Reviews tagging 'Child death'

A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

47 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

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

frazzledreader's review

adventurous emotional mysterious relaxing tense slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Physical abuse

Minor: Child death

kkshaye's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Child death and Miscarriage

pobi's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

The beginning was a little slow and a bit 'not like other girls-y' but it got super good! Cannot wait to start the next one.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, and Pregnancy

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

mariavdl's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

goldenjunegem's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Suicide, and Violence

issed's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.25

A reread- I need this injected into my veins 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

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