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eventhedevilreads's review
The first time I DNFed this book was July 26th 2022. I was very repulsed by the storyline and only made it 26 pages in before coming here to DNF. I didn’t leave a review.
This month I tried to pick it back up again. The anti heroes series was very good and I figured I maybe judged the book too hard the first time around… after making it to 159 pages this time around I realized I did not judge the book hard enough.
This book is flat out terrible. From the premise to the plot to the characters. This is not a romance book of any kind, I think the book would have more success if it fell under a thriller/horror theme. To romanticize sex slavery — which is what Giana Darling does in this book without a doubt — is bad enough. To on top of it have many lengthy rape scenes upon sexual assault scenes AND try to formulate it as consensual is out of this world insane. The message this sends to young women who are incredibly impressionable makes me sick to my stomach. Rape is not to be romanticized. There is nothing romantic about rape.
I can handle a Stockholm syndrome trope — I am a 2013 Wattpad warrior. But this is something else entirely in a very bad way. I’m not one who says away from gore and such (one of my favorite reads so far this year was slut by Dennis cooper) but authors need to present their books as what they are. This story is not love, it is a story about a woman being abused and strong armed into “loving” someone.
Cosima has no substance. What I have learned about her character in 159 pages is that she has daddy issues, is poor and, pretty. The only “internal conflict” (using that loosely) she faces is putting on a front towards Alexander about how much she anticipates their ‘meetings’. There have been plenty of times when Giana could have dived deeper into the psychological effects this has on Cosima. Yet instead we get another smut scene.
It is not enjoyable to read about women crawling around on the floor, being paraded around naked in a house full of people, being starved, abused, and manipulated. I personally would have liked her to be angrier about the whole thing. Coming from Elena’s story to this was incredibly disappointing. Elena was scene as an equal towards Dante. Cosima is viewed as lesser than a stray dog and somehow THATS supposed to make me want the her and Alex to be together? THATS supposed to make me love the the mmc?
Hard pass.
This month I tried to pick it back up again. The anti heroes series was very good and I figured I maybe judged the book too hard the first time around… after making it to 159 pages this time around I realized I did not judge the book hard enough.
This book is flat out terrible. From the premise to the plot to the characters. This is not a romance book of any kind, I think the book would have more success if it fell under a thriller/horror theme. To romanticize sex slavery — which is what Giana Darling does in this book without a doubt — is bad enough. To on top of it have many lengthy rape scenes upon sexual assault scenes AND try to formulate it as consensual is out of this world insane. The message this sends to young women who are incredibly impressionable makes me sick to my stomach. Rape is not to be romanticized. There is nothing romantic about rape.
I can handle a Stockholm syndrome trope — I am a 2013 Wattpad warrior. But this is something else entirely in a very bad way. I’m not one who says away from gore and such (one of my favorite reads so far this year was slut by Dennis cooper) but authors need to present their books as what they are. This story is not love, it is a story about a woman being abused and strong armed into “loving” someone.
Cosima has no substance. What I have learned about her character in 159 pages is that she has daddy issues, is poor and, pretty. The only “internal conflict” (using that loosely) she faces is putting on a front towards Alexander about how much she anticipates their ‘meetings’. There have been plenty of times when Giana could have dived deeper into the psychological effects this has on Cosima. Yet instead we get another smut scene.
It is not enjoyable to read about women crawling around on the floor, being paraded around naked in a house full of people, being starved, abused, and manipulated. I personally would have liked her to be angrier about the whole thing. Coming from Elena’s story to this was incredibly disappointing. Elena was scene as an equal towards Dante. Cosima is viewed as lesser than a stray dog and somehow THATS supposed to make me want the her and Alex to be together? THATS supposed to make me love the the mmc?
