Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

130 reviews

kyannarichard's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

It took me a bit to really gravitate to the book. But it was so good from the beginning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, Classism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Rape

captainoliimar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Violence, Vomit, Classism, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, War, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Blood, Child death, Kidnapping, and Medical content

Minor: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic relationship

sunberry's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

An absolutely incredible book. So hard to put down. The characters were engaging, interesting, and fun to root for. All kinds of twists that kept the book engaging. The magic elements were also a lot of fun. It has very dark themes, and heavily features abuse, but it is empowering as well as the characters overcome. The ending feels hopeful, but with knowledge of consequences.  Can't wait to pick up the sequel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Body horror, War, Religious bigotry, Death, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Classism, Vomit, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Body horror

Minor: Bullying and Mental illness

auri_underthing's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Solid read, kept me entertained the whole time. Although for some reason I found the ending a bit unsatisfactory. Still, I enjoyed it. I love Ixa. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Body horror, Violence, War, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Torture and Sexual violence

catorureads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Cursing and Vomit

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

frankieclc's review

4.0

I think the arc of self worth redemption in this book out weighs how graphic the violence was 

really interesting and rather unique world building/storyline in general

will b reading book 2 when it comes out for sure

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, and Body horror

Moderate: Rape, Torture, and Sexism

willowmae's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, and Torture

zikin'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

3.75

I enjoyed parts of this book, and I liked the main character/characters. My biggest reason for not giving it 4 stars is the gore. I found the graphic descriptions of violence and abuse off-putting. I will read the sequel though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, and War

whatjasread's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would! Not too sure that I'm desperate to continue the series, but this book was very different to what I expected. The writing was great, though a little slow at times and could probably have been a little shorter with some decent editing. Plotwise this was predictable but not in a bad way, I enjoyed seeing the story unfold. I do wish there was a bit more focus on Deka's Uruni bond with Keita. I also wish the queer relationship was a bit more obvious and woven through the story, as it felt a bit like an afterthought.

TWs: racism, colourism, sexism, sexual harassment, illness, murder, graphic violence, gore, blood, death, stab wounds, torture, body-shaming, scarring, vomiting, ref to rape, sexual assault, fat-shaming, dismemberment, body horror, death of mother (before book)

Tropes/rep/themes: war, legends, sapphic SCs, found family, ritual bonding

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Murder, Blood, Death, Child death, Torture, and War

Moderate: Sexism, Vomit, Racism, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, and Fatphobia

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Medical content

lucy_shanners's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, Body horror, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Bullying, Pedophilia, and Vomit