Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier

10 reviews

bluexray's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape and Vomit

geekmom's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

An interesting story with appealing characters, but the world building didn’t quite work for me; there were small details that felt off and kept throwing me out of immersion in the story. Still, I was motivated to keep reading and I’ll be trying to track down the sequel!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, and Panic attacks/disorders

rbash2391's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Grief, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, Confinement, Misogyny, Child death, and Death

the slut-shaming in this book is off the charts and the sexual assault/false rape accusations are used as devices to support a slut-shaming narrative

mariebrunelm's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

Blackthorn has been in jail for almost a year, for no other crime than helping fellow women fight their abuser. Her hearing is very near, but her odds aren’t exactly favourable. So when she receives a visit from Conmael, who is clearly not human but rather a fae, she strikes a bargain with him. In exchange for her freedom, she must spend seven years away from the place of her torment and help anyone asking. Although, to her, that sounds like another type of prison, she doesn’t really have another choice but to agree, and that very night she escapes and makes her way north where she establishes herself as a wise woman. With her comes Grim, a fellow prisoner with too much of a conscience and an unending store of loyalty for Blackthorn. Trouble is never far, though, especially when the cottage they settle in is so close to Dreamer’s Pool. This place of magic is on the lands of Prince Oran, who meets his betrothed after they exchanged loving letters. However, the lady arriving at his estate seems like another person entirely and Oran finds himself torn between heart and duty.

This novel, set in mediaeval Ireland, combines elegant prose and a thorough character study. There is no fast-paced action, or grim descriptions of violent fights. However, the story blends the light and the dark, because it deals heavily with violence towards women and how most of the characters are determined to put an end to that, so although there are harrowing passages, it is an uplifting story.

I’m so happy I met Blackthorn and Grim. They are nuanced characters, with their qualities and their flaws. Blackthorn is thoroughly pissed off with people and men in particular, but she’s also ready to see the good around her, and Grim is such a kind-hearted bear of a man that I had no choice but to love him immensely. The subtle queer vibe was also lovely, as the two form a platonic relationship that made my heart sing.

I was looking for a book that would take its time and let me spend a long while with loveable characters and Julliet Marillier provided. I’d heard her recommended again and again by Jean Menzies (@jeansthoughts) and now I absolutely know why. I didn’t start with the first book, Daughter of the Forest, which sounded more fairy-tale-like, but it doesn’t really matter because the books can be read out of order. Characters do make appearances in other novels but it won’t spoil their narratives.

Rep : Blackthorn & Grim very much sounded ace or at least demisexual but of course no word was used due to the historical setting. 

CW: confinement, mention of rape, memories and discussion of sexual violence.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Sexual violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Kidnapping

Minor: Rape

bibliorama's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Enjoyment - 4
 Start - 3
 Characters - 3.5
 Atmosphere - 3.5
 Plot - 3.5
 Ending - 3.5
 Style - 4 

Overall - 3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Child abuse, Confinement, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Though some of those spoilers might give you pause, this book truly doesn't describe them in any graphic way and its always in a conversation about how they are wrong. This book delves more into power dynamics amd the abuses from those in power, but it's not in a way that sits in the gruesome. This is why I put them under minor.

pokeybear1's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

I liked the idea of the story, but it was boring. There were multiple storylines, but not well woven together. I skipped many passages of repetitive inner dialogue of the characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Kidnapping

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Rape

kerttuli's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Rape, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief

Minor: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Child death

scorpiogirl93's review against another edition

emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death

Minor: Animal death, Child death, and Sexism

lacklustre_rogue's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse

darklings's review against another edition

dnf @ 20% 

despite being a character-driven book imo, the mystery is as much of a crux, which wouldn't be a problem if i didn't find it to be predictable. 10/10 for distinctive characters and the immersive world tho. i would continue but i ultimately think that this is the kind of book that's gonna end up being a 3 star read, which given how my reading year is going and the amount of books that i've given 3 stars, i'm not really looking for. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Child death, and Kidnapping