Scan barcode
_mj_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-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
5.0
Dark and twisty indeed
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, War, Genocide, Rape, and Child death
bekahzabel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Weβre passed the point of morally grey here, entering pitch black territory π
π«£π« π€
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Murder, Child death, and Torture
colleen_corleone's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If you can make it past the 25% mark, there's an actual story.
To get there... you have to read a lot of rape. It's not too visceral in terms of the lasting harm, but it's a lot. The "sex" scenes are definitely detailed.
It's a decent telling of the gross parts of mythology that are glossed over. Gods are often horrible, abusive, assholes who don't accept that humans have the right to autonomy.
Enoch starts to soften somewhat, but with the ending who knows what will happen.
It was decently told. I do want to read the next one.
I couldn't recommend it to anyone. Too many CWs for that to feel like anything but a cruelty, but if you're interested, I'd say try it out.
To get there... you have to read a lot of rape. It's not too visceral in terms of the lasting harm, but it's a lot. The "sex" scenes are definitely detailed.
It's a decent telling of the gross parts of mythology that are glossed over. Gods are often horrible, abusive, assholes who don't accept that humans have the right to autonomy.
Enoch starts to soften somewhat, but with the ending who knows what will happen.
It was decently told. I do want to read the next one.
I couldn't recommend it to anyone. Too many CWs for that to feel like anything but a cruelty, but if you're interested, I'd say try it out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Child death, Sexual assault, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, and Rape
Minor: Genocide
annife's review against another edition
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Child death
sfdogmom's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Animal death
bangiebangs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a really hard one to review. It is dark, like all the CWs apply here. It does contain sexual assault and rape in pretty much all its forms. And yes, I agree with another review that it really reminds me of Laura Thalassa's Pestilence as well.
Are there redeeming qualities? Not if you don't want to read about SA. Skip this book, truly. For me, it was the first one that really went there, but I still liked the story overall. It doesnt break any ground (monstrous MMC, an FMC who is dropped into his clutches, and slow enemies to lovers, the tortured man rescued by a kind woman, etc).
The reason I can still enjoy the book is probably that the rape scenes aren't truly fleshed out - we get the mechanics, we don't get a lot of description of how it feels (beyond "my ass still hurts") or the fallout (ie. how does Ada feel afterwards, what physical and mental effects are there). This doesn't diminish what happens, of course, but it does make it much easier to focus on the slow process of her seeing more of him and gaining some understanding. (Fwiw, the worst part for me was her reaction to him "twisting" her legs - so much more palpable, and gave me more of a visceral reaction).
In order for this all to work I think you have to understand that people (especially women) do have rape fantasies, and that that is ok. To be clear, it is *not* ok to actually rape someone, but fantasizing about that is just something that many people do. (I'm explicitly excluding cis men or people who actually want to sexually assault somebody and talking about a sexual fantasy here). I think it's legitimate to suspend disbelief and enjoy the book for what it is: an enemies to lovers rape fantasy, even if it is not something I'd want to read uncritically (meaning without acknowledging the rape, and accepting that this can still be a turn on... as a fantasy.) And because it is a fantasy, a dark one at that, it's acceptable that this is not CNC but actual non con.
With that out of the way: the pacing is pretty good, though feels a tad hurried at times (it's not a long book). The dialogue... eh. His blunt way of talking about fucking her sometimes took me out of the story a little, mainly because he otherwise talks like a being that has lost touch with humanity and isn't particularly modern. But ok.
The world-building was great, super interesting take! Also enough mystery left for book 2.I'm curious about the brothers... like, the god of whispers seems as horrible as the MMC .
Recommended if you liked Pestilence, dark romance, rape fantasy and dont mind gore and violence. Explicitly not for you if you mind any of that and/or graphic descriptions of death and decay (incl children) or violent child death - though that's the cliffhanger so not sure how that will actually work out .
Are there redeeming qualities? Not if you don't want to read about SA. Skip this book, truly. For me, it was the first one that really went there, but I still liked the story overall. It doesnt break any ground (monstrous MMC, an FMC who is dropped into his clutches, and slow enemies to lovers, the tortured man rescued by a kind woman, etc).
