Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

114 reviews

yananhai's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.5

are you telling me that I read almost 400 pages, most of which had zero plot, only for everything to be solved

by one single magical word for dispelled?! 🙄

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Self harm, Violence, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Murder

beeontoast's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Self harm, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury

baearles's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Blood, and Self harm

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Gun violence

Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, Torture, Cannibalism, and Cursing

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Gore, and Self harm

Minor: Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Torture, and Sexual harassment

cowardlyteaman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

I really liked this book!
The plot was good, the characters were good, and I really like its pace.
Especially in the end, I felt like some of the battles were a bit short and shallow? However, I am aware that this is a trilogy, and will give the end game a chance to be tension I'm looking for.

I would very much recommend this to any fantasy fan who likes a bit of a blood bath and very interesting world-building. There's elemental magic, alternative worlds, humorous dialogue, and a small romance sub-plot that doesn't take up tedious space at all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Alcohol, Blood, Addiction, Murder, Gore, and Torture

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Drug use and Sexual content

tallnecked_pancakeface's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Torture, Blood, Gore, Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

zoeelora's review

adventurous dark tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual harassment, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Abandonment, Addiction, Child death, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Misogyny, and Violence

brotestantethic's review

adventurous medium-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

3.75

Schwab always enchants with her writing. I have to say this was my least favorite of hers so far, after having read Vicious and The Invisible Life. But solid. Characters are really lovely, world building is stunning. My issues lie with pacing: the book starts off slow, and the ending is rushed. I am definitely still interested in continuing the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Violence, and Gun violence

maries_reads's review

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.25

So I’ll be honest, this was slow going to get into (for me). I don’t think it was actually that it was slow I just took awhile to really get into it. After about 75 pages though I flew through it. As you can see my activity on this book I just jumped fully in after about 20%. 

I like that this book didn’t end in a cliffhanger, but rather allowed for the series to really take on its own path for the next book. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind a good cliffhanger, but I felt this plot line was wrapped up nicely, while still having a lot more story to tell. 

Can’t wait to continue the series and see how some of these MCs and side characters grow!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Self harm, and Blood

sirenricobooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Self harm, Torture, Violence, War, Cursing, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death