Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

19 reviews

nhollie's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I was hopeful that at some point in this series that Martine would address the colonization of the Teixcalaan in a meaningful way beyond poetic metaphor. They are absolutely colonized people who really do want to assimilate in whatever way is possible, but it's disappointing that Dzmare, as the main character, never really grows in this regard. At no point does she move past "I want to be accepted/understood/made human/etc. the colonizer" to anything more complicated, complex, or self-reflexive...which like, okay, I guess, but it is really the analytical and narrative reckoning this series needs to actually be the sharp novel it could be.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Body horror, Violence, Vomit, and Medical content

Minor: Genocide

keeper_of_dark_materials's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious fast-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? No

3.75

I don't know if I like the way that Martine glorifies conquest through Mahit. She describes the Devouring Maw of Teixcalaan as though it's something beautiful and mostly ignores the fact that this is an empire that has brutally colonized large parts of the galaxy. 

There's a quick explanation of "well they haven't had a war of conquest in hundreds of years", but that doesn't really matter to me when alien xenophobia is very obviously, deeply entrenched in their society.

Also, sp**k is a real racial slur and either Martine didn't think to check, or knew and used it anyway (like, a disturbing amount of times).

Still, I can appreciate that the main cast we're mostly in agreement that they should open dialogue with the new species before they try and wipe them off the face of the galaxy, and it actually works. 

Overall solid read and a good expansion on the first book, but I think the major subjects that it covers were not discussed deeply enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and War

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

5.0

A brilliant conclusion to this duology. Martine’s writing is so lyrical and precise, and Mahit and Three Seagrass’ relationship is so well written. I loved how the narrative explores imperialism through memory, language, and personhood. Will probably be thinking about this for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia and Body horror

starlitpage's review

adventurous emotional tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Body horror, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol

Minor: Grief, Vomit, Cursing, and Colonisation

indeedithappens's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Death, Deportation, Pandemic/Epidemic, Genocide, Gun violence, Medical content, Self harm, Stalking, Violence, Vomit, Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, War, and Xenophobia

kseret's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Vomit, War, Violence, and Colonisation

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Grief

wordsareworlds's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

3.5

I loved Memory Called Empire, and this was a very, very good sequel, although I don't like it as much as the first. I found having four PoVs plus interludes more difficult to engage with (a recurring theme for me when there are more than two PoV characters), and often the PoV changes were used as cliffhangers in a way I found off-putting. 

Martine's writing is beautiful, and I found the way she balanced the personal aspects of the characters with the larger, epic plot points incredibly well done. I was more satisfied by the end of the novel before I realized it was a duology, but still felt like it fit the book very well, as heartbreaking as it was in several respects. My favorite parts I definitely didn't get enough of - especially the way Martine was exploring colonization and xenophobia both as part of and in response to colonization, or the evolution of Mahit's sense of self and her relationship with Three Seagrass.

CN

violence, descriptions of aftermath of genocide, racism, xenophobia, one instance of body horror, grief, chronic pain, sexual content

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Chronic illness, Grief, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body horror and Sexual content

qwerty88's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Colonisation, Violence, Sexual content, and War

kathleencoughlin's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.75

An excellent sequel to A Memory Called Empire. Familiar characters were thrown into new situations. The world was expanded. Martine built on ideas and themes about belonging and self. Overall very interesting and fun.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, and Genocide

Minor: Grief and Suicide

cowboykid's review

adventurous reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

Loses its plot in meandering style. The style made more sense thematically in the first book, but in the more action-y scenes of the sequel, run-on sentences of introspection and metaphors just bogs down the pace. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Alcohol