The reason I can still enjoy the book is probably that the rape scenes aren't truly fleshed out - we get the mechanics, we don't get a lot of description of how it feels (beyond "my ass still hurts") or the fallout (ie. how does Ada feel afterwards, what physical and mental effects are there). This doesn't diminish what happens, of course, but it does make it much easier to focus on the slow process of her seeing more of him and gaining some understanding. (Fwiw, the worst part for me was her reaction to him "twisting" her legs - so much more palpable, and gave me more of a visceral reaction).
In order for this all to work I think you have to understand that people (especially women) do have rape fantasies, and that that is ok. To be clear, it is *not* ok to actually rape someone, but fantasizing about that is just something that many people do. (I'm explicitly excluding cis men or people who actually want to sexually assault somebody and talking about a sexual fantasy here). I think it's legitimate to suspend disbelief and enjoy the book for what it is: an enemies to lovers rape fantasy, even if it is not something I'd want to read uncritically (meaning without acknowledging the rape, and accepting that this can still be a turn on... as a fantasy.) And because it is a fantasy, a dark one at that, it's acceptable that this is not CNC but actual non con.
With that out of the way: the pacing is pretty good, though feels a tad hurried at times (it's not a long book). The dialogue... eh. His blunt way of talking about fucking her sometimes took me out of the story a little, mainly because he otherwise talks like a being that has lost touch with humanity and isn't particularly modern. But ok.
The world-building was great, super interesting take! Also enough mystery left for book 2.
Recommended if you liked Pestilence, dark romance, rape fantasy and dont mind gore and violence. Explicitly not for you if you mind any of that and/or graphic descriptions of death and decay (incl children)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Religious bigotry
drduck's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Slavery, Death, Rape, Vomit, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
malisac16's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Infertility, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Rape, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Domestic abuse
lexareadsaalatte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Spice: πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ
Check trigger warnings.
As much as I wasn't a fan of this book, I couldn't stop as I have a self-problem with DNF.
It's Dark. That's fine. But like, remember it's d a r k. Abusive level. And that became a big part of the story and overshadowed plot.
I liked the premise of the story and it being different enough that I wanted to continue reading. But Enosh just is problematic beyond dark
My Rating System:
5 β Masterfully created work of art with many strong qualities. Will re-read. Cannot imagine my life without it. Devastated it is over.
4 β Solid Work. Enjoyed from beginning to end.
3 β Decent with poor execution in some manner. Neutral.
2 β Wasn't good but not completely bad. Only 1 or 2 redeeming qualities
1 β DNF and/or no redeeming qualities
Join Me On Booktok at LexaReadsALatte
Join Me On Bookstagram at LexaReadsALatte
Check trigger warnings.
As much as I wasn't a fan of this book, I couldn't stop as I have a self-problem with DNF.
It's Dark. That's fine. But like, remember it's d a r k. Abusive level. And that became a big part of the story and overshadowed plot.
I liked the premise of the story and it being different enough that I wanted to continue reading. But Enosh just is problematic beyond dark
My Rating System:
5 β Masterfully created work of art with many strong qualities. Will re-read. Cannot imagine my life without it. Devastated it is over.
4 β Solid Work. Enjoyed from beginning to end.
3 β Decent with poor execution in some manner. Neutral.
2 β Wasn't good but not completely bad. Only 1 or 2 redeeming qualities
1 β DNF and/or no redeeming qualities
Join Me On Booktok at LexaReadsALatte
Join Me On Bookstagram at LexaReadsALatte
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Infertility, Child death, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death
mixxroxy's review against another edition
The non-consensual parts of this book are absolutely overwhelming. The main lead obviously doesn't like it or want it but then it's written like she just can't help herself because it's just so good. And it's even worse because she's magically spelled/forced into doing things she doesn't want to. And that's not where things end. The "love interest" also viciously physically assaults her and she just sort of leans into the panes of his hard chest. As if having stacked muscles excuses your domestic violence and sexual assault. The story seemed really interesting but I don't consider this romantic, a slow burn, or enemies to lovers. It's just straight assault (in every sense of the word) and not at all for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Infertility, Slavery, and Body horror
Minor: Child death