Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

161 reviews

jachnax's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

This book is so powerful, lush and thought out. I loved every page, every sentence and i will immediatly pick up the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Confinement, Deportation, Genocide, Violence, Misogyny, Torture, War, Blood, Murder, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gore, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Bullying, Sexual violence, and Body horror

Minor: Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, Self harm, and Rape

goodthingsread's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

I have to admit that I really enjoyed this novel. Even though it holds on tightly to some well established YA fantasy tropes, it also has its own unique edge to how it presents those tropes. I appreciated the twists and the growth of the main character; even though at some times she could feel a little dense, as many YA heroines do, there were valid reasons for that. Reasonable justification for characterization is all that I need, and Deka growing up in the restrictive, homogenous and religious environment that she did allowed for her to reasonably not see what was right in front of her.

The romance felt a little tacked on and restrained, which honestly feels like the phrasing I use for the YA novels that I love best, so that should be a compliment. I appreciated, too, that Keita has drunk his Respect Women juice. I hate when the YA novel ends with a twist and cliffhanger and the love interest is revealed to be evil or presented as dubious with a big TBD stamped on his forehead. Instead, this novel ends without a cliffhanger at all. The setup for a further story is there -- one I am very interested in -- but you get the satisfaction of Deka's accomplishment and can revel in that for a moment before moving on to what's next. I don't see that as often in series, especially not YA ones, so that choice was a breath of fresh air.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Misogyny

kiwij96's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Very YA-style writing at times, bordering on juvenile, but this book deals with some heavy themes which needed more mature writing. Definitely check the trigger warnings for this story because it deals with rape, torture, femicide, murder and gore. Generally good worldbuilding and differentiation between different cultures in this world. However, there was an unnecessary romance included and it felt massively out of place. Alao, there are only so many times you can read about girls getting dismembered and tortured.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Blood, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Bullying, and Pregnancy

decie's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Violence, Sexism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Rape

magnoliaash's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, War, Misogyny, Body horror, Gore, Grief, and Violence

nelldiaz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.5

Fantastic book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Torture, Body horror, Child death, Blood, Death, Violence, Misogyny, War, Child abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Rape, Sexism, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Vomit

jessicaludden's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

“No matter my origins, there is worth in what I am.”

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Content Warnings

Minor: Torture, Child death, Death, Abandonment, Gore, Death of parent, Rape, Violence, Murder, War, Blood, Animal death, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Child death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Colonisation, Death of parent, Trafficking, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Grief, Hate crime, Police brutality, Slavery, War, Torture, Murder, Death, Sexism, Outing, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Stalking

Moderate: Excrement, Body shaming, Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Colonisation, and Vomit

colorism

tiffanne11's review against another edition

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? No

3.75

Girls in Otera are two things, either they bleed red and are deemed pure, or they bleed gold and are sentenced to death. 
Deka has never fit in and is looking forward to being deemed pure and finally belonging. But her entire world is turned upside down when her town is attacked on the day of the ritual. Her blood runs gold, and everything changes. 

As a whole, this story was compelling. It used fiction to describe and address real systemic issues, while also creating a world and characters that draw you in. 
However, the big reveal was not shocking and it was mildly frustrating how long it took for it to happen. 
To me, there is no reason for there to be a sequel or to read it. All of the main loose ends were tied up, and there isn't anything pulling me into continuing the story. The reader has all of the information we need to put it down and be satisfied. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Racism, War, Blood, Murder, Sexism, and Trafficking

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Gore, Hate crime, Genocide, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

mysteryspouse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Cursing, Abandonment, Colonisation, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, War, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Vomit, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Dysphoria

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Excrement