Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Winter by Marissa Meyer

33 reviews

strawberrytheauthor's review

adventurous dark funny 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? No

5.0

I forgot that I hadn’t finished this book on the second to last chapter. That’s what happens when you listen to audiobooks. 

I really enjoyed it and while it ended predictably it was a good ending. I have now started Fairest: Levana’s Story right away. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Classism, Death of parent, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and War

prashiie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 "Selene. She was meant to die thirteen years ago, yet here she was disastrously alive. And just as Levana had feared back then, she would take everything from her. Everything that Levana had worked so hard for."

The revolution has started and damn, what a nerve-racking story. Nobody expected it to be easy and they had to endure a lot! They get separated from each other so many times. I really enjoyed how Marissa Meyer has brought the story from so many different perspectives. Winter is based on Snow White and we see many aspects of the fairy tale returning in this story. I loved most of the characters! Cinder is just badass and she and Kai are perfect together. Iko and Thorne are the funniest and somehow manage to lighten the mood. They might be my favorite characters. 

"Her eyes suddenly rolled up into her head and she collapsed onto the floor. Kai jumped back. "What happened? Did I hit her power button or something?" Frowning, Cinder took a step closer. "Iko, what are you doing?" "Kai hugged me," said Iko, eyes still closed. "So I fainted."

"Did you see any rice in there? Maybe we could fill Cinder's head with it." Everyone started at him. "You know, to … absorb the moisture, or something. Isn't that a thing?"

But Cinder also has her funny moments!

"When she catches you," the guard snarled, "my queen will eat your heart with salt and pepper." "Well," said Cinder, unconcerned, "my heart is half synthetic so it'll probably give her indigestion."

And it was so cute to see Thorne and Cress’s relationship. The only character I am indifferent to is Jacin. He does a lot of good but also brings Cinder’s mission in danger many times. His relationship with Winter is very strong, just like Scarlet and Wolf’s bond, but I was less invested in it. And oh my gosh, Adri and Pearl return in this story and their behavior towards Cinder is still disgusting!

Cinder eventually was very generous toward them and until the end they did nothing to deserve her kindness. 

 
I did like Winter, although I didn’t fully understand why she chose to not use her Lunar gift every now and then. This would have kept her safe from Lunar sickness. Like Scarlet mentions, she could have just used it to change the color of her dress. Her reply to this is somewhat acceptable, but not fully satisfying. 

I expected her to never use it but in the end she did it to save Jacin and it took a big toll on her mental health. If only she used it every now and then….?

 
But she did make a very good point with which I fully agree!

"Let's not be cruel. One should never save cake for later when it can be eaten now."

All in all, an easy read even though the book itself was so big. I wouldn’t have complained if the book was published in two somewhat smaller parts because I think I sprained my wrist by just holding the book. But definitely worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Chronic illness, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, War, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Body horror, Classism, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal death, Blood, and Kidnapping

Minor: Child death and Abandonment

gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? No

4.5

The series reread has now come to an end, and on such a good note. I still loved and enjoyed every moment of this book.

I will admit it feels slow in the beginning especially with how the last book ended, but it better sets up and introduces us to Winter and makes her a main player in the story now. By a third into the book everything very much starts to pick up again and the story starts to hit the ground running.

I loved how the story line would mix and change POVs weaving people's stories together before once more diverging again. It really kept the pace fast and intrigue and urgency high, and it all came to an orchestrated ending for the book and series. Everything was tied up and concluded nicely but left  moments open that could be looked into with the novellas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, War, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide

mia_123's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

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

5.0

THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE. i loved all the characters so much and the storyline was just so good. wolf and  scarlet are so cute together and so is everyone else and their partners. ugh i just loved this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Animal death

psliz's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

3.75

action was fine but the romance was everything 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, War, and Death

Moderate: Suicide, Gore, Ableism, Kidnapping, Confinement, and Sexual assault

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Blood, and Alcohol

le3713's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Child abuse, Mental illness, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Animal death, and Torture

meghansarmiento97's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Vomit

janaya's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Death, and Torture

verasbokhylla's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

So good! I loved this one. The world building isn’t the strongest part, but plot, characters, romance and witty dialogue makes up for all other faults.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual violence

tiana_king's review

adventurous inspiring 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

4.75

The beginning is slow but once Cinder’s plan gets going there is none stop action. You will be on the edge of your seat for most of it and the ending is pretty much everything you hope it will be. But do bring some tissues. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, War, Confinement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Body shaming, and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Suicide, and Gore