Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

51 reviews

mamareadstuff's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

4.75

This might have been my favorite in this series. We finally get to know Nesta and all her flaws, insecurities, fears and hopes, strengths and weaknesses. She is far from perfect, but she feels real and that is a refreshing twist to the perfect fantasy girl trope. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Sexual content, Gore, Rape, Confinement, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Violence

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Pregnancy, Sexism, and War

quietlex's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

5.0

I really hated Nesta throughout the beginning. The self sabotage and rock bottom spiraling was just too much. But it was all necessary, to watch her climb tooth and nail up that mountain to find true happiness: a chosen family, honest friends, and a burning love. I’ll always love a deadly powerful female ripping at the seams with unknown strengths; Nesta truly lived up to the title “Queen of Death.”

I do wish she was able to unleash herself and her powers more, and learn to hone them to become even deadlier. She finally begins to embrace her true self right when she offers up her stolen power back to the Cauldron. Also, what the hell happened with Mor and Eris! They keep alluding that someone different happened, that Eris isn’t actually this awful male that left his betrothed to die in the woods. 

I really enjoyed the friendships that blossomed between Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn, their pure strength and determination that kept them together and pushing on. The love that they had for each other, no judgement, just acceptance and understanding. Exactly what Nesta needed, just as much as the other women needed it. They are the parallel to Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel. 


I’m upset she had to give up a portion of her powers to save Feyre and Rhys and the baby, despite understanding her reasoning. Not just to save them, but also the fact that she never wanted her powers, never really used them at all. I saw another review talking about how instead of a redemption arc, Nesta should’ve been given a villain arc. Really let loose and go feral with all that power of Death. She was truly unstoppable if she could’ve just kept training her magic. I wanted her to go Red Witch style, burning everything in her path with those icy flames of silver. Not give up before she’s even started. Especially not to use her one chance to alter herself with fleeing powers to change her womb for future winged babies. Barf boring lame. I figured one baby was enough pregnancy drama. At least it was only kept to a portion of the book, and we didn’t have to hear whatever insufferable narration would’ve accompanied from Feyre. Sorry but I don’t care about that kid, even if it’s supposed to be something insanely rare. No one even mentioned Mor’s friend being pregnant either. I just felt no connection to that storyline. I wanted Rhys to be High King, not turn into a diaper changing snore. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Gore, Grief, Pregnancy, Cursing, Death of parent, Confinement, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and War

shewh0was's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

2.5

Overall, I have a few issues with the book. The fact that Cassian loves Nesta is what makes him tell her she needs to apologise for her actions feels… wrong. Loving someone shouldn’t be the reason you tell them they’re being an ass. Caring for them, yeah, but if you even consider someone a friend, why would you have any reason to wait until you realise you love them romantically to tell them “by the way, you’re kind of a shitty person.” Loving someone too much shouldn’t be an excuse for hesitating to tell them when they’ve messed up. It can be a reason, but never an excuse. 

The sudden shift to third-person in the last book of the series threw me for a loop, but everything being about Nesta also feels… off. As a stand-alone book that could be disconnected from the series, I feel like it would have done well, since this feels like a lot of extra filler plot that doesn’t really move on the story of ACOTAR, ACOMF, and ACOWR, & ACOFS. 

I also have a small issue with the complete LACK of communication 95% of the time between love interests. Instead of sitting down and talking like adults, they resort to fighting and then… doing the dirty tango. That’s… not communicating. That’s just pushing away a problem. Half of the issue with the plot would easily be solved if the characters simply TALKED TO EACH OTHER. The fae’s political issues also highlight this. GUYS. SIT DOWN AND TALK INSTEAD OF POINTING FINGERS. HOW HAS YOUR EMPIRE LASTED SO LONG WHEN ALL YOU DO IS POINT A FINGER AT A DIFFERENT COURT AND SAY “this is your fault.” THAT SOLVES NOTHING AT ALL. 

Discussing Nesta’s issues is essential, yes, and the crew’s response to her problems may not have been the best choice, but it was better than nothing (if a bit of a shitty response to how to deal with alcoholism and complex mental health issues that could stem from a poor situation or lack of information and research on SJM’s part). Towards the end of the book, it felt rushed, and the whole segment with Feyre giving birth to Nyx felt incredibly out of place. The whole pregnancy felt out of place and rushed, especially when Feyre said herself a few books back that she wanted to wait to have kids, but I guess that didn't matter when she stopped fighting a war. Feyre being pushed down to becoming what’s essentially a housewife feels so out of place with her entire arc and that really irks me.

I’m also going to say that it’s a bit weird to dedicate a book that’s mostly awful smut scenes to your husband and 2-year old son.

Maybe I’m being overly critical of the books as a whole, but ACOTAR as a series is absolutely not a read again in a month series for me. It’ll be a read-it-once-a-year kind of series. It didn’t hit in the same way that other books I’ve read have and doesn’t necessarily have the specific spark of a book that is really, really good. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Sexual content

Moderate: Pregnancy

sarahreadsromance's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-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

This was not just a story of healing, but for me, it was healing itself.  It feels silly to say, but it genuinely shifted my perspective on the relationships in my life.  Not to mention it had some pretty fire spice.  Not everything ended the way I wanted, but I think that was part of the point and it helped me come to peace with that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Child death, Cursing, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Blood, and Sexual content

januaryt123's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Bullying, Murder, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Blood

Moderate: Sexism and Rape

bugbites's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Violence

smkelly1997's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

Yet again I am absolutely blown away. At first I was skeptical with the change in narrator. I love Feyre. But Nesta kept me captivated and intrigued. I hated and loved her all at the same time. I saw her fighting to be the person she could be. The 700+ pages flew by and each part of it kept me captivated. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Blood, Bullying, and Rape

not_asha01's review against another edition

adventurous 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Confinement, Alcoholism, Rape, War, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Cursing, Blood, Stalking, Mental illness, Grief, Bullying, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death, Alcohol, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Murder

cliff_dive's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Death

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual harassment, Ableism, Bullying, and Sexual assault