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acreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Really wished I would’ve liked this book more… started out good, the story gripped me but the way women are written and talked about in this book is just plain misogynistic. Plus fantasy or not, I cannot deal with virginity and getting your period being talked about as “flower” and “flowering” so annoying, and the sheer number of mentioning of men’s “seeds” and “seed pods” make me insane.
& don’t even get me started on the orientalism / the way the isolated city in the middle of the desert is described as middle eastern and villainized- truly, I thought we were done with this.
Plotwise: The pacing felt off at times, felt like there could’ve been spend more time on their training - like how did Arlen suddenly become superhuman?
Also trigger warning and spoiler:rape is yet again being used by a male author without it having any affect on the plot or development of that character, which frankly pisses me off. Like do better.
& don’t even get me started on the orientalism / the way the isolated city in the middle of the desert is described as middle eastern and villainized- truly, I thought we were done with this.
Plotwise: The pacing felt off at times, felt like there could’ve been spend more time on their training - like how did Arlen suddenly become superhuman?
Also trigger warning and spoiler:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, Incest, Rape, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Islamophobia
ceejeffe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I enjoyed this story very much! As fantasy goes, it’s very quick to read and accessible. The idea isn’t all that original and the story is pretty predictable, though a fun journey. The character development and plot seemed like young adult but I wouldn’t at all consider this YA. The female characters are pretty two dimensional and the depictions of r*pe (more than one) and inc*st were totally unnecessary. It’s also treated like a common beating or mugging by the author after it happens to one of the characters which seemed disingenuous and like it was the easiest trauma the author could think of to happen to a young female character. I plan to read the others but I’m not expecting to love the stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Rape, Incest, and Religious bigotry
sofiemelaniedahl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Incest, and Rape
waywardskyril's review against another edition
This is going to be brief.
In the 16% I read, there's implied incest/rape that an adult male discovers and does nothing about, even though the girl being abused literally begs him to just take her with him and even offers him sexual favors or to become his new wife if he would take her away from her father. He considers the sexual favors, but decides to not to take her.
In the first 3 pages of the first chapter from a FMC's perspective, she's referred to as "helpless," is said that her betrothed will "give her strong babies," and the size of her breasts are compared to her mothers. She is 12 years old.
Obviously, there's rampant misogyny, and the descriptions of female children tend towards pedophilic while the MMC isn't even physically described, but his mind, personality, and morals are the focus.
Even ignoring all this disgusting content, the writing from chapter one was bland and aimless. Actions, emotions, scenes, were told instead of shown. If it weren't the disgust I felt at the way women are depicted in this story, I wouldn't have felt anything at all from the writing. It wasn't scary. It wasn't exciting. It wasn't clever. The Warded Man is just written badly. Dull writing, aimless "plot," and naive, basic characters.
This is the first book I've EVER returned. It's garbage. I don't know how or why so many people have given it so many high ratings. I was going to try to push a little further before DNF-ing, but when I got to the FMC POV, I couldn't read past the gagging. I can't imagine how much worse it must get if the first 16% was so lousy. What an absolute waste.
In the 16% I read, there's implied incest/rape that an adult male discovers and does nothing about, even though the girl being abused literally begs him to just take her with him and even offers him sexual favors or to become his new wife if he would take her away from her father. He considers the sexual favors, but decides to not to take her.
In the first 3 pages of the first chapter from a FMC's perspective, she's referred to as "helpless," is said that her betrothed will "give her strong babies," and the size of her breasts are compared to her mothers. She is 12 years old.
Obviously, there's rampant misogyny, and the descriptions of female children tend towards pedophilic while the MMC isn't even physically described, but his mind, personality, and morals are the focus.
Even ignoring all this disgusting content, the writing from chapter one was bland and aimless. Actions, emotions, scenes, were told instead of shown. If it weren't the disgust I felt at the way women are depicted in this story, I wouldn't have felt anything at all from the writing. It wasn't scary. It wasn't exciting. It wasn't clever. The Warded Man is just written badly. Dull writing, aimless "plot," and naive, basic characters.
This is the first book I've EVER returned. It's garbage. I don't know how or why so many people have given it so many high ratings. I was going to try to push a little further before DNF-ing, but when I got to the FMC POV, I couldn't read past the gagging. I can't imagine how much worse it must get if the first 16% was so lousy. What an absolute waste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Incest, and Misogyny
tiredpigeon's review
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Incest
miss_marvel_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
dieses suchtpotenzial - einfach WOW
bissle wenig frauenrollen aber es gab schon schlimmeres lol
diese welt ist einf sooo gut durchdacht (städte heißen zb nicht ästhetisch sonder praktisch zb tal der holzfäller und auch das ganze mit den Horclingen (den Feinden aus dem Horc aka der Hölle) klingt einf komplett schlüssig und abgerundet
bissle wenig frauenrollen aber es gab schon schlimmeres lol
diese welt ist einf sooo gut durchdacht (städte heißen zb nicht ästhetisch sonder praktisch zb tal der holzfäller und auch das ganze mit den Horclingen (den Feinden aus dem Horc aka der Hölle) klingt einf komplett schlüssig und abgerundet
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Vomit, War, Child death, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
kamikazefooby's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Medical content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Bullying, Child abuse, and Incest
weltengaengerin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
The world is dark and fantastic and I can't wait to see what happens next. It's a slow burn in the beginning with lengthy introduction to 3 great characters. That takes time but I loved the relationship this built between reader and character.
There could occassionally be a little more show not tell. e. g. one character hast to constantly rebuke male attention that's above and beyond fun and she just has very little feelings about a roadtrip where a man constantly tries to push her for sex she doesn't want. Like surely she must feel something here. Show, don't tell.
Same with another character that has a very hard lot in life and we never feel a lot of his emotions.
That said, the book is also a typical "women written by men" story and also the main point why I deduct 1.5 stars. Like, big big big SPOILERS ahead
A woman who is 27 and kept her virgonity gets raped on the road by bandits and a few days later she actively wants to have sex with someone ... how is that realistic? With her trauma she should not want to be touched at all
There could occassionally be a little more show not tell. e. g. one character hast to constantly rebuke male attention that's above and beyond fun and she just has very little feelings about a roadtrip where a man constantly tries to push her for sex she doesn't want. Like surely she must feel something here. Show, don't tell.
Same with another character that has a very hard lot in life and we never feel a lot of his emotions.
That said, the book is also a typical "women written by men" story and also the main point why I deduct 1.5 stars. Like, big big big SPOILERS ahead
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexism, Alcoholism, Gore, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, and Incest
lunamond's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
I would have loved this book for it's beautiful and intricate Worldbuilding, but the ending was ruined by [TW: SA]an abysmal portrayal of SA. Specifically the sole female mc is raped and then falls "in love" with the guy she meet immediatly after the SA and has at most known him for a couple of days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Incest, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Misogyny