Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

21 reviews

lightn1ngb0lt's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Addiction, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death, Death of parent, and Blood

bint_idris517's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

5.0

I don’t usually write reviews on here but this book…this book deserves one! The constant plot twists had me spiralling and I got to the end and was left gobsmacked…need to read the second book ASAP!!! I can’t believe what just happened🫢🫢😭😭

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Addiction, Self harm, and Sexual assault

dontwanthvn's review

emotional tense

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, Confinement, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Rape, Child death, Suicide, Physical abuse, Vomit, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

kinskinn's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Medical content, Physical abuse, Genocide, Gore, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Torture

Moderate: Self harm, Drug use, and Rape

Minor: Addiction

klc17's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Self harm, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Death, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Murder

stephaniemcuervo's review

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

Minor: Sexual assault, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Torture, and War

lbryant's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Self harm

Moderate: War and Blood

Minor: Addiction

hannahlois's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, and Child death

astralbooks's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Confinement

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Vomit

There is a brief scene where (CW drug abuse, sexual assualt, & accidental necrophilia)

a guard molests the body of a woman who recently died from a drug overdose, not realising yet that she has died but fully aware that she was in no position to consent even if she was still alive

.

sarahmreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I've had the Fairyloot edition of this book for a while now and was pushed by friends to start it. To say I was pleasantly surprised was an understatement.

Kiva has been the country's lead prison healer ever since the passing of her father. She's only really known the world inside Zalindov but yearns to be reunited with her family. Everything changes when the leader of the Rebellion is brought into the prison walls and forced to face Trials to determine her innocence. With the Rebel Queen in deteriorating condition, Kiva volunteers to take her place. Will Kiva make it out to reunite with her family, or will the Trials overcome her?

The world-building was pretty well done! As readers, we only really know the scope of the prison as our characters are confined within it. That being said, we get just enough detailing of the different aspects of the prison, both the physicality as well as the culture and the prisoners within, that it isn't ever over-explained. We also get some minor world-building of the world outside of Zalindov, which leads us to hope and yearn as much as Kiva to explore this outside world. The magic system was slightly under utilized, but I hope it gets expanded on more, especially because of the twists we get at the end of the book.

I loved every single character that we are meant to love. I was completely gay for Naari. Tipp has a heart of gold and cried for him twice in this story. Jaren is a lovable character with a bite of sarcasm and humor but also has his dark past which is golden and explored in a complex manner. And Kiva... I think she might be my favorite protagonist that I've read about in a long time. She has such a unique moral compass, which I could kind of relate to, and had more realistic emotions than a lot of other characters I've read about. She has her heart broken, she can feel love for all kinds of people, she cares! But also has her flaws.

Speaking of flaws, there were some pretty heavy themes in this novel. One of them being self-harm. It isn't conducted in this story, more like the explanation of the harm done afterwards. I cannot speak on the representation on the self-harm side as it has never happened to me. But I can speak on the side of hearing such news and how to properly respond, and I thought that it was done in a good manner. There was no shame, no guilt, no degrading on behalf of the character receiving this news. Only "Thank you for trusting me with this." There wasn't really anything on the ends of "It'll get better" since the character who did self-harm has moved past it and discusses her relapse with it. But it was handled in a manner that it should be handled with in real life; with care and compassion. I was glad to see this kind of representation of self-harm since this is the first time I think I've ever seen this used in a story, specifically fantasy.

For those who are hesitant to pick up this book because of its light association with Sarah J Maas, please cast all of that hesitation to the side. This book is absolutely nothing like her books. It's so fresh and unique and light-hearted while also tackling some really heavy content at the same time. It's a perfect balance.

I will say I did kind of predict the big plot twist from when some lore dropped about 30% through, but The Prison Healer might be one of my new favorite series and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Blood, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Medical content, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Rape and Fire/Fire injury