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lighterthaneyre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
The sexual violence isn't particularly graphic. On the dub-con end of the scale of non-consentualjackieyvette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book was a bright light after a week of slumming through my last book at sloth speed. It’s was dark and cryptic and sad, but also the three are so caring and loving to each other it makes you see them for who they are and not what they’re become.
Read the TW for this book though there is a lot to deal with.
It’s a super quick read though I finished it in one sitting.
Crying score: No, but yes. But no.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Gore, Misogyny, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death, Sexism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
bazkrekker111's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gore, Violence, Murder, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Infidelity, Drug use, and Misogyny
Minor: Mental illness, War, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Cursing, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
kayceeisbookish's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, War, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Death
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
chaptersbydani's review against another edition
5.0
A Dowry of Blood is a retelling of a certain vampire (his name isn’t directly mentioned in the books but there is a pretty big hint dropped) but from the perspective of one of his brides. It’s her confession, of sorts, because she killed him (not a spoiler, you find out immediately). This is a story of abusive relationships.
And, for the NA rating, I expected this to be a dark read. But it’s not. It’s heavy, of course, but more than it’s just honest. It covers the entire scope of an abusive relationship. From the initial attraction, to the realization that something is wrong, the attempts to break free… most importantly, we see freedom from our characters.
There’s no fetishization of the abuse. The author doesn’t stop once the MC is out of the relationship. We see some of the post-breakup healing. And we see each of the brides happy and thriving in their own way.
I think this book is so so important for that alone. It’s one of the few books I’ve seen that actual handles domestic abuse well.
More than that though, I loved the characters (except for Him). Constanta is so incredibly wise. I loved Alexi’s energy and vibe. I loved the Bram Stoker reference and the subtle mentions of vampiric lore.
Very addictive read. I read this in one sitting and was not intending to 😂 definitely check the trigger warnings but I highly recommend.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
hermithebs's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, War, Violence, Infidelity, Alcohol, Confinement, and Physical abuse
annacochran's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Gore, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
molls's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Blood and Confinement
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, War, and Misogyny
vigil's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
i think a stand out moment of this book was the call back to the very beginning when
the prose was more dead on than it wasn't for me, though it had its fair share of questionable lines, especially in terms of dialogue which had a tendency to sound more modern than it should. i think the author gave as much information as necessary to the book they wanted to write, and that was largely enough for me, though i think it dampened alexei's introduction which felt, and stayed abrupt throughout the rest of the book. some of it was due to his naturally extroverted nature in what is, in my opinion, a very introverted book, but a large portion of it was due to his lack of intrigue or development. contrastly, i think s.t. gibson did great with magdalena.
i like the inclusion of the sex scenes, and wouldn't have minded more.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, and Physical abuse
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Body horror
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Mental illness
Minor: Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Misogyny