Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Die Herrscherin by Karen Miller

3 reviews

words_and_dreams's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I had really mixed feelings on this one. You are essentially reading the backstory of the villain for the next two books in the trilogy. It was very dark and very bleak from the get go to the end. 
Its set in a very religiously oppressive society and we follow the rise of slave girl Hekat. She is  strong and ruthless, not stopping until she achieves her goals. She only cares about herself and her one son, and believes she is their gods tool and chosen one. She was an anti Daenerys (dont even go there about the tv s8) she starts as a slave and rises up but couldn't care less about helping others like her. 
My biggest criticism was everything had 'god in front of it, ie godsroom godspool godsbraid etc etc i could go on. It got supertedious. I felt it also needed some lighter moment or moments of hope because it was tough going. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Child death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Sexual assault

venti's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

5.0

i wrote this before i read the last 200 or so pages:

hot take: i liked hekat. scandalously, i would even go so far as to say i liked her. i know. all the other reviews here are astonished.

tbh i don’t think it was easy to like her, and that is what makes her an entirely interesting character. you witness the horrors she endures — particularly within her tenure as a slave — and you begin to understand why she quickly becomes unlikable. she is a product of mijak and its society.

my opinions of hekat after the last 200 pages:

oh my god what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, War, Xenophobia, and Miscarriage

ashybear02's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, War, Classism, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Murder, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Miscarriage, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Violence, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content