Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

La prophétie de Glendower by Maggie Stiefvater

186 reviews

hharkema's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I really liked the writing style and the story was definitely captivating. Wasn't a big fan of the ending though, I understand it's a series but it didn't feel like book really ended.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

kteliza28's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Starting this book I was immediately invested in the story but also utterly confused by the writing style. It reads very descriptive and cinematic with a ton of detail over slight movements. While I loved this about the book, it also made it really hard to grasp some important info early on and I found myself re-reading pages very confused. As I got used to the characters and places, it got a lot easier to read. I really liked the flow of the story and the themes. At times I was totally absorbed but other times, it felt like some of the activities were pointless and I stopped caring about the ultimate mission of the group. I felt maybe too many people were involved. I realize this is part of a series so I’m not surprised that there is so much left unopened and unexplained. I’m not sure I’m invested enough to read more of the series but I also want to know what happens next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gun violence

kathryn1003's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious 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

Lovely book, one of my all time favorites. Just reread for the third time- it's a funny but heavy hearted mystery with a big side of romantic angst. Sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's hilarious, but mostly it's thrilling from start to finish!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt

rookeatsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

thebibutterfly's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I loved everything about this book until the big cliff-hanger at the end. The tension was beautifully written, loved the prose, and the dimension of each character. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

wiktoria_bojda's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

jojo_fiction_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

 The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

4.5 stars 

“‘Is that all?’ she whispered. 

Gansey closed his eyes. ‘That's all there is.’” 

Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics, but her own abilities are limited to amplifying the powers of others. On the feast of St. Mark, while helping her aunt speak to the spirits of those who are to die within the next 12 months, she sees a spirit for the first time. The spirit of a boy named Gansey. The problem is, when a non-seer sees a spirit, it means one of two things: they are either their true love, or they are the ones who kill them. 

Gansey is a student at the elite private school Aglionby. Despite the prestigious lifestyles of those around him, Gansey is only interested in one thing: finding the lost tomb of the Welsh King Glendower. He and his friends, Adam, Ronan and Noah, take their search to the local psychic’s home. There, these mysterious boys and their quest draw Blue in, and their fates become tangled together in a web full of mysteries and magic. 

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This wasn't my first time reading this book. I had tried when I was younger when it was just getting popular, but I guess I was just too young to fully absorb what was happening. However, I am so glad I decided to give it another shot.

This book was really good! However, it was a bit slow plot wise at the start. Stiefvater takes her time making sure we are properly introduced to the characters, and their dynamics with each other, before really moving us along to focus more on the plot. Now, I personally love character based stories, so I didn't mind the slow start to the action. But if you are someone who likes a little more focus on plot/action as opposed to the characters, this might not be your cup of tea, or it just might be harder for you to get into.

In terms of the style, Stiefvater has such a wonderful way with words that really draws you in. I love books that make me feel enveloped by a feeling of magic and mystery and The Raven Boys makes even the more mundane aspects of the town feel like it is covered in magic. 

I also enjoy it when fantasy books have a magic system that is off putting and doesn't make logical sense all the time. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. In this case it's ghosts and spirits, stepping out of linear time, and trees that speak Latin to you. 

Stiefvater gives us characters that we can't help but love. They all have good intentions, and care deeply about each other, but are dealing with different levels of pain or toxic environments that cause them to make decisions that often clash with each other. The friendships are really what sell this story. The playful dynamics that start with the 4 boys are increased when Blue joins the mix. All of these characters are closed off in one way or another, and I can't wait to see how they slowly open up to each other and further flesh out these already amazing characters. My only critique of the characters is that of Blue’s characterization. I'm not quite sure how I feel about her, but the way she is portrayed can sometimes come across as “not like other girls”. Which could just be due to the trends that were around when this book was released, but I'm still hoping she will become more developed as the series goes on.

My only critique of the book’s writing itself would be the difference in pacing from the beginning and the end, as I mentioned before. By putting such a focus on the characters in the beginning, when the plot starts to pick up it is a noticeable change that might be jarring to readers. 