Hard pass.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Torture, Misogyny, Gore, Trafficking, Slavery, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
court_of_stories's review
My reasons for dnf-ing:
(those will contain spoilers for the 38% I‘ve read)
– the MMC (constantly) threatens her life
– the MMC (and the mafia) threaten(s) her family
– the MMC pierced her clit and her nipples when she was unconscious
– the FMC saved the MMC‘s life: 1. he reacts rather poorly to it, what made me dislike him instantly – because wtf? She saved your damn life, you prick! 2. he repays her by buying her from the mafia (and her useless father), starving and tormenting her – so yeah, he a really is a prick, and nothing about this is attractive – I don‘t care about the good looks he may or may not have
– when she arrives in his house he starves her and doesn‘t let her shower, until she gives in – again, horrible behavior in my opinion!
I don‘t judge if you like all of that – but it‘s not my cup of tea.
For me, the best in all of that, the part I do enjoy, is Cosima – she is so very strong.And at least Lord Prick sends money to her family – that’s at least something I guess…But I don‘t think she alone is a good reason to continue reading, especially because I don‘t want her to fall in love with this man.
(those will contain spoilers for the 38% I‘ve read)
– the MMC (and the mafia) threaten(s) her family
– the MMC pierced her clit and her nipples when she was unconscious
– the FMC saved the MMC‘s life: 1. he reacts rather poorly to it, what made me dislike him instantly – because wtf? She saved your damn life, you prick! 2. he repays her by buying her from the mafia (and her useless father), starving and tormenting her – so yeah, he a really is a prick, and nothing about this is attractive – I don‘t care about the good looks he may or may not have
– when she arrives in his house he starves her and doesn‘t let her shower, until she gives in – again, horrible behavior in my opinion!
I don‘t judge if you like all of that – but it‘s not my cup of tea.
For me, the best in all of that, the part I do enjoy, is Cosima – she is so very strong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual content, and Slavery
bitchery's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
gabrielleduran's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, and Physical abuse
nessareads247's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Rape, Slavery, and Violence
7sofia7's review
4.0
3.75 - 4 0
Um...it's a good book, well written and engaging but it's taboo and not in a "oh that was kinky way". Rape and abuse are a consatant in this book. Described both as a terribile violation and a hot, love inducing way to form connection.
SPOILERS
Mandatory premise: I appreciate how the author shows the misogyny and violence of the world without shying away from it. It is a trait of her in her writing that I admire very much.
Do I need the heroine to enjoy herself during non consenting sex and later fall in lust/adoration with the hero. Yes. But also it felt so much like Stockholm syndrome.
The author did a good job between showing how horrible the situation was (the piercing, the almost starvation, the branding, the hunt, the wipping, the rape both from the hero and from the other guy,...) and giving the readers branches to hold on to and not hate the hero (how he was raised and trained by his father, how he was forced into the club, his hatred towards Cosima's father, how he empathises with the slaves and has a history of taking their beetings, how he had to train her in order for her to getting used to punishments for the public scenes, the fact that Cosima was coerced into the agreement (she had to do it for the safety of her family but she still had some kind of agency by choosing tobgo along that plan)...)
I liked my reading experience but I could not look past the abuse perpetrated by Alexander. I never hated him but I still haven't bought into him as a hero. And I have read and loved various dark/captive/bdsm romances. Thia is probably because I don't enjoy a 24/7 master/slave dynamic and also because I don't love sadists.
I felt bad for Cosima. She was so young 18 to Alexander's 35 years. 17 years old age gap. I know that age gaps as a staple of Gianna Darilng writing and I am used to the trope but it's not one that I particulary love. Expecially if the is such a big power imbalance.
I understand why after two weeks she had to stop refusing him so hard but at the same time I liked her more feisty and less aquiescent.
How Salvatore and Dante used Cosima is despicable.
I emphatise both with Dante and with Alexander for the revenge thing.
The revenge is the central plotline besides the romance part but the pacing wasn't great. Too much near the end and too little at the beginning.
The marriage felt so abrupt but at the same time believable comming from Alexander.
