Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

17 reviews

nnniro411's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.5

A beautifully written story with characters that jumped off the page. I just have to say I adored the revenant so much, it was hilarious, dark, endearing, sarcastic and a little bit of a mother hen. I immediately loved this disembodied demonic spirit as soon as it spoke. Revenant and Artemisia’s banter was fun to listen to and seeing them go from adversaries to friends was so much fun. I also loved the side characters and enjoyed the mystery that they gave. 
The world felt lived in and the world building was well done. We didn’t need exposition and instead taken into the world where we picked up the mythology as the adventure unfolded. I would not mind going back into this world if Roberson ever decided to continue the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Bullying, War, Abandonment, Torture, and Gore

clairew97's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Abandonment, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: War, Self harm, Ableism, and Vomit

Minor: Bullying and Suicide

Descriptions of human bodies being used as vessels for spirits (or possessed), torture by magical means, use of human bones as relics for spirits, necromancy, anxiety. Author also states (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3883340977?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1) the book includes instances of disordered eating

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Blood

Minor: Suicide

aseel_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

i really enjoyed the two main characters of this story (artemisa and the revenant) - their relationship was lovely and full of sarcasm. not sure if the artemisa is coded for autism or trauma behaviours, its a bit confusing. the world is really interesting (thank god for the page of the order of spirits) but the plot was a little slow in pacing and the plot twist was so obvious, even i picked it up and i wasn't trying at all. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Child abuse

lillythebluepaladin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

THIS WAS A BEAUTIFUL READ! I never thought that I would ever say that the thought of getting possessed by a sassy and snarky yet protective spirit would be pleasant, but this book changed my mind.

I loooved the world setting, the plot and the CHARACTERS!
I was told that this was gonna be a Venom by Marvel for teenage girls, and yeah it kinda is, but it is so much more!
My traumatised ass cried to this a few times, because I could relate a lot to what our main character Artemisia and our reverent has experienced, and this book genuinely felt like a long overdue hug.

MARGARET ROGERSON, WITH MADELINE MILLER AND TAMORA PIERCE, ARE THE QUEENS OF FEMALE FANTASY

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, and Self harm

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, and War

Minor: Child death and Vomit

readwithrheane'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

• The first few chapters were already action packed and it helped me drawn to the story.

• The pacing was okay. It was fast in the beginning and was toned down a bit in the middle (just enough to not let you feel bored). But it picked up until the end.

• The twists??? I didn't know where it will lead me to but I was on edge all the time. Poor Leander. Our misunderstood King. 😔 But we will get to see more of him in the sequel so I'm excited.

“I’ll remind you,” it said finally. “Rather than expecting you to remember on your own. When you need to eat, when you’re sick or hurt, and whether it’s serious enough to seek help. But you have to promise that you’ll listen to me. Nun?”

I had been quiet, wondering whether having an evil spirit inhabiting my body might turn me into a halfway normal person. I turned my face toward the window, letting the sunlight sting my eyes. “Yes,” I answered. “I promise.”


• I really love the dynamic between the revenant and Artemisia. While Artemisia doesn't like talking and pretty much an introverted person with social anxiety and would rather be with the dead than be with the living, the revenant is the complete opposite.

The revenant loves to talk and doesn't like being around other things that are dead. And while it was known to be a powerful and feared fifth order spirit, most of the time it showed a side that probably its previous vessels hadn't been able to appreciate because they were taught not to listen to it. And I just can't help but fall in love with the revenant especially when it shows signs of concerns towards Artemisia. How it would remind her to eat, to rest, to sleep, and there was even a moment when it was trying to cheer her up by saying a sassy remark.

• The banters were definitely my favorite (and Artemisia is lowkey funny too. She had me laughing a few times).

“This is my human,” the revenant snarled through my mouth, and blazed into a torrent of silver flame.


• *wipes tears* I just really love the bond, trust, and friendship they formed.

• I also love the side characters especially Marguerite. Her character development was beautifully written, from being a bully to a friend/an ally. She was pretty consistent in helping Artemisia until the end. I hope to see more of her and Charles and Jean in the sequel.

• The reason why I gave this 4.5 stars was because the ending was anticlimactic. I expected a huge fight between the two powerful revenants and then *boom* Epilogue. 😂 Nevertheless, the ending still had me sobbing and overall, I still pretty much enjoyed this book. I cannot wait for the sequel!

• and oh! There wasn't any romance or any sexual tension throughout the book which is fine with me because I just feel like the last thing on Artemisia's list would be that (and it's totally okay for a YA book to not have any romance).

• BUT if there are any in the sequel, I think I know who it might be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Self harm

Moderate: Blood, Violence, and War

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Suicide, and Vomit

“Adding Trauma/PTSD (traumatic experiences in past). One of the abuse or trauma is not sexual in nature. Very brief suicide mention in the epilogue concerning a character from the past who never appears in the book.”