Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

52 reviews

harrownova's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury

readjoyfully'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism

miniregrets's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Self harm

nyssbomb's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder

amselot's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia, Rape, and Kidnapping

There is hardly a content warning that doesn't come with this book... Don't read this if you are in a bad place, and I'd also recommend people suffering from anxiety take care while reading this. It triggered several anxiety attacks for me while reading and I was high strung and rattled all the way through. The ending does however tie everything up in a way that is calming and satisfying.

daphnehumming's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read Bitterblue before Graceling & Fire, which puts me in a bit of a different mindset. It is one of my favorite books of all time. I love that it is a story about how we heal from collective trauma & balancing the conflict of those things. I love how Bitterblue comes into herself, and makes mistakes. While the romance is not my favorite, I admire the perspective the love interest brings into the narrative. That said, it could be very triggering for some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, and Torture

Minor: Sexual violence

lapis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent book. 

But it's long, painful, and relevant (despite being written quite a while ago).  It's really hard to read as a result!

Please read it, but exercise caution. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Sexual Assault:

Discussed as a matter in the past

Abuse:

mostly just allusions to stuff in the past

Suicide:

One person commits suicide, others struggle with suicidal thoughts

jella's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Habe nicht erwarte, dass mich die Geschichte so packen wird. Mein liebster Band der Reihe. Auch der (psychisch) brutalste.

Wie in den Vorgängern endet auch diese Geschichte gut, jedoch muss der Hauptcharakter auf etwas verzichten. In Band 1 war es das Augenlicht von Katsas Gefährten, in Band 2 waren es zwei Finger von Fire und hier ist es die Liebe von Bitterblue. Saf stirbt zwar nicht, geht jedoch fort, obwohl sie einander lieben und obwohl er bleiben könnte. Autsch.

Auch wenn das Ende dem nach nicht 100% zufriedenstellend war, würde ich dafür nichts abziehen. Ich finde die Entscheidung der Autorin eigentlich mutig. In der Mitte der Geschichte wäre es unnötiges Drama, aber hier am Ende wandelt es sich eher zu Realismus.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

kettijane55's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

annaluzia's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

Loved it! Will write more when I'm getting home, but I don't have my laptop with me right now ...
*edit 10.04.2021:
I have no idea how to rate this book, to be honest. Plotwise and in terms of being an adventure and entertaining it falls flat compared to Fire and Graceling, but the character work is brilliant and I love love love the way she looks at a kingdom that had just suffered from tyranny, memory loss and no clue as to what the truth is. After studying the dictatorships in Latin America I feel like there are so many things I can now understand way better. The search for truth, for the disappeared, not knowing how to look forward, the power of art. 
I think that this book is really impactful in a lot of ways, but it won't be for anyone. Also love the bits of self-reflection of the author in her notes and acknowledgements, it shows growth and I really respect her for that, and her writing. 
Be aware of trigger warnings though, this is not an easy book! (not AS bad as I'm putting them, but it's primarily about the characters working through their traumas) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism