Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

11 reviews

lollymac's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Bullying, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Homophobia, Murder, and Grief

scrubsandbooks's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

4.5

I can't believe this book slipped under my radar as long as it did especially when I got the copy of the book itself in a monthly book box. This was an amazing read, a great and unique magic system, and the world-building was easy to follow without being too convoluted or simple. I loved reading Edwin and Robin's relationship developing, as well as their own character developments.

And, of course, the mark of a good reader, IMO, is how well a villain is written, and how they can piss you off with their existence in a book, and Marske was able to do that very easily. One of the reasons I kept reading this trilogy was to read the Big Bad have his ass handed to him, though how he went at the end of this book was also somewhat satisfying.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse and Confinement

bergha1998's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

I think it’s a lovely story, I just found the pacing a bit off. It took me awhile to really get into it. But as soon as the characters get fleshed out more and the mystery grows it is quite enjoyable. I also didn’t expect so many spicy scenes. 

Fantasy Mystery, MLM Romance, 2 1/2 🔥

“You look like a Turner painting and I want to learn your textures with my fingertips. You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful house. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you.”

“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”

“And I’m sick to death of being afraid, and I want you. Enough to risk it. More than enough. You make me feel like something—extraordinary.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Colonisation, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny

ramakn22's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Minor: Homophobia

maryellen's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Bullying, and Confinement

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Blood, Grief, and Chronic illness

embarcaderosky's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, Outing, Racism, Sexism, Confinement, Classism, and Homophobia

carolined314's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

A lovely portmanteau of a book: historical fantasy mystery with queer protagonists.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Bullying

Moderate: Confinement, Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Physical abuse, and Murder

Minor: Outing and Torture

booksthatburn's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.5

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT is about Edwin and Robin, initially in each other’s company through a bureaucratic mistake. Robin had been cursed when he was unable to provide unknown assailants with information his (missing) predecessor had also denied them. Edwin was supposed to be liaising with whomever held that office, and instead proceeded to try and remove the curse. The actual plot is pretty straightforward, with only a few more twists after that. The action is solid (especially the bit in the maze) and I like several of the secondary characters, but the heart of this is absolutely Edwin and Robin’s relationship as they’re continually in each other’s company.

The rapport between Edwin and Robin slowly builds, lagging behind the intensity of each man’s buried attraction to the other. Robin adjusts pretty quickly to the existence of magic (a situation made much harder to ignore by the harsh nature of his introduction). Edwin’s focus is on trying to remove Robin’s curse, initially thinking of their acquaintance as very temporary and somewhat reversible. Much of the book is spent on Edwin’s family’s estate, with his siblings whose pranks range from frustrating to cruel. 

The worldbuilding is pretty subtle about placing the era, the setting is one where magic exists within the otherwise real history of the British Isles. Since I wasn't trying very hard to place it I was content to know it's a while ago, but after the invention of cars. I'm sure there are clues to place it more precisely if I looked hard, but the story wasn't trying to trouble me with those. It did more with the ways that magic could be secret, and the key seems to be that (in England, specifically), it's tied up in old money and old families since magic is passed through bloodlines. 

I enjoyed this immensely and will definitely read the rest of the series. The ending sets up a clear idea for the arc of the series, and I'll happily read more in this setting even if Edwin and Robin don't stay as the protagonists.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Ableism, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Violence, Blood, Bullying, and Drug use

Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Child death, Death of parent, and Vomit

breadbees's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Torture

Minor: Abandonment, Outing, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Confinement

therainbowshelf's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

I loved this book so much that I don’t think I can adequately convey how much I liked reading it. I was in absolutely no hurry to finish because I didn’t want it to end. Beautiful prose, charming and emotive characters, great world building, and an excellent story. I enjoyed this on the same level as my all-time favorite Nightrunner series, which is the only novel series I’ve read multiple times.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Murder, Grief, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Confinement, and Death of parent