Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

21 reviews

brep23's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Gore, and Slavery

Moderate: Death, Confinement, and Sexual violence

Minor: Dementia, Car accident, and Child death

lira_the_recluse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I love a well conceived magic system and Foundry side has that in spades. Characters and the central mystery/plot were exquisite. 

If I had a nickel every time I read a book in the last two months where

the villain was really the brilliant cast aside and assumed weak woman getting her revenge

I would have 3 nickels.

I do have some qualms. 1) occasionally the book equats being fat with being evil / greedy / lazy. 2) page breaks that don't change POV or skip any time. 

Something like:
"Sancia reached into her pocket and threw the scribed sphere. A brilliant white flash lit up the room

...

When her eyes recovered, Sancia dove rushed the guard to grab his sword arm".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Slavery, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, Torture, and Car accident

raneyak's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.25

Really enjoyed it! Good world building and an interesting magic system. Points docked for the lackluster romance buildup and overuse of the word “scrumming”.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Trafficking

Minor: War, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Vomit

beebidon's review against another edition

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Slavery, Trafficking, War, Child abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Classism, Murder, Mental illness, and Medical content

Moderate: Police brutality, Torture, Sexism, Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Dementia

Minor: Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content

briely's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Blood, Death, Misogyny, and Body horror

Moderate: Slavery and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death

this__nerd's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This book is not only a story about the dangerous work of a hired thief who finds herself mixed up in some major political espionage and sabotage, it’s a story about challenging yourself, understanding your worth, scientific discovery, and critique of the human condition. The main character is smart, funny, and a total bad ass. All the main cast of characters see some degree of development and evolution through their involvement in the story. And there’s a talking key who’s funny as hell. I was engrossed and couldn’t put the story down

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Slavery, and Confinement

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Sexual assault

All of the triggering content provides context for the characters’ mindsets and decision making processes

jjjreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Excrement, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Torture, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Slavery, Stalking, Suicide, Trafficking, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Rape

wysperias's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Confinement, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, and Slavery

Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, and Cannibalism

laguerrelewis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

I came across this book thanks to its mention in an essay about creative commentary through sci-fi/fantasy systems, in which it was lauded in the same breath as N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. I am happy to report that it lives up to this comparison. The “magic” system of this book is incredibly unique and inspired, and Robert Jackson Bennett skillfully increases how complexly it is applied in a very rewarding way. His style is similar to Brandon Sanderson, with a nice balance of humor, despair, and optimism. And the best part is this book is basically a series of heists with ever increasing stakes and reality-warping magic! This would be a 5 star review if not for some politics regarding policing that feel outdated from a 2023 perspective and the handling of a certain characters’ trauma. I think that element could’ve been handled more tactfully. Ultimately, though,  this book was quite the enjoyable read, and I’m excited to read the next installment!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Alcohol, Slavery, Torture, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Violence, Vomit, War, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Classism, Death, Medical content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cannibalism and Death of parent

lanid's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Sexual assault, Violence, Confinement, Death, and Body horror