And I repeat I don't see how Cosima fell for him (and she was okay with being her slave forever? No thanks. I'm happy for her choice at the end even though it har to be caused by an even more tragic event. Btw why Noel beat her at the end made little sense)
The miscarriage however felt superfluous. And why Noel (i presume) wanted to make her pregnant if then he made so she miscarried??
I want to personally murder Noel. End of story.
Miss Pealr was sketchy from the beginning and ther story was predictable but I strongly dislike her still.
THESE ARE NOTES JUST FOR ME
Gianna Darling's choice to have the characters meet before her acquisition was a wonderful choice that really helped the beginning of the book for me.
I really enjoy the trope when near the end the hero sends har away and she is kind of broken by this. And also the fact that he wants to use her for his revenge.
But I love her leaving him.
I like it so much when in mafia/captive stories the heroine has a friendship with a subordinate of the hero. In this case the cook
Um...it's a good book, well written and engaging but it's taboo and not in a "oh that was kinky way". Rape and abuse are a consatant in this book. Described both as a terribile violation and a hot, love inducing way to form connection.
SPOILERS
Mandatory premise: I appreciate how the author shows the misogyny and violence of the world without shying away from it. It is a trait of her in her writing that I admire very much.
Do I need the heroine to enjoy herself during non consenting sex and later fall in lust/adoration with the hero. Yes. But also it felt so much like Stockholm syndrome.
The author did a good job between showing how horrible the situation was (the piercing, the almost starvation, the branding, the hunt, the wipping, the rape both from the hero and from the other guy,...) and giving the readers branches to hold on to and not hate the hero (how he was raised and trained by his father, how he was forced into the club, his hatred towards Cosima's father, how he empathises with the slaves and has a history of taking their beetings, how he had to train her in order for her to getting used to punishments for the public scenes, the fact that Cosima was coerced into the agreement (she had to do it for the safety of her family but she still had some kind of agency by choosing tobgo along that plan)...)
I liked my reading experience but I could not look past the abuse perpetrated by Alexander. I never hated him but I still haven't bought into him as a hero. And I have read and loved various dark/captive/bdsm romances. Thia is probably because I don't enjoy a 24/7 master/slave dynamic and also because I don't love sadists.
I felt bad for Cosima. She was so young 18 to Alexander's 35 years. 17 years old age gap. I know that age gaps as a staple of Gianna Darilng writing and I am used to the trope but it's not one that I particulary love. Expecially if the is such a big power imbalance.
I understand why after two weeks she had to stop refusing him so hard but at the same time I liked her more feisty and less aquiescent.
How Salvatore and Dante used Cosima is despicable.
I emphatise both with Dante and with Alexander for the revenge thing.
The revenge is the central plotline besides the romance part but the pacing wasn't great. Too much near the end and too little at the beginning.
The marriage felt so abrupt but at the same time believable comming from Alexander.
And I repeat I don't see how Cosima fell for him (and she was okay with being her slave forever? No thanks. I'm happy for her choice at the end even though it har to be caused by an even more tragic event. Btw why Noel beat her at the end made little sense)
The miscarriage however felt superfluous. And why Noel (i presume) wanted to make her pregnant if then he made so she miscarried??
I want to personally murder Noel. End of story.
Miss Pealr was sketchy from the beginning and ther story was predictable but I strongly dislike her still.
THESE ARE NOTES JUST FOR ME
Gianna Darling's choice to have the characters meet before her acquisition was a wonderful choice that really helped the beginning of the book for me.
I really enjoy the trope when near the end the hero sends har away and she is kind of broken by this. And also the fact that he wants to use her for his revenge.
But I love her leaving him.
I like it so much when in mafia/captive stories the heroine has a friendship with a subordinate of the hero. In this case the cook
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Rape
Minor: Miscarriage
moajuh97's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Sexual content
fridaf's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
4.0
This is totally, entirely, wonderfully fucked up. It is a very dark story, so beware and look up warnings before reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
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