Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

20 reviews

mysteryspouse's review against another edition

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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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katemarie99's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

2.0


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wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0


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dontfretd's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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fanboyriot's review against another edition

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

2.0

Honestly, I didn’t really like this book at all.  I just couldn’t seem to get into it with the characters falling flat and the stiff dialogue; the only reason I didn’t DNF is because it was an audiobook and I figured I made it half way already.

While I liked the idea of this book, fighting against a world were there was unnecessary hatred; there were just so many moments that made no sense with how the belief system worked.  Not to mention how did all the Northerns, Southerners, Easterners, and Westerners all agree all girls who bleed gold were demons but girls who bleed red were valued??  You’re telling me not one person out of all the different ideologies each group had that they didn’t noticed an issue with their system??

I don’t know if it’s because I don’t care for first person point of view or just how the book was written but I didn’t get attached to any of the characters either which is really disappointing.  However, the world building was easy to understand for a fantasy book.  It was simple and to the point.

My biggest questions though is how did no one bleed before they were sixteen?!  Women were not allowed to do “strenuous” work because they could NOT bleed before they turned sixteen years old?!

You’re telling me:
  • No one lost their baby teeth until sixteen then?
  • No one tripped and skinned their knee as a kid?
  • No one had any medical issues until then?
  • No one had bodily functions like periods until the minute of their sixteen birthday?
  • That there weren’t any accidents in their everyday life that happened UNTIL they turned sixteen?

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yulecogs's review against another edition

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2.25


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captainoliimar's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75


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erinlaragh's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

✨”Never forget: the same gift they praise you for now, they will kill you for later.”✨

If you follow any Book recommendation pages this would of no doubt popped up on your add to your TBR list- but does it live up to the hype ??? 

Personally  I loved this book it was an easy read, the world building was effortless , and done naturally without info-dumping, I felt I could clearly picture myself travelling right through the caves, jungles and desserts within this story. 🗺

Sisterhood and found  family set up a strong foundation for the themes of feminism and empowerment to proliferate through a plot that surprises through revelations and a writing that’s easy to comprehend. 
The plot follows Deka, a sixteen-year-old girl who has always been an outcast in her village born to a southern mother she is distinguishably different by her looks but she is hoping to be proven pure in the blood ceremony., and thus accepted. When the day finally comes she is shown to have the golden blood of the impure instead of the sought-after red blood. She is punished for this by the elders of the town until an unnamed messenger of the emperor comes to recruit her to an army of girls like her, alaki. You follow her journey training to be in this army to fight against the empire's biggest threat, learning about herself and about the empire around her. 
On this journey Deka builds strong bonds with the girls around her many who have  abused, raped and hurt in the worst way possible, just because their blood ran gold and they were considered to be impure.  It was refreshing to see strong side characters whose trauma was respectfully addressed. 
 At times I found this story a little predictable and there are a few cliché tropes such as the chosen one etc. however these did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this book it’s strengths lying in it’s distinctive feminist narrative with messages of  hope, self acceptance and endurance.

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chellcake's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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? Yes

4.5


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emhunsber's review against another edition

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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


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