Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna

4 reviews

jagodasbooks's review

challenging dark slow-paced

3.0

"The Merciless Ones includes scenes of violence, including some graphic violence and description of sexual violence, which some readers may find distressing."

Where was this warning in the first book, huh? I'm still traumatised after it. This book is less descriptive than the first one, but still it's one of the most terrifying, violent and brutal books I've ever read and I would add more content warnings to that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Animal death, Death of parent, Murder, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Torture, War, Violence, and Vomit

graceful_nate's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Grief, War, Blood, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Religious bigotry

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexism, Self harm, Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Vomit, War, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Murder, Pedophilia, Deadnaming, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Confinement, Cursing, Misogyny, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Torture, Classism, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Genocide

story_goblin's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

 I was slightly concerned at the beginning because

something seemed off and uncomfortable about the Mothers

but once it became apparent that that was on purpose, I got even more into the book than I expected to. There are very few (no?) other books that so deftly address the nuance and complications of true conflict like this one- maybe Hunger Games, but it's been too long since I've read them. All the characters have differing and complex reasons for participating in the conflict they ways that they do, and precious few (only 1, which is honestly arguable) of those reasons are "I'm just evil". As much as I want and need stories that give me hope that humanity can find a way to stop destroying everything, many of those stories oversimplify into villain vs hero. This book does not. I am slightly worried about where the next book is going-

Deka being a goddess instead of humanity's rescue being human despite the very strong religion corrupts messages

- but Forna surprised me with the first two books, so I'll absolutely give her the chance to surprise me again.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Murder, Sexual violence, Torture, and Rape

Minor: Pregnancy, Classism, Cursing, and Homophobia