Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

205 reviews

psychnp's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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An obvious commentary on colonialism with several direct correlations to the British Empire.
Interesting but did not suck me in like other books with similar themes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation

natreadthat's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Sciona Freynan, a somewhat unlikeable FMC, soars through her studies to become the first woman to pass the qualifying magic exam—an exam only one woman can sit for every ten years—and become a highmage. As is expected, the first woman ever admitted to the highest level of the University of Magics and Industry faces some challenges, mostly to the tune of misogyny. 

Despite her colleagues making her feel both unwelcome and under qualified, Freynan keeps her head down. With the janitor as her assistant—a ploy by her colleagues—the atrocities done by the oppressive colonized government slowly come to light. Her understanding and trust in the world as she knows it shatters piece by piece. 

This was a great look at grief and growth intertwining as tyranny is exposed. It is by no means a happy book as it forces the reader to question morality and its complexities—similar to real life—but it is emotional and captivating. And if you’re a computer geek (like I used to be), you’ll probably get a kick out of the magical system mirroring software development. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Suicide

Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts

sgordon's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, War, Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault

moonrecluse's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional 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

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 this is one of the greatest books i've ever read. it took a lot to get through the author's explanation of the magic system (it almost felt like physics), but it makes sense for the story. the themes of classism, religion, and feminism are strong and well portrayed. the character development is top tier. the twists in the story just kept coming, and they felt like punches to the gut, in the best way. sometimes i love a book while reading it but the ending falls flat for me. that was not the case here. the ending was so beautifully done; emotional, raw, and satisfying. highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

baileyisbooked's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Classism

Minor: Cannibalism, Alcohol

xyln's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous emotional sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence

Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment

ej853's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, War, Deportation

kdepuy's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Vomit

Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Cannibalism

krys_y's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

susanneilson19's review against another edition

4.75

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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Colonisation

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent