Reviews tagging 'Classism'

A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

35 reviews

chasinggrace's review

mysterious slow-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

3.0

I was so excited for the premise of this book, but unfortunately I was disappointed. The first installment of this series felt like a prequel with one of the most drab main characters I’ve ever read. Her development from meek and clumsy to angry and clumsy took 490 pages, and her relationship with Thorn moved at a similarly glacial pace. This book was dedicated to Ophelia understanding court politics and having her innocence completely shed, whereas I was expecting more - more interactions with Thorn, for the main character to have a quicker mind, for SOMETHING to happen. But it’s 500 pages of her getting pushed around like a rag doll. This truly could have been condensed, and I wish it had been. 

The world is fantastic, I will say. It reminds me of a cross between Studio Ghibli and Bridgerton. 


While I’m not completely put off from the series, it’ll be awhile before I decide if I want to continue with Ophelia’s story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

a_islandcriptid's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Police brutality, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

siomhaw's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Genocide, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

torturedreadersdept's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, and Classism

jstilts's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

The first part in a series, this book nevertheless is just about satisfying for the emotional/confidence journey it takes the lead upon (albeit slightly rushed at the end but I carries through well enough in book 2). I won't recap the plot as that would remove the tension, but this book is basically about an arranged marriage between two countries - but our lead character has been kept in the dark about how much danger this marriage will expose her to, to the point where she has to spend half the book in disguise amongst those who wish her dead. It's an interesting mix of fantasy and what could have been a period drama (almost a Jane Austen romance but one gone deliciously wrong). It probably wouldn't have been enough to be one or the other, but both genres combined lift this into a compelling tale of intrigue as she tries to survive the world she has been thrust into, and rise above the limited role she is being forced to play.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

katclaybaugh's review

adventurous mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was a really fun read. The world building was excellent. It broke out of a lot of the cliches of the genre. I really look forward to getting the next book in the series! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Sexual assault, Violence, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

This was all fairly mild and definitely YA appropriate.

brennagraphs's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

jenny_librarian's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious 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

3.0

Je ne sais pas trop quoi penser de ce livre. Le côté politique est intéressant, mais comme absolument aucun personnage n’est attachant, ça m’a empêché de ressentir quelque empathie que ce soit pour eux.

J’ai l’impression qu’Ophélie est demi-romantique, et Thorn présente plusieurs traits autiste. Est-ce voulu? Je n’en sais rien, mais c’est ce qui m’a semblé le plus captivant dans ma lecture.
Malheureusement, tous les personnages sont froids et la plupart sont dénués de caractérisation outre des défauts très superficiels qui deviennent leur entière personnalité.

Je ne sais pas non plus si le sous-entendu est intentionnel, mais les “provinciaux” semblent avoir un accent québécois et ça me rend mal à l’aise. Tout comme les références à la religion animiste, qui est fondamentalement liés à l’histoire coloniale et aux peuples africains et autochtones — pour la plupart décimés par les colonies françaises… M’enfin, c’est peut-être seulement mon interprétation de la chose.

Je ne sais pas encore si je vais lire la suite. Ce sont de gros livres avec peu d’action qui demandent beaucoup de travail cérébral pour peu de résultats.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

ransomoney's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

There are several production/editing issues with the audio book. Narrator repeating lines, messing up words, and awkward pauses and mouth noises. 

This book wasn’t really for me. almost dnf about half way through. The characters are all very cruel to each other, which makes sense within the setting but I didn’t enjoy reading. 

Also overuse of the word “lugubrious”

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Trafficking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicide, Torture, Abortion, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Vomit