Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

22 reviews

beth_taggard's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

3.0

There is so much hype for this series right now — one that began ten years ago with Red Rising — and I don't get it. Maybe I'm simply over the brutal annihilation of teenagers for the sake of a better society. It's a noble goal; equality always is, but why must the young be sacrificed?

Then there is our too-perfect, enhanced main character. Yawn. Beyond the physical changes he endures to appear gold, not red (societal class is denoted by color in this world), the insinuation is that his intellect, instincts, and athletic prowess have always been this perfect. I prefer more nuance and, frankly, flaws in my main characters. 

The pacing is also off. It's a super slow slog in the beginning, though the back half did pick up the pace a little. Was this enough to save the series for me? Will I continue? At the time of this review, I Just don't know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Violence, Confinement, Mental illness, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Classism, Bullying, Death, War, and Suicide

alainral's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Slavery, Murder, Classism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Excrement

Minor: Kidnapping

morris42's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Death, Violence, War, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Torture

Minor: Cannibalism

naechan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Colonisation, Rape, Blood, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Cursing, Sexual violence, Torture, Animal death, Murder, Slavery, Grief, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Classism, War, Genocide, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

blackbird300's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

3.75

I’m mad that I enjoyed this so much. My biggest issue with the entire book lies with the fact that nearly every femme-presenting character introduced in the story is assaulted at some point. Yes, many of them are well developed characters, but it does not erase the fact that they were assaulted/nearly assaulted. That fact alone feels out of place in the entire plot. 
This first book belongs solidly within the YA genre. The plot moves at break neck pace, losing the reader first at the beginning, but once accustomed, it becomes easy. Certain plot points are wrapped up quickly upon being introduced, but all strings are tied at the very end. 
I’ve been wrestling with myself as to whether or not I should purchase the sequel…and my answer is a solid yes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Medical content, Abandonment, War, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexism, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Excrement, Animal death, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

ehamlett's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective tense slow-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: Classism, Violence, Death, Blood, and War

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Torture

literallybaking's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder

Minor: Rape

isotope_s's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

So Protestant. Knock off Hunger Games. The book is boring until you get to the games. The games were interesting to read. It wants to say something about justice and race and class. But it just doesn’t—like I said, knock off hunger games. Idk if I’m just tired of rebellion books or what. Also I can’t stand the MC. So annoying, condescending, and full of himself. Also there was literally nothing about this that was sf besides the setting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, War, Torture, Slavery, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Classism, Racism, Gore, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood and Animal death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cannibalism

melchior's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book cannot be put down. It is a wild, emotional, butt-clenching rollercoaster from start to finish. Loved it. Laughed. Cried. Immediately started the next book in the series. To say I'd recommend it would be an understatement.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gore, Blood, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Rape, Excrement, Body horror, Slavery, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Cannibalism, and Grief

ka_ke's review against another edition

I got bored. The book is predictably dystopian. 

I’m all for rallying the people against the oppressors, I think these stories are truly important, however there has to be a way to get the point across in less pages or with faster pacing. 

Also… you can tell a hetero-cis-male wrote the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Slavery, Confinement, Violence, War, Gore, Misogyny, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Body shaming, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Rape