Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Une Fenêtre sur les ténèbres by Benjamin Peylet, Rachel Gillig

52 reviews

jmwal's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book was so unique and dark, and i loved every second of it.

Ravyn and Elspeth are just 😍

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Child abuse and War

margaret_k30's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Infidelity, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

rchulin1's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

A very interesting fantasy book different from a lot of other books I read in the genre has some gothic themes 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism

heathermiccolo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Torture, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent

thenovelnestle's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

rebecca_finch'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Violence, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

josalinrose's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent

amburrella's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Murder

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Sexual content

maryp20's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

Where do I even begin? This was an amazing opening to The Shepherd King duology. The vibes were unmatched and gave off serious Throne of Glass vibes. The magic system is so unique yet easy to understand. There is ancient lore to be learned throughout the story and secrets to be unveiled. The romance was a factor but not the plot which was a phenomenal choice by Rachel Gillig. The banter, loyalty, love, trust and distrust fueled the characters and their relationships in a beautiful way. Left on a cliffhanger, perfectly setting us up for the next story. The only thing preventing this from 5 stars was that it felt rushed at times and I felt as though there could have been more details or struggles or character development to thicken the plot. But I absolutely loved this story and can’t wait to jump into the next one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Hate crime, and Fire/Fire injury

and_so_it_goes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.0

Worse than a mediocre romantasy is a mediocre romantasy with potential. One Dark Window has atmosphere and engaging worldbuilding based on dark fairy tales. It has the idea of an engaging female protagonist in its first chapters. Elspeth is quiet, silently flinching at the monster trapped in her head, but quietly resilient. The card magic system may have flaws but it fits the world itself, and the consequences of using magic is compelling. The opening chapters instantly set it apart from many cookie cutter romantasy by having a clear aesthetic and good writing style that ties everything together. 

Then the poems slowly start to grate on you. Some are compelling, eerie, and the rhyme schemes fit. Others are so bad I laughed at what was supposed to be a dark moment. Then, the love interest is introduced…

Ravyn is in no danger of being Rhysand. He is the more brooding, angsty type who actually asks Elspeth’s permission. However, he, like Elspeth, suddenly gets possessed by the spirit of romantasy. 

He is the captain of the Destriers despite secretly being infected himself, and Elspeth barely mentions how he has literally killed his own (and only a brief mention of him ‘helping a few escape’ after Elspeth does the work for them). The two are forced into a very sad fake dating scenario that suddenly rears its mediocre head randomly and reminds you it exists.

Elspeth banters with him in such a bland way it’s almost embarrassing, and their insta-love is so devoid of chemistry I tried convincing myself she’d have a different love interest. 

Elspeth learning she may become insane

is not as horror-fueled as it could be, because one of her key freak out moments is in the middle of a very bland make out scene. This isn’t even mentioning the bland evil stepmother and stepsisters, and her occasionally remembering to be concerned about her cousin. If there was another, better story set in this world with Elspeth’s arc being changed to the suitably horrifying mental war with the Nightmare that I was expecting, then I would read that book instead. The ending is brilliant and horrifying but not worth the suffering no doubt awaiting me in the second book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Death of parent