Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

73 reviews

lindseeclark's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

Unbelievably depressing and a difficult read for me, just not a book that I enjoyed. The prose itself was lush and beautiful but I could not root for any characters or plot lines.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Medical trauma, Grief, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Animal death, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Murder, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Self harm, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Blood

sasisaskia's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Eating disorder, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexism, Murder, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Sexual violence

imcourtneymarie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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

5.0

I loved this story! I think it’s beautifully written, the love story quickly developed, yes, but romantic, and the characters both horrible and fascinating in one. There are some heavy themes that the main character Marlinchen is subject to/witness to, so be wary if you have triggers. That said, they did not feel out of place within the context of the story and the characters.

I thought it was a soft read. A Romeo and Juliet love affair kind of tale, but Juniper & Thorn is so much more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Self harm, Body shaming, and Death of parent

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Murder

kalehouse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

gothic fantasy. if you’re a fan of wolf and the woodsman, i think this is very much in the same vein! similar character development and folklore. a little less mystical and a little more gothic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, Pedophilia, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, and Classism

ameliabee33's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

There really isn't a heroine in this book, because Marlinchen is really a victim. This isn't a heroic fairytale where a knight comes to save the damsel in distress, but instead highlights the abuse that Marlinchen faces at the hands of her father and two sisters. Marlinchen is a daughter to caves to her wizard father as he has a hunger for everything and it never sated. Her sisters, Undine and Rose, do not undergo the mental and verbal abuse the same as Marlinchen and instead let it happen throughout the book, and are sometimes complacent in it. Marlinchen breaks from the cell that is her home and meats Sevas, the principal dancer at the ballet company in Oblya. Together Sevas and Marlinchen bond together due to their shared, horrific traumas and find love in one another. Meanwhile there is a murderous creature about that only eats the victims' livers/hearts and plucks out their eyes. 

This story was uncomfortable for me, personally to read. It made me uncomfortable to read it- so please read the trigger warnings before delving in (I did not and it is my fault)!!! I'm not saying that Reid is not a good author, they did a great job at writing out these horrific, dark events that made me want to barf and run away from the book- really like the real Grimms fairytales. This story just didn't do it for me, I didn't enjoy reading it, but like I said it wasn't for lack of the author's skill, or writing (which is very good), it is just me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Confinement, Self harm, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

hq_reads's review against another edition

I just really struggled with the pace and the writing style. There was no context to the world yet loads of references to monsters and history that were lost on me without the worldbuilding. I just didn’t have an urge to pick it up

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Sexual assault

Moderate: Confinement

macadoo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Sexual assault, Animal death, Vomit, Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Body horror, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Antisemitism, Gaslighting, and Xenophobia

Minor: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

chloevienna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad 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

3.75

really good!! darker than i usually read, but i see why it’s getting the praise it is - i actually wish it had gone a little darker at the end! my one criticism: the pacing. nothing substantial happens until 70% of the way through the book, and sometimes it felt like something would happen and then be undone and then happen and then- you get it. it just felt a bit all over the place, and like the author had trouble sticking to her decisions so tried to leave herself openings. with that out of the way, though, i want to praise this book - it has some of the best and richest writing i’ve ever come across. the author is clearly passionate about the english language; everything is vivid and detailed. the world-building was well done and easy to imagine, and i loved all the lore about the creatures. overall, i’d say this is worth the read!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Misogyny, Abortion, and Rape

emmague89's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, Confinement, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, and Vomit

mfallon3491's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, and Vomit