Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

9 reviews

zealandrc's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted 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? No

4.25

Loved this. What a great twist on a loved story. I love how it critiques the original

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Death

emmieclassix's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Murder, Gaslighting, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Violence

tbwhite23's review

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Child abuse

hbeighey's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Violence

vixenreader's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense 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

3.5

It’s like Disney made its own version of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and it magically worked out. Plus Aurora is a thousand times more interesting in this book than in the original movie. There, I said it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Death, Blood, Mental illness, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Gore, Body horror, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape

Warning for complicated family history, adoption, stress about one’s legacy and responsibility, verbal abuse, and grief over learning that your whole life was a lie.

bxcca99's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

fool_ofabook's review

adventurous dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Much much darker than I would have expected. This book tackles alot of serious and very real mental health issues/obsticals, and does not shy away. I was relieved and grateful at the hope found throuought, and especially at the end of the story. Aurora Rose may had had a grotesque awakening to reality, but I wanted her to have a second chance to live. The very verrrry end was slightly rushed, considering the pace of the rest of the book; however- it was a very brave story, told from one of the most underrated princesses. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Confinement, and Mental illness

stormywolf's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-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

4.0

 Coming to the tale of Sleeping Beauty, which features one of my least favorite heroines but one of my most favorite villains, I had mixed feelings. Would the heroine be elevated by having more time and depth added? Would the villain be re-imagined with a(nother) sympathetic backstory? Would this story reside in my dreams, or haunt my nightmares?

Read my full review at The Wolf's Den

Overall, this one hit me a lot harder than I ever expected one of these Twisted Disney stories would. It still has its fair share of things I didn't like, things that felt tonally off, and things I felt could have been given a deeper exploration, but on the whole I appreciated the thought and care given to the main subject. Aurora Rose was taken from a passive role as a damsel in distress, now re-imagined as a character with gifts and curses (given & natural) who has to fight demons (literal & internal) in order to overcome evil and find her place in the world. If you're okay with some dark subject matter—specifically murder, childhood trauma, and mental health issues—I would highly recommend checking out this Twisted Tale. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Mental illness

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Animal death and Rape

The word "rapists" is used once, but given no context or further thought.

A majority of the story focuses on the main character's depression, with a couple scenes describing her suicide attempt (knowing she was to be cursed with eternal sleep, but willingly going through with it).

scatteredyarns's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Violence