Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

44 reviews

flintk's review

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Child death, War, Religious bigotry, Rape, Misogyny, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Blood, Antisemitism, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Abandonment, Genocide, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Child abuse, Grief, Animal death, Alcoholism, Body horror, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Homophobia, Death, Cursing, Classism, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Confinement, and Chronic illness

mori431's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Murder, Homophobia, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, Cannibalism, Cursing, War, Grief, Torture, Vomit, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

anewlens's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Genocide, Sexism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Death, Gore, Alcoholism, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault

joblo's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely incredible. Took me quite a while to read bc I get spooked easily (and I couldn’t read it during meals bc of the subject matter lol) but I absolutely loved it and will be rereading. 

The characters are so good, the plot is incredible, and buehlman’s writing is top-tier. Chills the last few chapters, teared up at the ending. Definitely one of those books that I just have to sit back and “WHEW” after I finished, lol. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Gore

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Homophobia

Minor: Pedophilia

hgraham98's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Body horror, Grief, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Cursing, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Homophobia, Animal death, and Body horror

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

totemofundrying's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

What a wonderful book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Body horror, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Homophobia, Death, Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, and Violence

Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

polygonia's review

challenging dark tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Body horror, Rape, War, Genocide, and Sexual assault

vynna's review

adventurous dark medium-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

This was a very dark and brutal novel that started off strong, but gradually lost me by its conclusion. The story is set in the 1300s following a disgraced knight, a priest, and an orphaned girl. They set out on a journey through plague ridden France to essentially save the world from demons.
I was really intrigued by this premise and thoroughly enjoyed the banter between the main characters as well as the author’s imagery. I was often scared by the vivid detail used to describe the horrors that these characters experienced.

The stone statues in Paris and the scarecrow in the abandoned convent will stick with me for awhile.

The book felt really epic and cinematic at parts too, and I think it could make a wonderful series due to the episodic nature of the chapters.
I would’ve rated it higher, but sadly the weak plot, confusing narration, and underwhelming ending took away from my enjoyment.
They go on this great journey, but it feels hollow as they just bounce from town to town not exactly sure what they’re doing, just fighting monsters. It was fun to read, but left me wanting more. It isn’t until the last third of the book that it seems like the characters have a plan, but their actions and the aftermath of the big finale didn’t really make sense to me.
Definitely take heed of content warnings before reading as there is a lot of death, violence, strong language, etc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Cursing, Violence, Rape, Child death, Death, Self harm, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, and Homophobia

gringolet's review

dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Well researched, succeeded in capturing the feel of the period and really excellent for anyone who likes religious horror, medieval settings, and the plague, which is me. It is weirdly Catholic on a fundamental, foundational level, however I think writing anything set in medieval Europe kind of requires that headspace and it was Catholic in a "cool with gay people" way, so it didn't bother me too much. The characters were grounded in the period and yet still dynamic, interesting and likeable, and the horror elements were well done with some fun messed up creatures and gore.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Gore, Body horror, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Rape, War, Vomit, Outing, Ableism, Animal death, Xenophobia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Child death

typo2d's review against another edition

mysterious sad 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

3.75

This is a difficult book to review. While the overall writing and creativity is fantastic, too much of the novel is focused on detailed explorations of the sexual habits of essentially every minor character that shows up. That focus takes a lot away from the drive of the plot, muddying the narrative and removing strength from the theme of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Torture, and Body horror

Moderate: Homophobia and War