Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

9 reviews

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

mysterious 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, Grief, Abandonment, and Violence

Minor: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Animal death, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Bullying, Self harm, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

ayoung720's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed this book, I felt like it was a great introduction to darker fantasy when I'm more used to "wizard and orc" fantasy. The world building was great, the main character is amazing, the role of her muteness in telling the story is fascinating - I never thought a mute character could say so much through internal thoughts. The setting is beautifully described and I'm sure it's even better for its intended YA audience. 

HOWEVER, I have a gripe with the last 15 pages... Essentially everything the main characters do is completely irrelevant? They hatch a rescue plan but then William dies, Olivia nearly dies, Death escapes but then is recaptured, and everything ends the same way it started except now Olivia is in charge of keeping Death locked behind the door instead of William? It just felt incredibly inconclusive. The only "change" is Olivia's realization of her powers which felt completely underdeveloped. 

I still enjoyed the book overall and am excited to read more of Schwab's works, but the ending has definitely knocked my rating a bit .

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Confinement

iane_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Death of parent, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicide, Murder, and Blood

Minor: Gore and Physical abuse

alibrarymouse's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

Beautifully written with gorgeous aesthetics, but the characters weren’t much and I have to admit I wasn’t too fond of any of them. We weren’t really given too much to be fond of, and with Olivia there was a lot of potential that doesn’t get fully realized. Everything I wanted, I didn’t get, but maybe my expectations were too high? 

It’s modern gothic, catharsis in its own way, but—at the same time—fantasy offers a twist I think would have made for a better ending. Schwab has realism going for her at least. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child death, Murder, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

diana_raquel's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

"Home is a choice."

Talk about impulse buying! I was browsing the shelves of a bookshop when I noticed this book! I have read other books by V.E. Schwab but didn't know what to expect from this book. But it was a pleasant surprise, mainly because I actually liked a story with horror elements. Usually, horror isn't something that I tend to gravitate toward, but I really liked this book. Maybe because the horror elements are mixed with other elements that I like, such as mystery elements and a darker tone.  The characters are well-developed and well-written. The story has good pacing and is well structured. I also liked the fact that the illustrations themselves are also part of the story and not only accessories, a means to show the scenes. To tell the truth, I think that  V.E. Schwab was the potential to become a must-read author to me since I really liked every book that I read by her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Pregnancy, Bullying, Body horror, and Violence

relearning2read's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I found it overall enjoyable, but the ending strangely unsatisfying compared to the potential of the elements that were introduced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Terminal illness

phillyhufflepunk's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Olivia grew up in an orphanage with nothing but her mother's very confusing journal to connect her to anyone else. Unable to speak and surrounded by people unable to sign, she's alone. Even the ghosts, that only she can see, are silent. Then, a letter arrives from a family she never knew she had.

A young adult gothic novel which features a character who struggles within an ableist institution, doesn't needlessly info dump, and doesn't waste time telling the story. Would love to see this as a movie or limited series. Quality storytelling. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Self harm

stephaniemcuervo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Blood

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Bullying, and Body horror

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Animal death, and Gun violence