Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

42 reviews

literelli's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Kidnapping

Moderate: Misogyny

Coercion, loss of autonomy, period typical homophobia

meredithnudo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

oxfordcommas91's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

I thoroughly enjoyed this magical queer romantasy where both of our male main characters are a bit posh and a bit snarky, and totally falling for each other even when they don’t want to admit it. It’s a little bit Bridgerton meets what I feel like grown up Harry Potter might be like if JK Rowling wasn’t a TERF. 

You can really lose yourself in this book and the author’s winding beautiful prose that Marske creates for her readers.  It wasn’t a “fast” read for me but that was okay. It was a book I was more than content to take my time with - to really sit and dig my teeth into this one. The payoff was well worth it.

Thoughtful plot and magic system - the author takes good care to make sure that this book doesn’t fall into silly trope territory. 

The romance element of this book doesn’t show up for a while, but when it does, you just want to sigh and clutch your heart (and then maybe your pearls because the spice is the sort of detailed and intricate that makes even a grown woman blush just a bit…). But really, I was head over heels for these two British boys who never really found a place to call home until they found each other. Like all other aspects of her book, the romance was beautifully woven and believable. 

I am looking forward to reading  more by Marske. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Stalking

mirandyli's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

Pretty mediocre story about two queer white men in historical England dealing with magical realism. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

samanthabreading's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.0

When I first started reading, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. For some reason the writing style took a little getting used to, but once I did, it was tough to put down! Lots of mystery and intrigue, but that snowflake scene in the beginning is what hooked me.  I really adored Edwin’s journey of vulnerability over time. The Edwardian setting was really fascinating and Marske interlaced the magic system and secret society within this timeframe beautifully.  I didn’t like the sprinkle of sexist and racist undertones within this book, but thinking this may have been attributed to the time/english aristocracy during that period? I am also not much of a spice reader, but the care and consent that took place during these spicy scenes as well as the development of romance and the pining beforehand were quite enjoyable for me! Will give the second book a go! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, and Classism

kimzeyk's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

I had trouble keeping the two MCs straight - I was constantly going back to check who said that.  I liked the story, but it was more sexually explicit than I expected.  Didn’t enjoy it enough to continue with the sequels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

havenraven23's review

adventurous mysterious 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

Not perfect, but enjoyable and a fun world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Toxic relationship and Grief

court_jester's review

emotional funny mysterious 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

I love this book as an entrance to the magical world that these characters live in 
And though I adore this book and characters it’s a little difficult to understand certain aspects of it on first read
It was significantly more enjoyable on a second read 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia

It is a good part of a driving theme of an abusive older brother

booksthatburn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

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

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

nic3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

A good example of the "secret magical parallel society" genre. I appreciate a magic system which has internal logic and was, imo, an original concept with the cradling. The characters were mostly likeable and believable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail