Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

242 reviews

serenhybrid's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

2.0

I really wanted to like this book but it just fell utterly flat! It's written by a black female author, and centers on a culture very different to my own, which I would normally love and relish! It's meant to be about feminism and defeating the patriarchy, but parts of it read more like torture porn. There was an almost gratuitous focus on some of the horrific things that happened to the characters, and only the merest lip service paid to the effect it has on them. 

For me, this book perpetuates the troubling narrative that trauma makes women stronger, that their suffering is somehow noble and that every terrible thing was worth it because it made them better people. This is false, and troubling to read in a book that purports to be feminist. Frequently, I wondered if this was written by a man! The characters made no sense, had very little internal logic and just seemed to be devices to push forward a plot with a clear agenda. The story somehow moves both too fast and extremely slow. The ending is just awful, huge amounts of exposition and back story pushed into about 5 pages. I don't like any of the characters and I have no investment in the world or outcomes. 

This has so much promise, but the writing is just not good enough to support the ideas.  requently , an idea was planted and then resolved just a page or two later. This lead to a serious dearth of tension and anticipation. I wish the whole book was the trilogy, so we could explore the world and characters a lot more, and so some of the later plot twists were slightly more built up to. I just can't recommend that anyone reads this book, especially if they have experienced any trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Misogyny, Genocide, and Sexism

Moderate: Child abuse and Rape

Heavily implied detail of a 13 year old girl being raped and tortured for many years, with no comfort or rescue

thatssotamara's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, War, Misogyny, Murder, Genocide, Death of parent, Torture, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Physical abuse

lovelybubbles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Vomit, Misogyny, Blood, and Child abuse

jagodasbooks's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

4.0

I am absolutely horrified
this book should come with at least 3 page long list of trigger warnings

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Torture, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Animal death, War, Death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Child abuse, and Child death

nicole12's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Gore

Moderate: Sexism and War

Minor: Rape

inez_hunter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, War, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent and Confinement

Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Rape

lpothan's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Rape, Grief, Pedophilia, War, Abandonment, Confinement, Genocide, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, and Misogyny

bammys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, Religious bigotry, Violence, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape

yaelaed's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, War, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Rape and Confinement

caroliiineb's review against another edition

adventurous dark

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Torture, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Rape and Vomit