Reviews with content warning for Gore - One Dark Window

Reviews tagging 'Gore'

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

128 reviews

figpudz's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark funny tense fast-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

A very quick read. The plot kept me intrigued and wondering what would happen next. The magic elements were straightforward. I liked the romance and that it wasn’t drawn out. Read very quick. An easy read.

Content Warnings

nancymae_reads's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional 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: Complicated

“The girl, the king… and the monster they became.”

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I picked up this book. I had stayed away from spoilers, somehow blocking out the storyline.

I was definitely not disappointed! I LOVED this book and read it so quickly that I could not put it down.

The magic aspect of this storyline I loved. The Nightmare was portrayed, at the beginning of the book, as the villain. Constantly living in Elspeth’s head, taunting her, but ultimately her protector. The fact that the villain, later in the book, was shown to be the King and the High Prince was incredible. The twist of the Nightmare being the Shepherd King had me placing the book down and staring shocked at the closed book for ten minutes.

I was taken on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, and found myself shouting at the book when Elspeth (the fmc) was being an idiot.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m already reaching for the second in the series. 5⭐️

Content Warnings

bellebookstitch666's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

I had been dying to read this book and finally had a chance to read it for our book club. I was so worried that this book wouldn't live up to the hype but it did. I fell in love with Elspeth, Ravyn, and the others and got wrapped up in the story. Some parts of the story were predictable but it was still well-written. There were parts I had guess would happen but they happened in an unexpected way. It's part fantasy, part heist, part romance, and part mystery. If you are a fan of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, you'll love this. I'm going to have to get a copy of Two Twisted Crowns to see how it all ends!

Content Warnings

emma6544's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I really enjoyed the concept of this book with the magic system being around tarot cards and how anyone can claim the power of the card.

However, when reading the book I had conflicting options. There were times where I loved reading the book and the characters. Then there were times where I was not interested in the plot.

I will read the second and last book in the series as i enjoyed this book overall and I want to know what happens at the end.

Content Warnings

nikkidgoetz's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

Loved the magic system

Content Warnings

avisreadsandreads's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

chancients's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional 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: Yes

I am not one to write thourough reviews, especially because most books, though enjoyable, don't really stay in my memory for much long after. I tend to literary and classics, even nonfiction from time to time, even more now than I did 5 years ago. I read to ease my mind, to distract myself and hardly invest much time in them after. Some are worth thinking about, some are even worth writing about. Fantasy has disappointed me more and more recently, everything I put my hands on turned out to not meet my expectations. Whether Tiktok recommendations or books I found on my own. Nothing really caught me the way I remember fantasy did when I was fifteen. I deemed myself too old for fantasy or blamed it on the books entirely.
But this one? Fantasy is SO back. (to me, at least)
I was hooked immediately. The pace was interesting. Very fast and straight-forward, I think the first 200ish pages take place on the same two to three days.
The plot was the focus, I realized that soon enough. But Elspeth was the plot. She was character as much as she was the driving force, the unwinding direction this book took. All thanks to The Nightmare.
Every second in Elspeth's head, every idea she had and every thought she shared with The Nightmare left me wondering, aching. What was she up to? What was HE up to?
Everything was a question. A rhyme. Half-questions matched with half-answers. Nobody really deemed themselves worthy enough to actually explain what the actual fuck was going on here. It stung.
The magic system was a double-edged sword. It intruiged me the second I hearr about it. Magic from cards. Nothing comes for free. Uncontrolled magic deemed a danger.
The worldbuilding was lacking. But I think we didn't need anything more than what was told. I'm just too curious. I couldn't really picture Blunder in my head, like it, too, was covered by the mist. Dark, grey. Unfeeling.
Ravyn was a lovely addition from the start. Suspicious but lovely. He was as straight forward as the plot and I liked that. He had a mission and made it very clear that all his heart was into it. His family. Jespyr, Elm. His parents. Emory.
With a mission that traitorous, magic that defining, I thought, there's got to be a traitor? Someone who betrays the family, a black sheep.

I was so surprised, so relieved that there wasnt. (Stupid Tyrn doesn't count. Ass.)

This book is as much romance as it is family. Unconditional love. I figure it is a love story but not a romance that carries through these pages. It's trust, it's a bond. Love. Love. Nothing but love. A story about love.

Content Warnings