Reviews tagging 'Murder'

War by Laura Thalassa

29 reviews

haleydeppert's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

“For your soft heart.” Giggling and kicking my feet. As the second book of the Four Horseman series, War was an entertaining and good read. However, it does not compare at all to the first book, Pestilence. I did not like how easily the main female character, Miriam, gave in to War literally all the time. She knows firsthand the devastating effects of war, and yet, she continued to pleasure him and give herself to him even after he brutally murdered women, children, and families. In Pestilence, I felt that the main character showed much more resistance. I did not like most of the decisions Miriam made throughout the book. Even after he killed off almost an entire camp of people solely to make her watch and punish her, she still does not stand her ground. The first words out of her mouth when she saw him again after this sadistic punishment were, “I missed you.” Seriously? Please, for the love of god, give him hell, girl! She made it way too easy for him. The book was also quite longer than Pestilence and I felt it rather unnecessary. Some parts felt repetitive, but I was still engaged with the story. All of those irritating tidbits aside, I enjoyed this book!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual harassment, Violence, War, Death, Gore, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

akleverreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Murder, Violence, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual harassment, Rape, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

hanschub's review against another edition

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Sexual content, War, Murder, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual assault and Animal death

kemikorosu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child death and War

aahrobot's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

I really enjoyed Pestilence, so I was quite excited to read War. This one was pretty decent; I’m still excited to read the last two in the series. I enjoyed the main characters pretty well, too. Overall, a good book. Personally, I am not super into fantasy, but I’m trying! And this series has been a great stepping stone for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Rape, Xenophobia, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, Vomit, and War

Moderate: Pregnancy

bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Murder, Child death, War, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape

smuttymcbookface's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.75

Although I loved a lot of this, I found it less palatable that Pestilence because Miriam felt too stupid to live a lot of the time (

particularly at the end, where she kills herself to prevent him any pain he might have whilst he removes himself from the trap

).

Beyond that though, I loved the humanisation of everyone: War's transformation felt gradual and believable; the baddies (War's men) had sweetness and bitterness too; and Zara felt nuanced and realistic. I also loved that there was a different setting for this (like there will be in Famine), and how the past conflicts of those areas added to War's power.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Death, Kidnapping, Violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Pregnancy and Rape

Minor: Child death

queerloras's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-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

3.5

Oh my god, I wanted to hate this book so much more than I did. Like, some of the writing was fucking hysterical ("only a woman with a vagina the size of a crater could fit War's cock", anyone?!), and boo to the reforming of the villain (way more attractive as the Horseman, rather than the man), but. I'm now going to read the rest of the series.

Also, the comparisons to Khal Drogo are so it. That's exactly what he's like.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Genocide, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Medical content, Death, Sexual violence, Animal death, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Deportation, Slavery, Cannibalism, Child death, Colonisation, Murder, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, War, Body horror, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and Pregnancy

viktoriann's review against another edition

dark hopeful sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War

xangemthelibrarian's review against another edition

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

5.0

Yep yep yep. A sequel that lives up to book 1. It's been a bit since I'd read Pestilence, so I forgot about that delicious tension woven into these stories but I LIVE FOR IT. Break the characters' hearts. I adore it. 

A minor little spoiler though, that deus ex machina War pulled at the very end pulled me out of the story, but I am willing to forgive it for the ending we got. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Child death, Blood, and War