Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna

18 reviews

emiliemhr's review against another edition

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Homophobia

Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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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

sewer_rat's review

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.5

It was very predictable

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Violence, Slavery, Sexism, and Blood

Moderate: Vomit and Sexual violence

marigold82's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

Nice follow-up book. The ending left you wanting more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Torture

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cannibalism, and Sexual violence

Minor: Pregnancy

librarybookscene's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, War, and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment and Blood

Minor: Body shaming, Gore, Death of parent, and Body horror

rachelroo13's review

adventurous challenging reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

"It's never easy, is it, Deka." Britta says it best and this quote can easily encompass this entire sequel. Forna has masterfully woven the continuation of Deka and the alaki's story with twists, turns, and betrayal once again. In a fictional world touted for it's feminism and woman power this book not only empowers its women and girls but also extends the conversation to all genders. I don't think I've ever read a book with as many trans or non-binary characters and the best part is, these things are not a "big deal." They aren't made a large part of the characters' personalities, it isn't talked about exhaustively; it's just a thing that is mentioned, accepted, and then everyone moves on as normal. Where the first book in this series pushed the reader to think about misogyny, the idea of misandry is added here. Deka and her friends want true equality for all, regardless of gender. Of course that's not going to be easy, especially in a culture as twisted around as Otera's. The mythology of Otera and the continued worldbuilding make this a dynamite sequel, and I'm excited to see where Deka goes next.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Transphobia, Death, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Sexism

Minor: Homophobia, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Rape

amanda_marie's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

This series is bananas sometimes. It’s trying to do so much, and I’m not always sure it’s working, but I’m so enchanted by the efforts that I just keep reading. Loved the twists and turns in this sequel as the lore developed and will definitely read more books just to see how this turns out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Torture, Self harm, Sexism, and Transphobia

queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

5.0

5 ⭐ CW: violence, death, death of a parent, torture, sexual abuse mention, misogyny, misandry, homophobia/transphobia, gender essentialism, descriptions of blood and gore, anxiety, PTSD (including descriptions of flashbacks)

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna is book two in the Deathless trilogy. This book was just as good, if not better than the first one! The first book gives a lot of world building and a pretty straightforward plot about escaping your oppressors, but this books throws all that out the window and comes back with more twists. 

We pick up with Deka after the events of book one, after she has been named Nuru to the gods. Deka and her friends continue to try to defeat the jatu and their false god. But as Deka discovers her growing powers, she realizes she doesn't have the full picture about the Mothers, the Gilded Ones. She realizes not everything is as it seems, and there is something even more sinister afoot. 

Deka continues her struggle to overcome her trauma and sort out the truth, so she can trust her own mind again. The others in Deka's group are learning they have been blessed with divine powers as well. Our favorite sentient dragon gets bigger in this book! I love Ixa so much. Britta is a bad bitch in this book, I love her friendship with Deka so much. Their friendship is almost more important than the romantic relationships in the book. 

There are major themes in this book about misogyny and oppression of those that don't fit in binary boxes (such as gay men and trans and intersex people), but it also explore the dangers of misandry (the oppression of men and the elevation of [cis] women). Basically, Forna is telling us that gender essentialism will be our downfall. We also get themes on the importance of rear and deal with your trauma. The rep in this series is so good: Black and Asian characters, mental health rep, gay/sapphic rep, nonbinary rep, trans rep, polyamory, intersex, someone with a tic. 

I can't wait for the final book of this series! Namina Forna is killing it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Blood, Gore, Violence, Torture, Death, and Misogyny

Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia

Minor: Sexual violence

le3713's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

I didn't love this one as much as the first book, but I did enjoy how much it played with questions about who is good and who is bad and what they're fighting for.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

lucy_shanners's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, War, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Pregnancy and Transphobia