Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

39 reviews

sassyykassie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Torture, Gun violence, Misogyny, War, Gaslighting, and Hate crime

Moderate: Sexism and Murder

Minor: Sexual violence and Fire/Fire injury

rebecca_simard's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Very different from the first book, which follows our main duo traveling a strange world with very few other characters. This book follows their arrival at Haven and the events that transpire after. It discusses loyalty and power in political chaos and how often neither side in a conflict is really right. Todd and Viola are kept separate for most of the book, both operating in very different parts of the political chaos that book one began laying the groundwork for. The dual POV can be frustrating but leads to a super intense scene in the final few chapters. Surprisingly graphic and complex for a YA novel, much more so than the first book, but I think the first one was more fun and endeared me more to the characters. Either way, looking forward to picking up book 3 and seeing if it can tie together the mystery and fun of the first book with the grittyness and introspection of book 2.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Genocide and Torture

mylittlebookcase's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Holy moly the themes in this book are dark and complex! Ness has really done a good job at highlighting how grey events can be even when they're clearly black and white at the same time too! A great book series for teens who are starting to notice the world around us.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, War, and Violence

Moderate: Genocide

Minor: Rape

sleepygym's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexism, Genocide, Torture, Violence, and War

whitenoise's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, Violence, Torture, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: War, Misogyny, Slavery, and Medical content

abigailhaagen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

4.0

This book was very good, but not as good as the first, in my opinion. Character voice/prose wasn't as strong, and some decisions felt out of character. However, the plot kept me engaged, and I absolutely loved the exploration of grey morals throughout the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Sexism

Moderate: Slavery and War

daringreader13's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Murder, Xenophobia, Violence, Torture, Vomit, Slavery, Medical content, Excrement, War, Abandonment, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, and Death

makothebookdragon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture

howard's review against another edition

4.0

This was DARK. One of the darkest YA if not just in general I've read in a long time. Really takes its time showing the horrors of war and police occupation. This is becoming one of my all time favorite series. It really dives deep into the complexities of the choices that we make.

Just like the first, it was a little long for my taste. It's also still bio-essentialist and I don't think it's going to address that. There are things (losses) I wished it lingered on more but I understand that during wartime you don't always get time to process your feelings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Torture

Moderate: Genocide and Slavery

Minor: Death of parent

lizzieuch's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, and Xenophobia