Reviews with content warning for Slavery - The Curse of Chalion

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

17 reviews

sawexan's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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: Complicated

Content Warnings

lavendera_'s review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

Content Warnings

yrioona's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Fair warning: this book is slow, dense, and crammed with detail. It does not come with a map, glossary, or family tree, and I was hurting for all three. There is significant time spent on in-universe theological discussions and multilayered, multigenerational court intrigues.

All that said, it is incredibly rewarding. All the little pieces the first three-quarters of the book so painstakingly puts in place come together beautifully in the last act.

Lois McMaster Bujold is brilliant at exploring power structures in a fantasy setting and making them feel historically grounded and morally grey. Cazaril is a masterfully written hero(antihero?), and the book subtly and intricately subverts fantasy tropes of courtly love and heroic quests. There is nightmarish body horror, clever politicking, slow burn romance that plays with power dynamics and gender roles in interesting ways, and a fascinating magic system.

Sophisticated and compelling dark fantasy with a totally satisfying ending (though it really takes its time getting there!).

Content Warnings

dunecello's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The best book I've read in a while! A lovely read. I could use so many more words to describe it. Heartwarming, tender, exciting, satisfying. The story of a man who sees himself as broken but is worth so much more than he realizes. All the best things for Cazaril.

When the souls rise up in glory, yours shall not be shunned nor sundered, but shall be the prize of the gods' gardens. Even your darkness shall be treasured then, and all your pain made holy.

Content Warnings

bookishdreamer's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Content Warnings

hannahhbic's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

Feb 2025 reread:

ISTA WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING #JUSTICEFORISTA

More seriously, this is one of my favorite fictional portrayals of cptsd. The quote that made me cry for a long time last night (paraphrased) was

Caz: maybe the goddess poured my soul back into my body incorrectly
Pally: and now you leak poetry!

It’s just so beautiful that people can survive horrific things and still choose to be this valiantly kind. I really needed this book right now. Thank you for this gift, Lois.

original review:
It took me nearly a year to get through but I adore this book. Thank goodness my library has books two and three on audiobook as well so I don't have to wait!

Content Warnings