Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

37 reviews

nonnavlis's review

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was such a delightful read! The writing style of the author is so marvellous. It's not at all short on evocative prose, but never the sort that trips you up; it reads so smoothly and is also quite witty. I'm someone who is just branching into more modern writing and often struggle with a dislike of the style of it, but this was great. The completely unrestrained queerness was also very delightful and the characters are engaging. It's unrealistic in the good way--you probably won't see the story beats coming and they're a bit silly when they do, but in a way you want to happen because it's all the more fun.

It was also lovely to see some unexpected disability representation later in the story! (I am not considering this is a spoiler as it's something I would've wanted to know as a disabled person, but sorry if anyone feels a bit cheated in my saying so).

The only problem I had with it was the handling of racial tension within the story. I respect the author's desire for some diversity and their certainly earnest and well-meant attempt at handling it, but it did feel pretty simplistic and glossed over in a way I expect a reader of colour would find even more awkward/uncomfortable than I did as a white reader. It's unfortunately one of those stories that probably would've benefited heavily from some sensitivity readers that it seems it did not have. The fact that the author even has an author's note chapter at the end of the book dedicated to summarizing her historical research and influences (where she refers to slave-owners as masters rather than enslavers which felt to me like a pretty glaring sign of lack of knowledge in this area), but still fumbled this as much as she did is why I've removed half a star from my rating. I did see after finishing that this is part of a series so I'm hoping it will be handled better in future stories, since we all have room to learn.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Slavery, Vomit, Kidnapping, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexism, Colonisation, Ableism, Classism, Blood, Cursing, Sexual content, and Racism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, and Infidelity

redheadorganist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Confinement, Medical content, Blood, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy

Minor: Trafficking, Sexual content, and Slavery

psliz's review

adventurous 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

4.25

friends-to-lovers is all i needed. romantic angst is the cherry on top. part of the plot wasn't my favorite but like i said, friends-to-lovers with romantic angst!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Biphobia, Racism, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Gun violence, Confinement, Blood, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Ableism

Minor: Torture and Death of parent

annabella's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

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

4.25

Monty’s annoying traits through his reckless behaviour did get a bit repetitive at the end although it was fleshed out well and I don’t think the perception of disability was really resolved or depicted as well, but overall was very sweet and exciting to listen to, easy to follow along. Really funny and heartwarming

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, and Medical content

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Homophobia

Minor: Vomit

water_violin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Ableism, Misogyny, Self harm, Gun violence, Classism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Colonisation, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Slavery

georgiaisreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted 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: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Alcohol, Racism, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual content, Murder, Medical content, Homophobia, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Forced institutionalization

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Homophobia

Moderate: Ableism, Slavery, Misogyny, Death, Grief, Violence, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Medical content

Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Cursing

laurenw's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Very fun romp of a book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Medical content

Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Infidelity, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Abandonment

breadbees's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Medical content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Sexism, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

izzybell's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, and Ableism

Moderate: Alcoholism and Classism

Minor: Slavery and Sexual content