Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

135 reviews

amphipodgirl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

I found this compelling and a bit disturbing, which I think it's meant to be. I don't want to say to much about the details of how it's disturbing, as I enjoyed the suspense and gradual unfolding, but it explores themes of abuse, trauma, power, gender, and betrayal. I will be re-reading, and look forward eagerly to the release of volume 2 later this year. In particular, I am eager to discover

whether White Hands and the Gilded Ones are really recreating a lost egalitarian utopia. I am hoping that Forna continues to take the messier and more nuanced approach, and they turn out to be really not so lovely as all that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, War, and Genocide

The golden-blooded girls can survive most forms of being killed and are murdered repeatedly by a variety of means for a variety of reasons as well as being abused sexually and otherwise. Also CW for drowning.

emhunsber's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Sexism, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

The brunt of the graphic content is within the first quarter of the book, then content remains dark but becomes less graphic.

mountain_reader19's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Torture, Child abuse, Death, Violence, War, Death of parent, and Grief

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

leabhar_love's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, and War

ekmook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, War, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, and Grief

halfbloodprincess_hogwarts's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I really enjoyed how magical The Gilded Ones is. How bizarre that there are female characters, when coming of age, bleed gold blood and are seen as evil. 

Our MC Deka is such an amazing character and herself is a suspenseful mystery. As in, she does bleed gold, is tragically killed by her own father, and can continue to ressurect herself.

Soon, she is united with more Gilded girls and together discover their individual strengths, train, and become more aquatinted with their "rebirthed" selves. 

I was EXTREMELY happy when Ixia (a magical shape-shifting creature) was introduced and LOVE HIM SO MUCH😭 Deka and his initial encounter is magically  spiritual, as soon as she lays eyes on him something in her being tells her he belongs to her. He does end up biting down on her arm and locking down, I would have freaked out, I figure to be a blood bonding. After that he's fiercely protective of her and the sweetest protective pet.

Then the whole premise behind the wicked creatures the Gilded are trained to help eliminate, Death Shrieks. There were so many mixed emotions and confusion combined with Deka unexpectedly understanding their foreign language. I could just weep.

The Gilded Ones has so much deep meaning and realistically resonates with the spiritual warfare Black Women and dealing with. I cherish Namina Fora for writing such a powerful start to this duology. I cannot wait to read the next title of this series.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexism, Death, Misogyny, War, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, and Grief

zluke's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

The plot was engaging throughout and the characters were explored well. The main character has a lot of growth throughout the book. There were a lot of questions and mysteries throughout the book which are steadily answered and mostly tied up by the end. Some things I found a little confusing but overall a great read. 

It was a lot more explicit in sexism/misogyny and violance than I expected going in. There is graphic torture quite early on and this continues through the book. I felt it was important to the story though and the book explores the emotional impacts of this on the characters well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Blood, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, and Vomit

Minor: Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Confinement, Homophobia, and Pregnancy

booksanna's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Ok. This was amazing. The details and world building, character relationships, the moral impact, and depth of the plot are outstandingly glorious. If you love Greek Mythology, then you will love this. Very powerful and legend like story with a very interesting world.  The content is a little dark, but not depressingly dark(has some triggers). Awesome writing style, and I love Britta and Ixa. Has the Chosen One trope, so if you are not a fan of that then I would watch out.  Overall has very fantastical but still relatable universe. Looking forward to reading the 2nd book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Gore, War, Child abuse, Confinement, Toxic friendship, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Bullying, Rape, Slavery, Abandonment, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

abby_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Gore, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Sexual harassment, War, and Trafficking