Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

188 reviews

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This was ok, interesting enough to finish but I don’t think it will truly be memorable for me. For an adult novel with older characters, the inner monologue and thirsting over the love interest was a bit gratuitous, and quickly went from forced proximity enemies to lovers to “I’d die for you instant love”. 

I also was not sure how I should take the low level magic world with real life Jewish and Hungarian historical elements? I don’t know much about either, so it was sometimes confusing to know if a piece of worldbuilding it was something that was historical or made for this book. 

I think if you like more historical romance novels, this might be better for you than for me! I was expecting a lot more magic based on the first couple of pages. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Gore, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Antisemitism and Self harm

Minor: Cannibalism

lovefromhannah's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

ava reid is a literary force to be reckoned with.

despite this being her debut, I actually read juniper and thorn prior to this. perhaps this was a mistake on my behalf as I enjoyed that more. whereas this fantasy is more folklore, oral tradition, holly black-esque conventions, juniper and thorn is more adjacent to the horror of girlhood, body autonomy and complex family relationships. on paper, I was destined to like juniper and thorn more - but I still really enjoyed the wolf and the woodsman and being witness to her growth as a writer.

I was originally going to give this 4.5 stars I kid you not: in the epilogue there are a couple of lines that suggest that there is a good chance the main romance don't end up together after the events of the book?!?! like you just said you would make her your wife and now (and I quote):

"One day when I come for our council meetings," I begin carefully, "you will have a new bride. You must."

...

To my suprise, Gaspar only lifts a shoulder. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. If the king has no true-born son, the crown will fall to a brother, a cousin, an uncle. The line of succession is more like a long thread that that spirals across our family tree. I can always name another heir."

It is enough to for me to hold on to, hope as thin as the knife's edge hanging above us. I will grasp it even if it cuts me; I will keep it from falling." (pp. 408-9)

Although, whilst writing quoting I do appreciate the mistletoe imagery. And honestly, the yearning and the tension was so well written that out of spite I might drop my rating to 4 stars.

I will continue to devour ava reid's backlog as I wait (im)patiently for lady macbeth to release.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Violence, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Torture, Hate crime, Trafficking, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Abandonment and Gore

Minor: Self harm

miblette's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

The pacing was a bit all over the place for me. There were moments I really enjoyed, but a vast majority of the middle of the story dragged on for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Murder, Body horror, Gore, and Self harm

owl_eerie's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.25

It was so gory, and for why?

Plot was fine. Didn't feel the romance part of it, and Evike was very bland for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Religious bigotry

yikesav's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Genocide, Blood, Violence, Death, Self harm, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Classism, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual content

jessereadsthings's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Antisemitism, Bullying, Xenophobia, and Child abuse

Minor: Animal death

abby_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

3.0

📱
I enjoyed reading this book. This is kinda what I picture as enemies-to-lovers: enemies to reluctant allies to lovers. The plot was amazing and I adored the characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Animal death

kellimalea's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.5

I think this is a great fantasy novel for someone who is interested in an adventurous story, but doesn't want to commit to a big series. I definitely think the story could have been fleshed out into multiple books, but it doesn't suffer from lack of content. The development of relationships between people would probably make more sense if it had been stretched out over multiple books, but I think it all still works well. I love that this story draws from Hungarian and Jewish folklore/history, as these aren't common sources for most American literature. I thought the world building was phenomenal. I would recommend this book, with the caveat that it is a dark and heavy read, so may not be everybody's cup of tea.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Torture, Violence, and Gore

Minor: Colonisation, Animal death, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Antisemitism, Genocide, Racism, Classism, Death, and Sexual assault

kingcrookback's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Bullying, Death of parent, and Child abuse

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, War, and Abandonment

Minor: Torture, Child abuse, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury