Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

305 reviews

heremireadz's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Blood, Murder, Sexism, Torture, and Death of parent

pip10's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Misogyny, Death, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

ctara2123's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, War, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, and Blood

Moderate: Racism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Bullying

katskratchh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated

4.5

The pacing was a little all over the place in parts which I think caused for a little rushing through important and impactful moments in the latter half of the book, but that’s truly my only complaint because the rest of the book was so incredibly good, and gave you very much sisterhood/girl power energy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Sexism, Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Misogyny, Abandonment, Murder, Grief, Animal cruelty, Violence, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Sexual assault

ainadei's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated

4.75

This book was insane from beginning to end!! I enjoyed most of the characters and I can't wait to see how Deka and her friends grow in the next books. The weak thing about this book was the romance; I just didn't see it between her and Kaita in this book and I felt Deka needed friends more than a romance. All around though, a really great book and I will be reading the next two soon!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Torture, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

kiwij96's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Very YA-style writing at times, bordering on juvenile, but this book deals with some heavy themes which needed more mature writing. Definitely check the trigger warnings for this story because it deals with rape, torture, femicide, murder and gore. Generally good worldbuilding and differentiation between different cultures in this world. However, there was an unnecessary romance included and it felt massively out of place. Alao, there are only so many times you can read about girls getting dismembered and tortured.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Blood, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Bullying, and Pregnancy

nelldiaz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

Fantastic book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Torture, Body horror, Child death, Blood, Death, Violence, Misogyny, War, Child abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Rape, Sexism, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Vomit

jessicaludden's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

“No matter my origins, there is worth in what I am.”

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Content Warnings

Minor: Torture, Child death, Death, Abandonment, Gore, Death of parent, Rape, Violence, Murder, War, Blood, Animal death, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Child death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Colonisation, Death of parent, Trafficking, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Grief, Hate crime, Police brutality, Slavery, War, Torture, Murder, Death, Sexism, Outing, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Stalking

Moderate: Excrement, Body shaming, Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Colonisation, and Vomit

colorism

clotalksbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring fast-paced

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

4.0

Well I ordered the next book in the series as soon as I finished, so that says a lot! 

Just to say though, it is definitely more brutal than I was expecting, but then would have some moments that felt very YA. It felt a bit at odds, where sometimes I thought I probably would have enjoyed it more when I was younger, but then some bits I probably wouldn't have coped with if I was younger (I'm a tad squeamish). It took me a little bit to fully get on board with it, if I'm honest!

Despite these moments, I overall found it a very good read. I looked forward to picking it up to see where the story was going. Although I thought I had it all figured out, I was glad to be surprised by it. These surprises enhanced my enjoyment of it and the ending especially made me very keen to continue this series. 

I liked the range of characters, and look forward to spending more time with them. It is a fresh fantasy, exploring themes you'd expect to find in books/films like The Handmaid's Tale or The Woman King, and serving this to a new audience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Murder, War, and Violence