Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

9 reviews

cheye13's review

challenging dark mysterious 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

2.0

The best thing I can say about this book is that the writing is beautiful. Stepping back, I can see what it was going for, but ultimately, I think it should've been a novella, or even a short story.

A big part of my disappointment is the fault of the synopsis. I had expected a bluebeard-like tale featuring the Bridegroom as a main character, but as is, he could've been removed from the story entirely. In actuality, this is the story of Indigo and Azure growing up together, and the all-encompassing nature of their friendship and the world they create together. It's an interesting story, but simply too long. Every element of the tale is overdrawn to the point that any initial tension dissolves.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Dementia, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

a myriad of standard old-style fairytale content warnings, not graphically described, but consistently mentioned: rape, incest, murder, etc. A persistent predatory stepfather and an off-page sexual assault involving blackout drinking.

dragonwriter's review

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

The Bridegroom swears he had a brother that vanished one day, disappearing from the world as though he’d never inhabited it in the first place. This phenomenon sends him on a search through fairytales and folklore, trying to find the secret to crossing over to the Other World to find his brother, and spinning into the arms of the mysterious and mythical Indigo. She is a fairytale creature in itself, wrapped in magic and mystery, and she warns him not to go poking into her past, for the secrets there will destroy them. Enchanted by this fairy tale challenge, the Bridegroom agrees, but all too soon he learns that secrets whisper to you at night, begging you to unlock their mysteries. Is Indigo’s warning merely a quirk of her fairytale existence, or is there something much darker locked in his beloved’s past? And who is Azure, the mysterious ghost who’s left her own mark on his bride?

This book was so dark and SO brilliant! The mystery of Indigo really draws you in, enchanted by the way her life and world revolves around fairytales and the fae, and you really wonder if she IS a fairy herself, walking among mortals. You totally understand how the Bridegroom could love her so wholly, even with so much of her wrapped in secrets. Then, you start to get Azure’s side of the story, and you start to root for both the Bridegroom and Azure to escape this person who is so wrapped in the perverse nature of fairytales. I’m normally really good at figuring out where a story is going to go and how things will play out, but I had NO CLUE the entire book until I reached the end, where all I could say is, “Oh. Oh! Oooooooohhhhh.” This is definitely the kind of book that will hold a different story the second time around.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

toodrew's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-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

This is hands down one of the best books I've ever read. There is very little I can say about the book without spoilers. It is better to read without knowing much about the book.

I believe this book is best suited for fantasy and fairy tale enthusiasts. 

Every element is a brushstroke in this absolute masterpiece. But be prepared for trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

prairieraven's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

froukjemelenhorst's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

Indigo is een mix van Lizzie van TWD en the Other Mother van Coraline aan de de drugs. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Rape

ceeshay's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Rape

modernmatilda's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Was the twist worth it? Mostly. Was it a little slow and repetitive? A little. But was it still a solid ride? Yes. 

More Mexican Gothic, less House of Hollow. Probably predictable for other readers, but I like being caught up in the ride. Had GORGEOUS lyrical writing and some lines I underlined in pen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Rape

cait_reads_and_drinks's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse and Rape

maeverose's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

So close to being five stars

TL;DR: The writing and gothic atmosphere are a 10/10. Gave me Rebecca vibes. So satisfied with the ending.

I love how gothic and atmospheric this book is. I loved the dreamlike magical realism elements. I almost want to immediately re read this and annotate it. I didn’t even realize until I finished it and I don’t know if it was intentional (since I’ve heard this is a bluebeard retelling) but Bridegroom’s pov felt very reminiscent of Rebecca. With his quick marriage to Indigo and her secret past with Azure, who’s almost supernaturally tied to the house. And him being unnamed throughout the whole book (which I love).

I found zero objective flaws with this book (outside of the unnecessary body shaming of one of the antagonists), but the main thing that makes me hesitant to give it five stars is that at a few points it triggered my anxiety a little bit (it might’ve just been because I had too much caffeine that day honestly lol). I also really don’t like to read about toxic friendships, which is a big part of this book.

But mostly I loved it

“Too often the truth of a memory lives not in the mind but in the heart, in the subtle and sacred organization that makes up one’s identity. But it is a tender place to reach, and I am wounded by touching it.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing and Fatphobia

Graphic: Animal harm, suffocation, cult behavior Moderate: Delusions/Unreality, step father grooming his step daughter, as for the gore, most of it is kind of metaphorical or in the fairytales, so it’s not super descriptive but it’s brought up a lot so I put it in moderate.