Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

61 reviews

kayceeisbookish's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Violence, Rape, War, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, and Miscarriage

gretchenplz's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I am reluctantly giving this book four stars because of the fabulous ending, despite a very slow first 400 pages.

Aelin continues to be the bane of my existence, and just an overall disappointing FMC. SJM lays out characters who have the potential to be deep and complex, but then either surrounds them with yes-men or chooses to portray them solely as evil. Aelin got the first treatment, despite her being highly hypocritical, arrogant, and vapid, and I'm somehow supposed to buy in on her being a good queen one day. I don't think so. It's so much "Rules for thee but not for me" with her, and I find it to leave such a bad taste in my mouth. She hasn't shown any character growth at all, in my opinion. Her only growth is that of her powers. 

I'm so beyond disappointed with how SJM has treated Chaol's character, but I shouldn't be surprised. SJM seems to be unable to write characters with any sort of complexity or depth, or approach the good vs. bad debate with any nuance (this is why you will catch me defending Tamlin at all times). She chooses to frame the characters that she decides she's tired of writing as simply "bad" with no hope of redemption or personal growth (the only time she has succeeded at this is with Nesta, and that "growth" was only achieved by sacrificing her powers!!!! I'm sorry, wrong book, I'll stop). Her characters are too black or white, and it is exhausting. 

Lysandra literally made me cry, Manon is bae forever, and Elide is growing on me so much. I adore Aedion, and I can't wait to see what happens with Lorcan. I know I'm supposed to like Rowan, but I just find him lacking substances beyond "I worship Aelin and would do anything for her" at the moment

Also, the "sexual tension" is just cringeworthy at this point. The way the characters are crafted... it just doesn't have the same... effect... that it did in ACOTAR. Please, Sarah. Just let them bang it out in the first ten pages of the next book. 

In the last 100 pages, you could have told me that this was the last book in the series, and I would have believed you. Everything could have been wrapped up and tied with a neat little bow, and my brain cannot comprehend how there are still nearly 3k more pages left in this series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, and Rape

jenneroni's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Probably my favorite in the series so far! The plot was sooooo thick, the relationships were so complicated, and there was always something happening. I’ve grown to love every character in a different way and can’t wait to take on the tandem read over Christmas.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, and Torture

cathdes's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Murder, and War

Minor: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, and Kidnapping

laura_nel13's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Slavery, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Genocide, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Torture, War, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, and Excrement

aconyers's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Sexual assault

Still born. And lead to believe SA

rileypruyn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Torture, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Slavery, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Genocide and Suicidal thoughts

abbyreads23's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I think to give Queen of Shadows anything less than 5 stars would be a cardinal sin. Maybe that’s dramatic, I don’t care. The development of the overall story and characters is incredibly gripping, I don’t know how many time I was physically tensed up or tearing up over something I was reading. It’s touching, it’s hopeful, it’s also dark, sad, and makes you wonder how Aelin and her court are going to make it out of the mess. Let’s take a moment and appreciate Manon’s character development and the introduction of Elide, which I am very eager to see what their stories hold in the next few books. 
I have read TOG in the “Romantic” way. 
Going onto Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn as a tandem read. 
I do believe, so far, that Queen of Shadows has been my favorite book though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: War, Gore, and Death

Minor: Miscarriage, Torture, Slavery, Vomit, and Sexual assault

undecidedpersonality's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Medical content, War, Confinement, Slavery, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Pregnancy, Genocide, and Sexual violence

Minor: Classism, Sexual content, Child death, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child abuse

vickyz_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Blood and Violence

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Sexual assault