Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

10 reviews

mads_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Stalking, Child abuse, Ableism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Miscarriage, Classism, Violence, Death of parent, and Hate crime

Moderate: Misogyny and Miscarriage

gillian_aftanas's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Grief, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Mental illness, Gore, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Classism, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Confinement, Child abuse, Child death, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Drug abuse, and Rape

amy_reading_23's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one. It's possibly one of the best historical novels I've read as it does truly bring Elizabethan England to life. There was also a lightheartedness to this novel that the first one lacked. I also enjoyed the more focused exploration of witchcraft. 

The only reason I won't give it 4 stars is because I still don't like how Matthew treats Diana. Mostly he is better than the first book but that's not saying much. He is still abusive and its still excused as being because of his vampirism and past. It is such a shame as without that these would be great books. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Blood

joey_paige's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Grief, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Murder, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Rape, and Drug use

micaelamariem's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

A bit disappointed with this one. Good points: it was well written and there must’ve been loads of research put into this which I respect. Not so good points: the books was unnecessarily long and many scenes could’ve been cut out, Matthew was insufferable in his secret-keeping, hypocrisy, and jealousy, and the elements of time travel didn’t make much sense as they thoroughly messed up the timeline!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Murder, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, War, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Addiction, Classism, Confinement, and Drug use

redheadsuperpowers's review

emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.0

300 pages in and already annoyed with the menfolk.  I am reminded of why I avoid historical romances. Matthew has fallen away from his modern memory, and is treating Diana as if she were from the Elizabethan era and not the educated woman she is. At risk due to a jealous ass of his friend, who has attempted to stir witchcraft sentiments against her in a time and place where witches were burned!! I seethe, as all could have been avoided if her was listening and respecting her intelligence. Men.ugh.

I read this directly after reading the first in the series. It did lend some to the storyline, but overall, it just reminded me I hate historical novels. I am more of an urban fantasy reader.

In this follow up to A Discovery of Witches, we find our leads Diana and Matthew time walking back to Elizabethan England. With a jealous wannabe paramour for Matthew, active witch hunts, and time appropriate intrigue, it drags a bit. Matthew is once again keeping too many secrets, but Diana is finally learning her own abilities. We meet Philippe and Stephan, and see both leads get some closure with their fathers. Diana changes history by being herself. We met lots of major historical players that were apparently Matthew's friends. That man sure involves himself in major events for someone changing lives so often. All in all, it was a decent book, and while long winded, did lend depth to the storyline.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Gore, Classism, Colonisation, Death, War, Blood, Child abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Torture, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Mental illness, and Violence

maggies's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

Similar to the first book in the series, I found this one maybe a bit too long, but it was still totally enthralling. I loved the setting, watching Diana and Matthew learn more about each other and themselves. It was especially more realistic that this story took place over the course of a year rather than just several weeks, like the first book. The

time jumps back to the present

were also *chef's kiss* perfection.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Addiction, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Pregnancy

goosegrimm's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Sometimes you need a campy book about witches timetraveling to elizabethian england and getting married to a vampire. This is that book. I found it really slow in the beginning, and while I do enjoy (somewhat) how complex the plotlines are, there were a few times I was frustrated by the detours. However, Harkness still has a really interesting way of handling prose. And I am a sucker for all of the history bits. And overall the last 3rd of the book was quite tight and very satisfying. If you like paranormal romances with a shocking amount of history in them, Harkness is where its at honestly.  

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and War

Minor: Xenophobia

meganpbennett's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Shadow of Night picks up immediately after the ending of A Discovery of Witches, this time in 1590. Matthew and Diane go back in time in an attempt to solve a variety of mysteries that plague the present, and find the missing book. 

I'm not sure what I think. I don't really like Matthew, though he is growing on me, a bit like mold or calculus. I have issues with how he treats Diana, and how much he didn't seem willing to help her adjust to suddenly living in Elizabethan England. Or how he treats her and how he doesn't seem willing to help her when they have to go to Prague, tracking a traitor alchemist and the book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Antisemitism, Death, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

marisabenn's review

adventurous mysterious 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

3.75

I once had this as a DNF, the second time I really had to force myself through it, the third time I enjoyed it. I'm not sure if I wasn't in the mood for it or what. It's a very slow read, but I love all of the new characters and development. There are a few parts that seemed completely unnecessary, but nothing's perfect I suppose.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Miscarriage and Rape