Reviews tagging 'Death'

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

66 reviews

jake_windish's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

It’s the book I’ve searched for. 

My mood for horror took me to my local shop’s section where I saw a bright red spine that read, “Between Two Ferns.” I was dumbfounded and picked it up, saw the actual title and laughed. Then I saw the subheading: 
“An epic tale of medieval horror”

I had to have this book. And when I finally read it, I consumed it. 

A plague-ridden Europe filled is bad enough, as are the people trying to survive it, but when you bring in the forces of good and evil warring for Heaven, things become worse. How can people who have done terrible things absolve themselves when death comes? Are they damned for eternity? Is this world hell itself with its monstrosities and sickness?

This is my first read of Buehlman and it won’t be my last. His prose captivated me and painted the scene beautifully. Never lost in the mire of too much detail, the book’s pacing was always metered and intentional. Action flowed well and the horrors were inspired.

Disgusting yet beautiful. Full of despair and hope. Both funny and terrifying. 

I’m already trying to figure out when I’ll read another one of Buehlman’s books. I can’t wait for it, and I can’t wait to read Between Two Fires again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, and Gore

Minor: Rape and Torture

aetherkids's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Rape, Torture, War, and Child death

Moderate: Child abuse

silea's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

An unusual novel. The Black Death permeates every element of the story but isn’t the focus. Supernatural abominations are just one of the many challenges the people face. The stakes are huge but also small and personal. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Grief, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Death, Cursing, Antisemitism, and Blood

Moderate: Islamophobia, Classism, Sexual assault, Torture, Death of parent, and Excrement

Minor: Miscarriage, Classism, Excrement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Cannibalism, and Child abuse

carodunn's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Cursing, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Excrement

mkyarian12's review against another edition

dark 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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Antisemitism, Body horror, Child death, Blood, Classism, Death, Gore, Homophobia, and Murder

jrmathison3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexual violence, War, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, and Infidelity

moppyy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

Southern Gothic if the "Southern" referred to the South of France and if "Gothic" referred to 14th century medieval Catholicism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Animal death, Murder, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, and War

theabee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

War of the worlds meets 13th century black death, the Decameron meets The Hills Have Eyes. Love this read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Gore

Minor: Death of parent

nanthills's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Gore, Pedophilia, Death, and Sexual assault

kurumipanda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal death, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Torture, Cannibalism, Classism, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Outing, War, Xenophobia, Rape, Pedophilia, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Infidelity, Self harm, Suicide, and Vomit