All in all, I can't wait to read the next book, especially since we get to see more of Ronan’s character (who I have a feeling will become my favourite character). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

c8ln18's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

Wow, going into this book I had pretty much no idea what it was. I simply heard found-family with a slowburn romance and I was like 🤷‍♀️. This book was so much better than I had anticipated, considering I don’t hear that many people talking about it.
Summary: This book is about Blue whose from a family of psychics, but holds no powers of her own, except making others stronger. She meets a group of boys from a local private school, called “Raven Boys” and joins them on a strange quest to find a Welsh King in the middle of the Virginia woods. Hijinks ensue.

My thoughts: The beginning was very, very slow for me. I was incredibly confused at first, and had tentatively put the book down. I randomly picked it back up 3 weeks later, just to test the waters; and ironically I was about 15 pages away from the good part starting. I was hooked so quick after that and read 80% in one night. I absolutely loved the relationship that boys had, it was so heartwarming. Adam’s story breaks my heart, and coming from not a rich background I completely understand his gripes with money. Unfortunately, I had sort of spoiled (accidentally) some of the twists and i’m kind of mad at myself now, because I wish I had an authentic reaction to it. But nonetheless it was still quite good. 

I’m still warming up to Ronan, but I think the next book is about him so we’ll see how it goes. Also I thought it was funny that Blue pretty much only worked at her job one night in the entire book when it was plot relevant- and was free to galavant off with the boys every other day💀 I also notice that for me, the main plot of the book actually is less what I’m invested in compared to the relationships with the characters. Like yeah you can wander around the woods for a dead Welsh king but I want the banter!! 
Just borrowed the next book from the library so we shall see. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Murder

ladythana's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt and Classism

val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

This series has been in my TBR since 2018, so I figured I should start 2024 by finally reading it and I'm so glad to say I enjoyed it a lot and finished the audiobook in one day (great narrator)!

I really liked the characters and can't wait to see more of them, I love how Blue is so independent but also relies on her family to help her and they are always there for her; I want to know more about Gansey to have him as favorite, I see the potential, but we'll see; I already love Adam and just want to protect him but also smack him for his pride lol; Ronan is starting to grow on me but is going to take time with his personality ; and for whatever little we get to see of Noah I'm liking him too I like Noah (never getting over this personal things because it's just so funny, can't believe I avoided spoilers for SIX years only to go into twitter that day, read their names and then see how Noah

is a ghost lmao I mean I wasn't sure if he wasn't joking at the beginning when he said that he had been dead for 7 years, but the biggest surprise was that he was the boy murdered by the boys's professor, that would've good to find out on my own, but no big deal)

ALSO, I know I'm not the only one who saw the connection here: The Raven Boys reminded me of The Marauders! (don't expect something exactly like them, just something similar in dynamics, personalities, role in the group, but it was nice to see)

Love all the paranormal stuff about being able to see ghosts and the souls of people who will die, this "prophecy" on Blue, Ronan's

power with dreams that made him being able to take out an animal to the real world!?

and I'm excited to see more of that in the 2nd book.

I agree with other reviews though that this has an open ending, you won't get answers here, in fact you will have more questions on how things work and what the characters are going to do about it, but you will really want to know them and continue with this story and the characters. So if you're okay with that read this book.

So happy my first book of the year was so good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Self harm, Murder, and Alcohol

If you want to know more about the Trigger Warnings I'm leaving the specifics here, but some are spoilers and be aware some might affect you. For a longer list of the Triggers look into the feature of Storygraph, but I think this are the most notable: SELF HARM (doesn't happen to any of the main characters, it just shocked me how this random character just dropped a comment about

"slitting her wrists" as if it was a joke.

) ;; MURDER / DEATH (There's 2 cases of this, both involving 17 yo kids being both the murder and the victim. They happen around these pages

Won't say names so it's not an spoiler, but you find out about one at 30% and the other one happens near the end.

) ;; GUN VIOLENCE (no names mentioned:

a guy in his 20's having a 17yo kid at gun point

, and the Murder involves a gun.) ;; KIDNAPPING (let's just say the bad guy gets kidnapped so who cares lol) ;; DOMESTIC ABUSE BOTH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL INVOLVING A CHILD (We see just one big scene of this but that's enough, one of the boys suffers from this at home and you will hate his father. If you want to know the name, it happens to

Adam , one of Gansey's best friend

) ;; ALCOHOLISM (No one is surprised to hear that the abusive father is the one who drinks.)