Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

134 reviews

persephonefoxx's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

4.25

“Rage was only useful if you were allowed to do anything with it”

Teenage me was obsessed with dark fairytales. I’m talking retellings, the darker original texts, creepy stories in a fairytale-esque telling. All that to say, teenage me would have eaten this up. Because at its core, it is a fairytale. A fantastical story of impossible tasks, magic women, peculiar animals, princesses, and fairy Godmothers. 

It is a story that prioritises characters in that distant narrative styling of fairytales and similar stories. And at its core it is a story about rage and love. Men who have so much rage it devoids them of love and women who love so deeply that it fuels their rage. It is about family and the burden of duty. It tells a story of the painful process of clawing yourself out of helpless, and that the journey shouldn’t be taken alone. 

I really enjoyed this book. There were parts that made me laugh (a particular demon hen) and there were parts I felt in my soul. And while the world building scraped the surface, what are to expect in a book as short. It is a book about the people not the place and thus its focus is understandable. 

I am merely annoyed with myself that it has taken this long to finally read T. Kingfisher. Something I will be looking to rectify in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Misogyny, Body horror, and Child death

cgwynne's review

adventurous dark funny 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

5.0

Chef’s kiss

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Violence

taylor_perry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Murder, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Miscarriage

kimberlynann's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Confinement, Physical abuse, Animal death, Pregnancy, Body horror, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Domestic abuse, and War

anandaclairity's review

adventurous dark funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Slavery, and Domestic abuse

laynerinke's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Miscarriage, Child death, Grief, Cannibalism, and Death

Minor: Child death, Torture, Confinement, Slavery, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail

blueowl2ivy's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Infertility, Child death, Murder, and Domestic abuse

mrsfishreads's review

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? No

4.75

This book was a dark and brooding fairytale that starts with cannibalism and ends with demon possessed hens, loveable evil godmothers, a dog with three lives, and a princess who carries out a plot that changes a kingdom.  I'm not hooked on T. KINGFISHER!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Cannibalism, Grief, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

keishbby's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Child death, Physical abuse, Torture, Murder, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, and Body horror

searobin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.5

The first thought I had after finishing this was "that was fun!" which is a bit unexpected for a book like this. It was dark and broached some ser ous topics, and definitely had some horror elements but was still cute and humourous as well. I found it very well mixed.
I am a bit confused with some things like the Blighted lands. They kinda appeared and disappeared from the story so quickly, and the limited lore we did get about them did not explain enough at all. That is a bit frustrating.

I saw another review where someone said the MC didn't seem 30, but more like 19. I think YA fantasy books have primed us to think that teens are way more capable than they are on average - and of course they aren't average most of the time, they have powers or there's a prophecy and magic involved some how... I can absolutely see how growing up in the protection of first the youngest princess in a castle and then a sort of nun, in combination with a shy and introverted personality leads to a naive and timid adult. I am 31 years old, and absolutely wouldn't be able to do much of what a lot of MCs do in books. It's nice to have something that feels more realistic!

(I do want to take this moment to also acknowledge that there are so many incredible youth who do do absolutely amazing things. The young activist fighting for climate change measures, Indigenous rights and Land Back, BLM, Palestine, etc... are so great. I can see how the heros of YA fantasy could do it, we do have real world examples, it's just also nice to see a random 30 year old with limited life experience manage to do something as well!)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Child death, Torture, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Death, Animal death, and Abortion