Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison

25 reviews

pvbobrien's review

emotional mysterious 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: Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide, Child abuse, and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Homophobia, and Pregnancy

sonias's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder and Death

Minor: Suicide

spherushi's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

marenjk's review

adventurous dark emotional sad slow-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

4.5

This is exactly the kind of thing I love. Thara Celehar does not fail to be a compelling narrator, perhaps he is even more engaging in The Grief of Stones than he was for The Witness for the Dead.
I liked the first book a lot, and I loved this one even more. A lot of that had to do with me being "broken in" to the setting of the story; I'll admit that the titles and the linguistics of naming conventions had me scrambling through The Goblin Emperor and halfway through The Witness for the Dead. Nevertheless, the story and the heart of the characters shine through. 
The mystery of this installment was one I found very compelling, and I think had a larger influence on the shape of the story than the mystery of Shiveän's murder had on The Witness for the Dead. I adore the new characters we've been introduced to, and I look forward to what adventures lie in store for them.
Thara Celehar is a good man riddled guilt who wonders why any one would love him, and it for that reason and many others he has a resolute fan in me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Torture, Misogyny, and Trafficking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, and Rape

jupitermond's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, Murder, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage

coreysees's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

A direct sequel to The Witness for the Dead and just as enjoyable. The content is a little darker/more mature (see content warnings). I am hoping there will be a third in the series, but this would also be a solid, if slightly open, ending to the series. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicide

Sexual exploitation of minors, pornography

kal517's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide, and Sexual assault

Minor: Homophobia

achingallover's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Death, Grief, Child death, Murder, Pedophilia, and Suicide

the_bees_books's review

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

The exciting sequel to The Witness for the Dead, featuring a cast of beloved and new characters, plus a whole host of brand new mysteries! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Grief, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Murder, Suicide, Racism, and Domestic abuse

Minor: War, Violence, and Alcohol

aehc's review

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I anticipate it will take exactly six books for Thara Celehar to emotionally heal and accept that he has inherent worth as a human (or elf) being, but I'm excited to read every one of them. As always, the world of the Ethuveraz is rich and compelling, and Addison does none of the exposition dumping common in fantasy, trusting her readers to work things out from context. The world opens a bit more in every book, and they all reward close attention and re-reads. Celehar is wonderful as our flawed but deeply good protagonist; his profound awkwardness is matched only by his deep commitment to justice and to his calling.

I'm fascinated by how Celehar's loss of his connection to the dead will drive forward his character development. Tomasaran is a great addition to the cast; her presence shakes up the status quo and lets us see different parts of the world that Celehar, as a man and a lifelong prelate, doesn't have access to. I'm excited to get to know her further in the next book and see how her and Celehar's student/mentor relationship evolves as she becomes the official Witness.

And of course, the slow burn romance of all time, Iäna Pel-Thenhior. The opera and the arts scene in Amalo is such an interesting contrast to Celehar's usual haunts, and I loved how Celehar continues to be drawn in while realizing he's playing with fire. But Iäna is so fiercely trying, and I have faith that these  two crazy kids (read: middle aged men) can make it work.
 

The mysteries in this book were a little less compelling than in The Witness for the Dead, but the rich character work and the worldbuilding provide more than enough to sink your teeth into. I'm so excited for the third book, and I hope Addison continues to find compelling stories to tell in this world. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Suicide