Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo

60 reviews

britgirlreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, Grief, Xenophobia, and Torture

Minor: Torture and Toxic relationship

ehmannky's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.5

Much better than the King of Scars (which wasn't bad, just took much longer for me to get into). It's a long read, but I felt that all of the POV's came together nicely, loved the themes of growing past your trauma and learning to be loved and the comfort that community brings, and Zoya and Nikolai's romance was 10/10. I think that despite this being like *~Nikolai's duology~*, it was really Zoya's, and I'm fine with that since I am a sucker for prickly and angry female characters. I do think there was a lot going on in this book, but unlike the previous book, I think I was okay with all of it. Like, maybe Nina's chapters could have been their own book, but I don't know. I think it worked here. 

I think really my only complaint was the Darkling's chapters. I don't know if I particularly believe the inclusion of him brought much to this duology and I think a lot of the things Bardugo uses him for could have been accomplished with another character or something else. Like, I get the idea of her characters working beyond their trauma from him and I think narratively they did need to heal from the damage he did to them. But did he have to physically be there for them to do that??? I liked the focus on people really taking stock of the pain he did to them and their loved ones and really reckoning with his abuse, and trying to recover from that, I just don't know if he needed to be there as a character. I will say that a lot of reviews seem to be like "she's scolding us for liking the Darkling!!!" when this duology feels a lot more like, "hey, let's focus on the victims of the abuse and their trauma and how they're recovering from that."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug use, War, Death, Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Sexism

hannahwhiteyy'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Infidelity, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Torture

This book was such a slow burn! I was hoping for

Zoya and Nikolai to end up together the entire book.

I loved it more than King of Scars, and the way it tied the Grishaverse together. Leigh’s writing is incredible.

aklovekorn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Death, Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Torture, Violence, and War

imcourtneymarie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Misogyny

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Torture and Dysphoria

gayghostprince's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense fast-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

this is my favourite grishaverse book, even over six of crows or crooked Kingdom. 
I am truly awestruck by how much I love this 
most importantly though: ZOYA!!!!! 
she's my fav character now I love her so very dearly 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Child death, Gun violence, Child abuse, Misogyny, Torture, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Kidnapping, Dysphoria, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death, Rape, Ableism, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Slavery, Infertility, Suicide, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Genocide

there's talk of wide scale use of missiles that can destroy cities.

a city is bombed and destroyed in the middle of the night

talislibrary's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, and War

Moderate: Xenophobia and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault and Torture

escapismforlife's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

4.75

Beyond perfect catharsis  read to continue  and finish reading the last books in the Grishaverse. I loved and wanted to hug every character. All of them had essential roles and dealt with a lot in this duology. But I loved every second of it. The good and bad moments  of this Ravka's leaders. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism, Torture, Dysphoria, and Emotional abuse

readwithrheane's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-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? Yes

4.5

I am one of the minorities who loves the politics in this book. Though I wish there were more of Nikolai and Zoya's point of view. I always find myself wanting to skip some POVs especially the Monk's and I'm so sorry to my girl Nina but hers too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, and War

rachellewiski's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Racism, and Torture

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