Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

11 reviews

mysterymom40's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Torture, Death of parent, War, Death, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

halefa's review

adventurous slow-paced

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

3.25

The first part - maybe the first 60-70% - I would give a rating of 2,5/2,75.
The second part of the book I would give a rating of 3,75/4.

The beginning of the book is an incredible slow burn.
I don't particularly enjoy stories written from children's perspective, and that might be the reason for me disliking that part so much. Unfortunately for me, the main character is a child (6-12 years old) for most of the book.
Most of the book is also focused only on that child and various things that happen to him. There is no general thread or story arc yet, and the main character is rather passive and unopioniated (I mean - he's a child!).

The second half of the book luckily picksup pace. Now a teenager, the main character makes more decisions and takes actions. Also, a general plot develops giving the world more authenticity and relevance. A generic evil shows up and different characters' agendas to deal with it are revealed.
This part was far more engaging and interesting to read.

And then there are the last couple of chapters happen where the pace quadruples and everything explodes.

Apart from being of the opinion that the book stays in the childage era for far too long, I am sad we didn't get to know more about the aspect of the story that is actually in the title: "Assassin's Apprentice". 
We only get vague hints and weak side sentences once in a while about what the assassin education included and I would have wished for more details and creativity here.
(Also I don't get Chade. Really weird mentor vibe.)

I noticed that the book contained barely any positive descriptions of women and the language used to describe female characters is often heavily inspired by the idea of stereotypical medieval terms.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Grief, Animal death, Death of parent, and Infertility

reddeddy's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Violence, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Animal death, Confinement, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Dysphoria, Addiction, Medical content, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Bullying, Death of parent, Infertility, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Colonisation, and Drug abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Body horror, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Suicide, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Ableism, Excrement, and Toxic relationship

maximauve's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Alcohol, and Drug use

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Torture

lea's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad 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

4.5

I think this is the kind of book I will like more upon reread and after having finished the series. I'd say it's a 4 star but out of respect for future me I'm gonna give it 4.5 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Torture, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

bookaholic_in_wonderland's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Torture, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty

ellanorte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

4.5

Si me das un libro de fantasía de toda la vida, conmigo aciertas seguro. Pero es que Assassin's Apprentice es superior a la media. Sobre todo si te molan los libros con desarrollo de personajes, que es su punto más fuerte. No le doy cinco estrellas porque he de admitir que hasta la mitad se me hizo un poco denso. Luego ha sido un no poder parar de leer. Mis dieses.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Animal death

eileenp59's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Classism, Violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Torture, Murder, Animal cruelty, Ableism, Misogyny, Grief, and Addiction

Minor: Body shaming, Vomit, Biphobia, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Stalking, Child death, Sexism, and Emotional abuse

iviarelle's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was... an experience. The writing is great, the setups and payoffs are pretty satisfying, but some of the events are very upsetting and potentially traumatizing. Also, some scenes and sequences feel a little rushed, particularly the most plot-important ones. It's a bit of an odd balance for me. Don't get me wrong: I'm curious, even eager, to read more in this series and universe, but as interested as I was while reading it, I'm not as impressed with this book as a whole as I thought I would be. Also, so many content notes. See again about upsetting and traumatizing. This is not a lighthearted book you want to read as a break between heavy stuff, this is the stuff you may need a bit of a break from.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, and Torture

Minor: Vomit, Pedophilia, and Medical content

booksnbeesofbea's review

adventurous challenging slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Bullying

Moderate: Self harm and Torture

Minor: Alcoholism and Infertility