable pressure of family and legacy, and the very Rhythm of the World itself. 

Where do I even start with this book? 

First of all, I loved it. The book takes its reader through dreams, into a magical theater, across countries, into the spirit world and out again. It spans lifetimes but also only five days. It’s language is lyrical and poetic but also incredibly blunt, gory, and gruesome. Its genre bending in its style, use of multiple perspectives and constant shifting through time and space, but also solidly Epic Fantasy in nature. And I was hooked with every page. The characters are tragic but joyful through so many terrible things that happen to them. It is a love story. 

However, it may not be for everyone! That isn’t even necessarily a bad thing; this book knows who it’s ideal audience is. The “chapters” read more like sections or Books within the book itself. If you are the kind of reader who likes to finish a chapter before setting the book down, be prepared for long stretches of reading. The story itself is intricate and can sometimes be confusing! Because the point of view can change at a moments notice between paragraphs (and even sometimes in the middle of a sentence), it took me a moment to settle into the writing while also paying attention to who’s thought I was hearing. After the first fourth of the book however, it became natural to hear the important passing thoughts of those our main character pass during their journey—it fleshed out the world and made every experience in the Smiling Sun’s empire all the more real. That being said, definitely confusing at times!

Overall, this book touched me deeply. I admit to crying at least twice while reading this book. The themes of family, legacy, redemption, and love were poignant and left me thinking every time I managed to put the book down. If you are looking for a rollercoaster of a book that will never go the direction you think it will, I highly recommend this upcoming release!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Excrement, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Incest