Reviews tagging 'War'

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

29 reviews

apocellipse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? No

3.5

i did thoroughly enjoy this book, just felt a little fanfiction-y at times which is not what i was expecting from the outset. also felt like we were juggling a few too many distinct conflicts at times, couldn’t focus on a “main” one really. but i found it really fun to read, so i’m not docking too many stars :-) 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Torture

Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Homophobia

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, and War

heidipolkissa82's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

An absolutely fun read, especially if you enjoy fantasy reads. I loved watching Miles try to figure out what's wrong with his patients and solve the mystery of the murdered magic user all while quickly falling head over heals in love. The characters are really fun, and the pace of the story felt really well done. Definitely will be one of my favorites for 2022.

📘The Gist 📘: While trying to unravel a mysterious illness he sees with magic without letting anyone know he has magic, Miles is visited by a dying man who passes on a dire warning. This adds solving the murder, falling in love, and avoiding his family's notice to his growing list of problems. 

📒Representation📒: mlm mc, mental healthcare

💕 For readers looking for 💕: a fun and adventurous fantasy, secret magic, mystery, magical others, heartwarming romance, political drama, an undertone that things are not as ok as they appear 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and War

Moderate: Classism

blackrabbitrun's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, and War

samantical's review

adventurous mysterious fast-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

Such an extremely cool world, magical Victorian steampunk but it’s not steampunk really??? And the magic is super interesting and unique and there are kind of fae leanings too?? Also like everyone is queer and there are women and POC and non-binary folks everywhere??? Amazing

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and War

aardwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A tightly plotted mystery with lots of stakes and intrigue and enough clever worldbuilding interwoven with the historical inspiration to be fun to follow. The romance is given a center stage that it doesn't quite earn, but the relationships are otherwise interestingly sketched.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Gore, and Death of parent

Minor: Colonisation and Suicide

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Homophobia, Murder, and War

story_goblin's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

extremely immersive and a quick read, but the story doesn't feel fast while you're reading. I absolutely loved it. It was unique and exactly what I was looking for right now

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death, Blood, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, and War

The main character is a war veteran who works at a veteran's hospital working with patients exhibiting symptoms similar to what we would call PTSD. He can "see" an "infection" inside them with magic powers he has to hide because all "witches" are sent to insane asylums. He ran away from home because all mages born into rich families that have powers other than controlling storms are forcibly bonded to a "storm-singer" and used as back-up batteries/treated as inferior. In addition to the general medical content of him working in a hospital, there are several moments when it's discussed in the news that a veteran killed innocent people around him. The main character sees this first hand once. They also towards the end visit one of the insane asylums.