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eng2's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Violence, and Sexual content
faerie123's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Rape
Moderate: Violence
savaril's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Incest, and Pedophilia
kbookish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Violence, Torture, Slavery, and Medical trauma
Minor: Body horror
mlcutter's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have so much to say about this book. Some spoilers.
The good:
It's well written
The world building is phenomenal
The characters are fleshed out, even the evil ones
It is unique
The bad:
There are sooo many characters!
A child is badly abused and there is too much detail
There are sex slaves
Adults are badly abused and there is too much detail
There are so many just plain evil characters, it's hard to imagine anyone that awful and you wind up hoping that everyone is murdered in awful ways because they're so terrible.
The black jewel trilogy, which is now a whole series of books written by Anne Bishop, are HARD. TO. READ. These are not light, they're not easy, there is no comic relief. They're dark. DARK, with a capital D. The people who have magic are born to a jewel. Depending on a color, they can be powerful. Black jewel holders are the most powerful. The queens are powerful and terrible. They're jealous, petty, petulant, conniving, and willing to do whatever they have to do to hold power. There is a promise of a queen that will rule well, she will fix what is wrong. She is a child of 12 in this book. She is innocent and naive but the most powerful ever to be born. Everyone wants to either protect her or kill her or break her so she is unable to use her power. Because no one understands her, it is assumed she is unwell.
There is some fascinating imagery that makes me wonder if Anne Bishop struggles with mental illness. There are the "twisted lands" which we come to know as a place where the mind has been broken. She describes the mind as a chalice and once its broken, it has to be repaired before the person is whole again, but it is fragile.
I don't think abuse has to be spelled out. It's too hard to read. I think it was done better in the Shaye Archer series by Jana DeLeon. you get enough glimpses that you know Shaye has suffered, but you don't get the gory details.
All in all, I want to never read this book again. not sure I will continue the trilogy. I will stick to my favorite Bishop books The Others series, which is a unique take on shapeshifters and one of my favorite series ever.
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Incest, Murder, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Bullying, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Torture, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Rape
littleofthis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Slavery, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
helos's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The books are very diffrent from what I usually read in the fantasy genre- darker,mature...
.
The writing style took me a while to get accustomed to because ot was written rather strangely. The interesting thing here ist that the story is told from the 3rd person but the f3male protagonist ( who is the center of the books) never has a chapter where we can see from her perspective. It is always told / seen by a bystander ( the male protagonists). I've never read a book where the main protagonist is not the primary pov.
It is a rathe cruel and dark worldbuilding while being very intricate.
There is a lot of suspense in the books bit not much excitement while reading them, they gave me a calm dark vibe .
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Torture, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
xxturtlepower's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Torture
zia_c's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I'd goosebumps reading half of the time and the other half I can't even go through a sentence.
I want everyone in this book to just drop dead except for the sweet, sweet Jenelle and all those innocent children.
I wish every sick fuck die a horrible death in the next book.
╰➝ 3rd person pov
╰➝ Poorly constructed world
╰➝ No time set/ language set
╰➝ Pedophilia, Rape, Slavery
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Slavery, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Animal death, Body horror, Drug abuse, Incest, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Vomit
ratproofed's review
- 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? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Sexism, Child death, Trafficking, Violence, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, and Incest