Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini

20 reviews

mighty_lizard_queen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Murtagh's next book should be on overcoming his new flaw of tripping so often. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, War, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Self harm, Murder, Slavery, Animal death, and Child death

Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, Alcohol, Vomit, Xenophobia, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, and Domestic abuse

Drug use is forced Xenophobia relates to fictional races Excrement is an animal’s, one scene

kew16's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Torture, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Animal death

honeywaffles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced

3.0

I was slightly apprehensive about returning to this world and Paolini’s writing, but I was curious about Murtagh and Thorn’s points of view. Unfortunately, I think this book suffered from poor editing, making it much longer than it needed to be and dragging out the plot. The stakes at the end of the Inheritance Cycle were fairly impossible to top and I could feel the reaching at times in this book. I was also not a fan of how much it focused on the details of their past trauma and ruminating about them rather than them working through them. Lastly, I was disappointed that Thorn felt like a minor character rather than a true partner. I want more of the dragons, not less. I know this sounds like I hated it, but I didn’t. It made me sigh out loud several times, but I wanted them to persevere and hoped there would be payoff in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Animal death

redhairedashreads's review

3.0

 

3 stars - I liked it

It’s been over a year since Galbatorix was defeated and Murtagh and Thorn finally achieved their freedom. They have been roaming Alagaësia avoiding everyone but when Murtagh discovers a darkness that might be a threat to this new peace he and Thorn decide to investigate. 

After reading Eragon’s story I always wanted to know more about Murtagh and what happened to him afterwards, and now we finally get that. Murtagh and Thorn are not like Eragon and Saphira. They didn’t have a rider teacher or a healthy bonding while Thorn was newly hatched. They both struggle a lot with magic and the traumas of their past, and we see it cause problems multiple times in this book. It was heartbreaking learning about what they went through under Galbatorix and what again happens to them when they are captured by the witch Bachel in this. 

Murtagh and Thorn investigate a new evil in Alagaësia that leads them to a witch called Bachel who is trying to bring about the destruction of the world and riders. The things revealed by her change the history of Galbatorix and the Fallen that has previously been presented. Bechel was an evil woman who has learned how to control anyone, including a dragon and a rider, with magic and vapors. It was heartbreaking seeing her control Murtagh and Thorn, especially since it was after days of being tortured. Bechel was a very interesting villain and I really enjoyed her downfall but what she started isn’t over, so I assume more books will be forthcoming. 

This is a very heavy book, much like Inheritance was with all the death and battles, because we are constantly dealing with Murtagh and Thorn’s past and current trauma. I was not expecting him and Thorn to be tortured again and it really broke my heart that he can’t seem to catch a break. Murtagh and Thorn are so strong, especially compared to Eragon, and they still have a hard path ahead of them but hopefully their future will be a little easier since they decide to stay with Nasuada. I was very happy that the book ended on a happy note and we finally saw Nasuada and Murtagh reunited because he let himself have some happiness in life. 

Overall, this was a good addition to this series and I am glad we finally got Murtagh and Thorn’s POV. I do hope we get more books with these two because they were great characters and I want to see what will happen next with this new evil.

TW: PTSD; Thorn is claustrophobic and Murtagh has arachnophobia; torture, imprisonment and being controlled by magic; graphic animal deaths; death of children; cult and human sacrifice; 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Animal death, Death, and Gore

v_neptune's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Death, Child abuse, Animal death, Bullying, Grief, Confinement, Murder, Animal cruelty, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Child death, and Domestic abuse

jackiepreston's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Child abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Classism, War, Death of parent, and Slavery

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Animal death

aseel_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

I'm SO glad that the author is writing in this world again, this was my childhood and my adulthood. 

I really liked getting murtagh's perspective and I love him and thorn so much, very keen to see what happens next 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Gore, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Murder, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Torture

fromjuliereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-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

4.0

It was fantastic being back in the world of Alagaesia! I found parts of the story a bit slow but the insight into Murtagh and Thorn as characters were absolutely fantastic! There were parts that I cried when they recounted their experiences and trauma. 
I'm interested to see what Paolini will do next in the Inheritance Cycle!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Torture, Death, Violence, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Confinement

PTSD

bibliomania_express's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow, this book. It starts a bit slow, but the slow build is necessary to balance all the wild emotions in the second half. Murtagh and Thorn face challenges beyond anything in the Inheritance Cycle, and I was so mad at this book for putting them through it, even as I was awed by the depth of feeling and complexity in thos book. 

I cried. I yelled in anger. I paced my apartment, afraid to pick it back up but unable to resist because I needed to know what happened next. 

I love that we got to see more of Murtagh's past, how the court of Galbatorix functioned and shaped him. Paolini gives shape to Murtagh's bond with Tornac, and it's so fundamental and beautiful, even with its tragic end. 

There's a lot of triggers for this book beyond your general death and gore. Both Murtagh and Thorn are dealing with PTSD, and Thorn suffers from intense claustrophobia. There are scenes of torture, mass death, and intense isolation and captivity. 

I obviously won't spoil the end, but I will say it was so necessary after everything this book put me through. Now I have to lament the years before Paolini write the next book in this world, as there are some loose ends yet to be tied off.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Violence, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

Moderate: Kidnapping, Gore, Blood, and Slavery