Reviews with content warning for Animal death - Blood Over Bright Haven

Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

205 reviews

annies_bookworld's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book broke me. Some might say in the best way possible, and they might be right. But I am still not okay! Those last 100 pages keep spinning in my head and I'm afraid I'll go into a reading slump if I don't rush right into the next story to save myself.

I have sheldomly read such intricate worldbuilding and such a mapped out magic system outside of a series. And while the ending was fitting for the story, a part of me still wishes this would be a series.
Because, as atypical and imperfect as the main characters are, I got really invested in their journey. This started in the first chapter where I almost cried and ended with the last one when I did.

So if you asked me if this could be the next big fantasy standalone, or if this is great writing, if the characters are original, if the magic system is thought through, or if you should read it, the answer is yes. But if you're asking me if you'll enjoy it the answer is maybe. Because this story is not for the Cinderella girlies wanting to fall in love with a handsome high lord or vampire king, wanting to forget the real world and read about happy endings.
This is for all the girls who've tried explaining to people that fantasy is political, that it is commenting on current problems of society. It's for all the girls who feel they're too outspoken, too driven. It's for anyone who loves books that inspire you, books that stay with you, books that break you.

Content Warnings

feelingfrazzled's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

NOT A TRADITIONAL HEA ;-;

Content Warnings

jpoe_16's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

forlorngarden's review against another edition

dark hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I set out to read this book with low expectations, because I learned it from many people just singing praises to it on social media, and I was suspicious. But I think it is a good book, albeit not perfect.

Wang definitely did not even try to be subtle about the politics and messaging of BOBH. Readers' hands were held. The lack of subtlety was sometimes detracting from my reading experience - especially with the amount of times the "misogyny is evil and pervasive" sentiment was repeated with little variety. And I'm sure it's somewhat because it was intended for relatively wide audiences, and a part of those wide audiences is ignorant enough to believe that Suzanne Collins is a right-winger. However, I was pleasantly surprised every time the narrative dove into more specific aspects of misogyny and colonialism - like, for example, (minor/vague spoilers)

Kwen having to make their names more palatable for Tiranishmen, historical revisionism and whitewashing of historical figures, male feminists seeking absolution in being "one of the good ones"

.

It was very refreshing to see that in so many ways this book could have conformed and choose the road more taken, and so many times it refused to do so. Like, for example, the romantic subplot (now considerable spoilers) -

in the first few chapters I kept guessing who would inevitably become Sciona's romantic interest (Ansel, or even Renthorn. Eugh). And she did get a little (consensual this time) kiss, but I loved it when the book acknowledged that they could not at all get their happily ever after, could not belong to one another and not lose some part of themselves. Tell me we're dead and I'll love you even more. True love is possible only in the next world - for new people. All that kind of stuff.

And, of course, (biggest spoilers ever)

Sciona fucking dies. I was there at the edge of my seat thinking when some kind of Deus Ex Machina or clever plan would save her from execution, and a weapon of mass destruction came. Lord.

The greatest achievement of BOBH to me lies in its protagonist. Wang's commitment to making Sciona just so outright unlikeable, selfish and ignorant elevated the book massively.

And she is not turning into a saint by the end of it - even as she is turning into a martyr. She is still selfish, she is driven by her hunger for glory, for justice, for The Truth.

And rather than just simply rooting for a loveable protagonist, the reader maybe hates her, learns with her, looks into her as into a mirror, grows fond of her gradually. And that is a bigger gamble for the writer and a higher reward for the reader. A round of applause for you, M.L. Wang.

All in all, I can really easily recommend this book for anyone who loves fantasy and is okay with being explained stuff multiple times over. :)

Content Warnings

oneinamili's review against another edition

3.5

medium-paced

Content Warnings

themis_biblos's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

"I'm realizing how ridiculous it is to demand civility when the world is so disgustingly uncivil."

The complexity of these characters was masterful. Every one was infuriating and tragic and beautiful. Sciona's development was so well done.

She had always belonged here among these insatiable men, her brothers in greed and ego. Her only distinction among these mages was that she was a more honest monster than any of them, and she would die an honest mage of Tiran: finely dressed and filthy-souled, taking with arrogance what was not hers to take.

Content Warnings