Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

133 reviews

serenhybrid's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

2.0

I really wanted to like this book but it just fell utterly flat! It's written by a black female author, and centers on a culture very different to my own, which I would normally love and relish! It's meant to be about feminism and defeating the patriarchy, but parts of it read more like torture porn. There was an almost gratuitous focus on some of the horrific things that happened to the characters, and only the merest lip service paid to the effect it has on them. 

For me, this book perpetuates the troubling narrative that trauma makes women stronger, that their suffering is somehow noble and that every terrible thing was worth it because it made them better people. This is false, and troubling to read in a book that purports to be feminist. Frequently, I wondered if this was written by a man! The characters made no sense, had very little internal logic and just seemed to be devices to push forward a plot with a clear agenda. The story somehow moves both too fast and extremely slow. The ending is just awful, huge amounts of exposition and back story pushed into about 5 pages. I don't like any of the characters and I have no investment in the world or outcomes. 

This has so much promise, but the writing is just not good enough to support the ideas.  requently , an idea was planted and then resolved just a page or two later. This lead to a serious dearth of tension and anticipation. I wish the whole book was the trilogy, so we could explore the world and characters a lot more, and so some of the later plot twists were slightly more built up to. I just can't recommend that anyone reads this book, especially if they have experienced any trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Misogyny, Genocide, and Sexism

Moderate: Child abuse and Rape

Heavily implied detail of a 13 year old girl being raped and tortured for many years, with no comfort or rescue

millie_marsden1's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is a super easy read right from the start. The storyline is amazing however can be slightly predictable. Can’t wait to read the second one. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

lovelybubbles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Vomit, Misogyny, Blood, and Child abuse

smashley_rr's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-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

5.0

This one was great and I look forward to continuing the series. There is a lot of traumatic things brought up throughout for the characters, but it is handled with transparency and care, even in the most horrid of experiences. 

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Content Warnings

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

jagodasbooks's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

4.0

I am absolutely horrified
this book should come with at least 3 page long list of trigger warnings

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Torture, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Animal death, War, Death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Child abuse, and Child death

bubbabook's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.75

Th Gilded Ones is a dark fantasy novel, with diverse world building, complex characters, and an enticing mystery to unfold. Forna has written a compelling world, with a deep lore and yet I would say that the greatest achievement of this book is the real life truths that Forna has explored. This book is dark and violent, and does not shy away from depicting the brutal and shameful treatment the women of Otera face. Deka is our heroine and also a stand in for women in the real world. Without giving any spoilers, this book was a delight to discover- “We who are dead salute you!”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Body horror, Death, Torture, Child abuse, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Violence

inez_hunter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, War, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent and Confinement

Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Rape

yaelaed's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, War, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Rape and Confinement

soline's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

This book is sooooo good, everyone should read it. I didn't expect so much from this book, because I didn't hear a lot about it, I didn't even know the plot. But let me tell you, my jaw was on the floor for EVERY plot twists and revelations. The tension that Namina Forna attempt to create is so good.
It has the perfect Hunger Games/Divergente vibes. Little advice: put on some badass movies' music, the difference was AMAZING.

I cannot wait to read the end of this series. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, Grief, Blood, Murder, and Death

Minor: Child abuse

vtruelove's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

This story is about women rising up to reclaim their power. It also has a timely theme of religion being used to control a population. It is truly one of the best books I've read in quite a long time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Body horror, Death, Grief, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry