Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

60 reviews

day23dreamer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Ableism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, War, and Child abuse

kbairbooks's review

challenging dark emotional relaxing sad 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

4.25

This was cute! I read this for my Bookclubs April pic and I really enjoyed it! I will say that I struggled with the split soul concept because if you replace that with autism you can see how poorly people with differences are treated. But I liked this book and how advocate-y it was for the oppressed and underprivileged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, War, Blood, Classism, Ableism, Violence, Bullying, Body horror, Slavery, Child death, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

risten's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Classism, and Trafficking

Moderate: Medical content, Child abuse, Sexism, Ableism, Bullying, Murder, Blood, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and War

rainbowcircus's review against another edition

lighthearted 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

an absolute joy to read, I was giggling kicking my feet in the air 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: War and Death of parent

blewballoon's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

I had this book in my TBR for such a long time and kept putting it off, even though it sounded like something I would love. Maybe I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype I had created for it, but I think it did. I had a delightful time listening to this story on audiobook. The narrator has just the right tone for a character like Dora and a story that is a sort of hybrid of a regency romance and a fairy tale. I was surprised at how much was packed into such a short book, and how it didn't feel like things moved overly quickly. I tend to prefer more of a slow burn romance, but even with the shorter time frame, I felt like Dora and Elias managed to spend enough moments together with meaningful conversation and shared experiences that the romance was natural. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Classism, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Child abuse, Pregnancy, War, and Murder

pvbobrien's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Ableism, Classism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Kidnapping, War, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, and Confinement

cozyscones's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Classism, and Ableism

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, and War

onthesamepage's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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

5.0

Tropes:

slow burn

Steam level: none

I decided to reread this because I neglected to write a review the first time around (sometimes it's hard, okay?)

It's not any easier the second time around, to be honest.

There's just something about Atwater's writing and her characters that makes me love her books, without really being able to put a finger on why, exactly, they worked for me. Dora was such a fantastic protagonist. I loved the magical twist on neurodivergence, and the way she dealt with it, and how accepting Elias is of her, without wanting to change a single thing. I also loved Elias, with all his rough manners and edges. There's a scene where he has an outburst at dinner about people not caring enough about those less fortunate, and the way that was handled, along with his subsequent breakdown, was so good. The romance between them is a very slow burn, but in the way I love best. There's plenty of banter and talking before feelings come into the picture, and I loved seeing their relationship blossom.

There's more to this book than the romance, though. There's a mystery subplot related to an illness afflicting children in workhouses, which turns into commentary on workhouses in general. There's also evil faeries, my very favourite kind, and all the shenanigans and hilarity they bring with them (but also, a bit of horror).

I've now read both the physical book and the audiobook, and both were fantastic. Highly recommend giving this book a try.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism

valpuri's review

dark funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood, War, Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Classism

Minor: Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Child death

mabellene's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse, War, and Child death

Minor: Blood and Death of parent