Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

10 reviews

diredreamings'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Trafficking

Moderate: Physical abuse, Gore, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, War, Death, and Sexual violence

Minor: Cannibalism

cannibalism is implied only in one chapter where Momma K is speaking with Roth about what he has been doing

faith_1849's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.5

I quite enjoyed this book, and the setting is very interesting and I liked how it sometimes bounced from Kylar’s point of view to other points of view, but some of the world building was a little confusing, and not really explained.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Cursing, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, and Classism

Minor: Torture and Slavery

roksyreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Brent Weeks’ debut novel features political intrigue, unusual magic, and thrilling action.

In the dangerous Warrens, Azoth has few choices to survive. To escape lifelong destitution in the slums, he apprentices himself to Durzo Blint and commits to a life of cultivating death.

Apart from the primary antagonist, of course, this is one of the few stories for which I can say - genuinely - that I am invested in all of the characters. Whilst the odd one did irritate me (as intended), none of the characters felt superfluous, and each one is carefully wrought and developed. I could picture each and everyone clearly in my mind, from looks to mannerisms, and felt I could relate in some way to an aspect of each.

This book is dark, violent, and intense in ways which challenge a reader's moralities at every turn, yet beneath the layers of grey there is a spark - brilliant, though faint - of the kind from which one cannot turn away. The final chapters of this first book in the trilogy see that spark flare to life, and I feel I am a moth drawn to that flame. All the quibbles I might have about dialogue (which at times could have used a little more attention) were quickly overwhelmed by the intricacies of the narrative and the expertly handled world-building. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, Child death, Blood, Torture, and Gore

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape

razielnd's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Cursing, War, Drug use, Death of parent, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Death, Confinement, Child death, Cannibalism, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Violence, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Terminal illness, Stalking, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Grief, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

mayhem9683's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Alcoholism, Child death, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Confinement

fox2800's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was a lot. 
Morally gray characters. Dark concepts. 
But it was amazingly written. The pacing could not have been better. The characters had depth and weren’t overly predictable. There are so many layers to the plot that unfold, and it is told through multiple povs that allow you to slowly piece together the big picture. 
The structure and writing style remind me of the throne of glass series. Overall, very well written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Rape, Murder, Child death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Body horror

Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, Child death, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Bullying, Cursing, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Death, Violence, War, Murder, Pedophilia, and Sexual content

goizi's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Rape

Minor: War, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Sexism

iksme's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

2.5

Loved the plot, but the male gaze in this book made me feel so objectified.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Stalking, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and War

irispub_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture

masoudhouse's review

adventurous dark sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Grief, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Bullying, Body horror, and Blood