Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

39 reviews

solarel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a fun read. I liked it more as it went on, and I pretty much started out hating nesta. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Child death, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Violence, War, Blood, Cursing, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Murder

meghansarmiento97's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Chronic illness, Cursing, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Self harm, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape

schmidi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Violence, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

egurgens's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

I really struggled to get into this book because Feyre is no longer the main character, instead it's Nesta. We get a bit of  a glimpse of post-war Nesta in a Court of Frost and Starlight, but we really get to see who Nesta is in this book. It took about 200 pages at least for me to really begin to enjoy the book, because Nesta is just SO miserable in the beginning. However, I think it's really important for the readers to understand that Nesta isn't mean and miserable and defiant because she wants to be, but because she's really struggling with her own mental health, and is afraid to let anyone get close again. 
Once I got into this book, I began to INHALE it. The reintroduction of the Valkyries? Hell yes. Empowering battered women to be able to stand up for themselves and defend themselves if needed? Loved it. The very spicy scenes and the love interest? I'm drooling. The plot was amazing, with Rhys, Feyre, Cassian, and Azriel recovering from the war, only to find a new enemy and artifacts, which only Nesta has the power to find. That was a brilliant way to bring Nesta into the fold of the court, even begrudgingly, and to enable the court to begin to see her in a new light. 
No worries for anyone who is afraid that Feyre won't be present in the story, she definitely is, but is more of a side character here. But she is still present and as lovely and lovable and fierce as ever. I'm super excited for the next book and what new perspectives that offers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Alcohol, Bullying, Grief, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexism, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Addiction, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Cursing, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Dysphoria, Excrement, Physical abuse, War, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Pregnancy

theoceanrose's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Nesta and Cassian are incredible forces and the character development was spectacular. I went into this book knowing that the focus shifted to them, and that I WOULD like Nesta (based on what everyone seemed to be saying online), but otherwise, it was nice to go on the adventure blindly. The book is heavy (both literally because of all of the pages, and mentally/emotionally because of the content), but I still wanted more. I am here for the SJM bandwagon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Blood, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Death, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting

delliomellidom's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Sexism

Minor: Misogyny, Vomit, and Pregnancy

Additional tw for withheld medical information, which led to a hiatus in reading

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense 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? Yes

4.75

I’m speechless. A Court of Silver Flames was so good. Watching Nesta and Cassian’s transformations honestly made me cry and watching Feyre & Rhy’s struggles pulled at my heart. I wish there had been more Mor & Az appearances, I also think Elain could have been more present. The spice was unbelievably good. All in all, I could have used more plot, but honestly Sarah J. Maas did not let us down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, War, and Torture

dreami's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

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

1.5

So.many.repeated.words.
 
and yet so little plot. If you are into erotica desguised as a fantasy book, this one is for you. Otherwise... read throne of glass, that's a actually good fantasy book this author wrote. I usually love SJM, but she massacreted the written word here and there was...NO PLOT. Just sex. I mean, honestly this is just a wattpad fanfiction in hardcover in a nutshell. Seriosly, if you liked "A court of thorns and roses" triology, don't read this. Rhysand becames just as bad as Tamlin (which kills me) and everyone, expect Asriel, Mor and Elain, turned out soooo bad. I miss the time Tamlin was the biggest problem. 

Also I really disliked the fact that SJM took away Nesta’s powers. They were kinda the only thing that made her unique. And the only reason I was even interested in reading this. Without her powers she’s just Feyres bitchy sister. Now Nesta’s just an unnecessary and incredibly annoying character.

I also hate the whole fuck-buddy premise, I found it really unsatisfactory.  And for the young minds that may read this, sex is not how you deal with trauma! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

elfiefiction's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

Kind of repetitive at times and some characters

are low key assholes but never really get held accountable for this in the end

but there is a good message about personal growth, healing and female friendship. While I found Nesta intriguing to begin with, this book did make me like her a bit more but unfortunately it was at the expense of the other characters. Also, I'm not sure her relationship with Cassian was as satisfying as I had hoped it would be considering most of their interactions were smut and not emotional or deeply connecting these two characters. Also the girl power narrative kind of felt undercut at the end when she

decided to change her body to have children as she saved her sister's life. Personally, I found this a bit weird as she never mentioned wanting a child before and this scene seemed to push a desire for motherhood onto her but I digress.

Despite its shortcomings, the book does strive for a positive message for young women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

If you are tokophobic (fear pregnancy) and/or pro-choice, maybe sit this one out.

kbairbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Wow this was. Breathtaking. (Spoiler review) the depth, the insight, the growth, the pain, the just pure incredible artistry…. Wow. This was something else. Working through the trauma of losing her father, and all the personal failures as a person and a sister and a daughter. The physical help from the training, the mental help from working at the library, the emotional help from the house then Emerie and Gwyn then Cassian. The spiritual help from the music, the steps, being pulled into the bloodrite just wow. This was an enchanting read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence