Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows

43 reviews

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Death, Rape, Violence, Sexual content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Self harm, Animal death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Ableism

Minor: Vomit and Blood

angel_hardy's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious fast-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: Rape, Vomit, Self harm, Homophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Suicide

Moderate: Animal death

sunshinemoth's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Murder, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Rape, Torture, and Homophobia

Moderate: Transphobia, Death of parent, and Xenophobia

bellabrady's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape

baby_dino's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

Go read this book. Please. The way it handles sensitive and potentially triggering topics is phenomenal, the slow-burn, queer, friends-to-lovers romance is fantastically done, and the way the main character heals from their sexual trauma is… wow. It’s incredibly powerful. Also, because of this book, my best friend has now found the pronouns that fit thim best. All aboard the train to Qi-Katai!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Outing, and Xenophobia

Minor: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Vomit

abarnakwn_ourcolourfulpages's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Blood, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Deportation, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Misogyny

jkneebone's review

emotional mysterious 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? No

4.0

I really enjoyed reading this! If you enjoy slow burn romance and court/political intrigue, definitely give this a try. 

The main thrust of the plot is an arranged marriage between two noblemen, Vel and Cae. Vel travels to Tithena to marry Cae, but his arrival sets off a series of attacks against himself and Cae’s family. Vel and Cae must learn to trust each other and work together to try and find out who is behind the attacks, while also working through their personal demons. 

Although I had some minor plot and pacing quibbles while reading, on the whole I really liked this novel. Foz Meadows managed to keep me not just interested, but “thinking about getting home to read more while at work” interested for over 500 pages, which is no mean feat. I found both Vel and Cae to be compelling characters, and I really liked the world building of Tithena. The writing was beautiful, and I enjoyed taking my time to savor it. Overall I thought the attack plot line was handled well - even if there were some things I suspected, I was still surprised by how everything turned out. I’m a sucker for a court drama and this delivered in spades. 

One word of warning - do be aware of the content warnings. There is some heavy stuff in this book, and it’s quite front-loaded. Even having read the CWs I was a bit taken aback at how quickly and intensely some things happened. Nothing is gratuitous, but there are dark moments an violence throughout the book that readers should be prepared for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Blood, Animal death, Death, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Homophobia, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

eenicem's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Murder, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Vomit, Transphobia, and Ableism

readingintandem's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Animal death, Murder, Violence, and Suicide attempt

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

Lovely, imaginative book about QPOC fantasy romance with great mutism and sign language representation, but BE SURE TO CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS. The subjects are handled well, but they are handled explicitly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Outing, Sexual assault, Rape, and Self harm

Moderate: Classism, Violence, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Blood, Torture, Sexism, Animal death, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Infidelity

There is ultimately healing in this story, but the author doesn't flinch away from full descriptions of all the traumatic events.