Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

4 reviews

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, War, Vomit, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Body horror, Physical abuse, Murder, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Stalking, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Police brutality

megj23's review against another edition

adventurous 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse and Genocide

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Imagine, if you will, Rogue from X-Men but transported into a historical quasi-Italian island setting.  That's basically our heroine, but with the addition of a chosen one trope.  Her power is to amplify that of someone else but if she touches the wrong person, they die.  Her divine goal is to save the world from an apocalyptic event that occurs roughly every 5 years and once the chosen one has saved the island, they lose their powers and another person awakens theirs.  Rinse and repeat.

The chosen one chooses a (life) partner to weather the battle with, and with our main character, she has chosen and killed three times while trying to train for the end of the world.

I have some issues with the book, but overall it was very readable and the ending left enough questions and plot for the next installment.  Not sure if I would continue, but I'm not immediately opposed.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Outing, War, Child abuse, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Police brutality, Torture, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Sexual content

toffishay's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

3.25

I found the plot interesting and I love Dante and Alessa, but some of the character relationships were grating, <SPOILER> especially with Alessa's family and relationship with Renata and Tomo. They are given redemption of some sort and to varying degrees by the end, but because so much of the middle of the book is dedicated to Alessa learning to work with the Fontes, the resolution with the family, Renata, and Tomo feel a little undeserved. Some people who actively betrayed Alessa were far too readily forgiven in my opinion. I also am uncomfortable with the implication at the end of the book that those who have been prosecuted by the dominate culture and government would be recruited to be an army on their behalf. And that is the term used, not that they would necessarily be reintegrated into the community or asked for forgiveness, but that they needed them as fodder in the coming fight. It may be addressed tactfully in the inevitable next edition, but I am wary. <END SPOILER> The book is funny though and the relationships develop in interesting ways. The understanding paid to Alessa's isolation and pain is really well done too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Alcohol, War, Death, Murder, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Grief, Genocide, Confinement, and Child death

Moderate: Abandonment