Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

10 reviews

calathean's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This book made me realise how much I enjoy reading about characters who are deeply loyal to a person, even at their own expense. Both Kel and Lin are very loyal main characters - Lin in wanting to save her best friend's life and Kel in living to protect Conor at all cost even dying for him if necessary. Likeable characters, strong friendships, strong worldbuilding within Castellane. The toxicity of the friendship between Conor and Kel due to the power imbalance and Kel literally being Conor's shield despite the friendship itself being genuine and Conor not wanting Kel to die or treating him like a servant at all is delicious. The worldbuilidng was a bit difficult to follow when it comes to the world outside Castellane, I'm still not sure which country is which and what their deal is. And it was also difficult to remember all the nobles and not get Conor's friends mixed up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Medical content, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Sexism, Blood, Murder, Xenophobia, Chronic illness, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Vomit, Sexual content, Drug use, and Rape

celery's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Violence, Animal cruelty, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Torture, Toxic friendship, Blood, Sexism, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Xenophobia, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Murder, Sexual content, Abandonment, Bullying, Child death, Dementia, Genocide, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Vomit, War, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Addiction

bethsreading's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

Sword Catcher feels different to other high fantasy books I’ve read as its main focus is on the characters and the world’s precarious political situation. While it inevitably does have the shadow of a potential war lingering over the story - something I’m sure we will see more of in the coming books - I really enjoyed the less grandiose elements of the plot and I feel they make it stand apart from others in the genre. At many points, it felt like more of a mystery story than your typical fantasy, which for my tastes, worked really well. 

The main issue I had with this book is that sadly, the first half of it is far too bogged down by world building. I do love how Cassandra Clare can create such vivid and fantasy worlds, and it is really important in a politically focused story to have its history be fully fleshed out, but the level of detail felt unnecessary at times and too dense for the first half of the book. I personally think that the first half of the book needed to be edited down about 80 ish pages as it was quite slow going at first. However, once I hit the 300 page mark, the pace really picked up and I absolutely flew through the rest of book. 

While I did find Lin’s character annoying at times, overall the character’s were interesting, nuanced, and likeable. I really enjoyed my time reading it and I look forward to seeing how the story progresses in future books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Alcohol, Murder, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Drug use, War, Animal death, and Vomit

gothcoraline's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

a fantastic series debut that left me wanting more. i was skeptical bc i had fallen off CC books for a while, but this series seems more mature (in terms of writing) than her Shadowhunter series. the world building was captivating and compelling. if you love political fantasy, please read this, it’s amazing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Gore

Moderate: Sexism and Xenophobia

Minor: Dementia, Blood, Death of parent, and Death

there is a relationship (political only) between an adult and a child

susanatherly's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Genocide, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Terminal illness, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Sexual content, Vomit, and Physical abuse

arrr's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

It took me a few chapters to get into this book. A lot of initial setting up of characters and world building. But it's very worth it! Hope I get to read more about these characters. 

Physician confronts systemic inequity and bigotry inside and outside her own culture on order to learn what she needs to save as life. 

This struggle is cast against the wasteful leisurely wonderfully queer lives of the royals and the guards tasked with keeping them alive. 

The magic is powerful. I want to explore more of this huge world. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Genocide, War, Xenophobia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Blood, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Classism, and Death

mobkima's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

Super long exposition that takes up half the book. While Clare is great at descriptions of clothes and scenery, she can be a bit wordy in this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Rape

rhi_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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

Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Child death

Minor: Xenophobia, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, Sexual content, and Blood

annakh16's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This was great fun. I loved getting to know the world of Castellan - yes, it was slightly heavy on the description sometimes, but overall I think the attention to detail is a strength of the book. Clare builds an intricate and rich world that emerges vividly from the pages. 

The characters were also a big plus for this book for me. I loved spending time with Lin and Kel - they’re lovable and interesting to equal measures - and the web of side characters and their many intricacies and connections kept the story going. I definitely hope to see more of their backstories in the next book. (Also Merren fan club, anyone?) 

I agree with the people saying the book can feel a bit like merely a prologue to the next instalment. I didn’t mind that too much - exploring the world and relationships in it was enough for me for now, and I think there’s still enough plot to keep it interesting. It all depends on what Clare does with all the plots she teased in the next book. 

Some more spoiler critiques:

Lin and Connor, why? She‘s much too smart and dedicated for him. Not a fan of whatever exactly their relationship is. 

I also think Vienne‘s death came too abruptly (fighting like „Demoselle Death“ in one second and being killed like a fly in the next?) and was a bit of a missed opportunity. Would’ve loved to see more of her.

Overall really enjoyed this and looking forward to the next book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Blood, Alcohol, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Medical content, Xenophobia, and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent and Rape

madscientistcat's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

4.5

A bit predictable but in an engaging way. The characters are fun and interesting and the politics/court intrigue is sufficiently dramatic. I can’t wait for the series to continue!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: War

Minor: Rape