Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

World Without End by Ken Follett

4 reviews

rosietomyn's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

Revisiting Kingsbridge two hundred years after Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett's The World Without End isn't quite as impressive a read as it's predecessor. 

While Pillars expertly weaves life stories that span a couple of generations, the second novel sticks closer to one generation of Kingsbridge residents. Although it would seem more likely readers would get a deeper understanding of a smaller cast of characters, this set felt hollow and less dimensional than the larger cast in the previous book. If this had been book one, I don't believe I would pick up book two. 

The series as a whole is known for its violence, but book two feels especially brutal when compared to book one. Needlessly so.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Murder

hmatt's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's hard not to rate this 5 stars. I read the first third of the book in Fall 2020, and barely picked it up again until late 2023 - most of it, I read in the last week. Even though many years had passed, I remembered most of the characters and their plotlines. The storytelling in this series is so incredibly rich, it feels like it is history. It follows characters throughout their entire lives, basically, so you really end up connecting with and either loving or despising them.

There are many, many graphic and vulgar scenes, so I can see how this isn't a read that everyone would enjoy. I feel that the author toes the line of "too much" and doesn't necessarily cross it given the historical context, but this is my opinion.

I'm going to read around this time period, I think (ahem, Wolf Hall), and then perhaps pick up the third book in the series which takes place 200ish years later.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Medical content, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, War, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Animal death, Violence, Animal cruelty, Police brutality, Blood, Torture, Body shaming, Bullying, Slavery, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Classism, Gore, Grief, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Self harm

Minor: Dementia

melina_30's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring relaxing tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Physical abuse, Blood, Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts

susanknights's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Colonisation, Medical content, Death, Murder, Rape, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Classism, Dementia, Hate crime, Slavery, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Grief, Sexual violence, Islamophobia, and War