Reviews tagging 'Grief'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

30 reviews

prosenheim's review

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Torture

Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Outing

Minor: Homophobia, Self harm, Vomit, and Death of parent

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

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

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

blacksphinx'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Chronic illness, Racism, and Suicide

pvp_niki's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Mental illness, Racism, Blood, Grief, and Alcohol

alma_n'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I wanted this to be a 5 star read SO BAD. I liked the characters, the story was interesting enough, but honestly the magic system was so confusing. I still don't understand a lot of the plot points because it was just poorly explained, and it didn't help that I found it hard to read the writing style. I had to read some parts out loud to fully get what was happening. it was alright.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Grief

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

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Content Warnings

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

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

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.”

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Content Warnings

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