Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

56 reviews

skylar_cr_wolf's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read it while taking the train to somewhere. And this piece! It’s slightly haunting but extremely Beautiful. And yes, with a capital b! I love how you go through the cycle of the life

from a little girl made to be the Devil to turn out to be the Saint of War. Only to finally understand at the end what’s important!

It’s been very well made and it’s also my first time reading Alix’ writing style. I love it. This is among my favourite books now.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death and Blood

I am not sure if I can label the relationship between the protagonist and the prince/king as a) slavery, b) toxic relationship or anything because it’s monarchy and the system of monarchy is absolutely strange and just something which feels bot necessarily right, especially when you consider in the time the short story plays

bookishwondergoth's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-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

5.0

This Joan of Arc-inspired (I can only assume) short story is absolutely superb. The amount of depth, intrigue, characterisation and emotion that Alix E. Harrow packs into just 30 pages is nothing short of astounding. Beautifully written, full of quotable hard-hitting lines, I cannot recommend this enough.

I've seen a few people in their reviews say they wish this had been a full-length novel. I find that I do also wish this, but I also wonder, "Would it have hit so hard if it wasn't so short?" The answer, I think, is no. The fact this is a short story is what makes its power so astonishing.

Read it once through to experience it for the first time. Then read it again to fully understand it. It is excellent. I loved this story and will definitely be reading more of Alix E. Harrow's work in the future.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Gore, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

There are repeated instances of drowning. Two characters repeatedly emotionally manipulate another character to carry out their wishes.

queerreaderchaos's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

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

f18's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death and Blood

chilivanilli28's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and War

rhi_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Blood, and Grief

bexbringsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

There are no saints. And love is a tragedy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

emeraldelephant's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War

morganfiona's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

You know those short stories you had to read in middle school that were so emotionally devastating but you had to just keep going about your day after getting your world rocked? I felt like that after reading this. Truly incredible story, masterful use of second person POV. Absolutely beautiful prose.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, and Blood

marleywrites's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

What a well written short story. I previously read The Ten Thousand Doors of January and enjoyed it so I thought I would give this story a try and I’m glad I did. It was powerful, dark, and sad, yet hopeful. This short story made me want to read more by this author. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death and Medical content