Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

85 reviews

displacedcactus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

This review contains spoilers for the end of Book 2 of the Scholomance, so don't read if you haven't read it yet.
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If you thought things would be a little more pleasant after El left the Scholomance, I had bad news for you. The entire magical world feels very much like an allegory for late-stage capitalism and everything is terrible, plus El is depressed about Orion's actions at the end of Book 2.

I found large chunks of this book to be a real slog. In the first two books it felt like there was a very clear goal: survive until graduation, and try to make sure your allies survive too. But for much of this book, El isn't quite sure of her goal, as she gets pulled in different directions. Then again, sometimes that's what it's like IRL after graduation.

Things get pretty dark in this book. I mean, the whole series has been dark, but there were some twists that showed that the outside world was really even worse than the school, and the real monster is humanity, etc etc.

If you've enjoyed the first two books of the series and you want to know how it ends, you'll probably enjoy this conclusion. But if you were on the fence about the first two, I think you can safely skip this one and make up your own ending in your head (or ask a friend who does read it for the condensed version).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Sexual content

nefariousbee's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective relaxing fast-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

4.5

after a while, I found a series that gets better with every book. the last one really surprised me in its depth, I didn't think it would be more than a nice, fun read you can get immersed in magic in. but somehow it took this unexpected, serious turn, and I really loved that.
the pacing is wobbly and the characters are not always up to my expectations but the something you want from a book, it's there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Vomit, War, and Gore

wickedreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I hate this book. five stars. I'm holding Naomi personally responsible for the therapy i will need after the roller coaster of emotions she just put me through. Final book. No cliffhanger.

Tags: I've actually never heard of a heterosexual, fade to black, poly, mf, ff, sapphic, dead dove do not eat, magic, magic boarding school, truly I was screaming, naomi we need to have a talk, demons, soulmates?, secret identities, war, mass casualties 

TWings: grief, trauma, literally everyone has PTSD, war, dubious cheating? idk if it really counts as them being together at the time (no one is bothered from what i can tell but I know this stresses a lot of people out so i wanna give the maybe warning), mass killings, gore, no really its so gross, graphic 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

le3713's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated

4.5

Seldom is the final book in a trilogy my favorite, but this one was. The sometimes slow work of understanding the world, magic system, and social order Novik had built paid off in this book. I loved understanding mana, malia, and maw mouths better. It still took me a good chunk of time to get through, but I was deeply invested through the second half. I didn’t anticipate the turns the book would take, and found the ending satisfying - hopeful but not quite happily ever after.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Confinement and Torture

kayladaila's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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: Body horror, Torture, Classism, and Murder

Moderate: War, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Death of parent

smithreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Grief, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Classism, Drug use, Gore, Kidnapping, War, and Sexual content

Moderate: Murder and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

chamaeleontis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.75

I loved this book. It was a great way to end the series. But I was a little disappointed by the ending (rushed and has a trope I don’t like), or it would have been 5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, War, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Body horror, Child abuse, Medical content, Blood, Drug use, Gore, Classism, Confinement, Grief, and Sexual content

Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Grief, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Death, Violence, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual content

uranaishi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Vomit, Violence, Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and War

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

emmahe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Too rushed for the third book of such an incredible trilogy. Would have been better split into two books. Expanding the world and lore so rapidly meant things were lost and confusing. Could have been just as impactful splitting and expanding on history, background, character, etc. 

It’s still a great series but I think this was a worse ending than the first two books deserved. That being said, it’s still far better than a lot of stories I’ve read. I hope i’m in the minority and Id still recommend people read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Child death

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Violence, War, Torture, Murder, and Death of parent