Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

132 reviews

whatjasread's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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

4.0

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would! Not too sure that I'm desperate to continue the series, but this book was very different to what I expected. The writing was great, though a little slow at times and could probably have been a little shorter with some decent editing. Plotwise this was predictable but not in a bad way, I enjoyed seeing the story unfold. I do wish there was a bit more focus on Deka's Uruni bond with Keita. I also wish the queer relationship was a bit more obvious and woven through the story, as it felt a bit like an afterthought.

TWs: racism, colourism, sexism, sexual harassment, illness, murder, graphic violence, gore, blood, death, stab wounds, torture, body-shaming, scarring, vomiting, ref to rape, sexual assault, fat-shaming, dismemberment, body horror, death of mother (before book)

Tropes/rep/themes: war, legends, sapphic SCs, found family, ritual bonding

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Blood, Murder, and War

Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexism, Vomit, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Death of parent

lucy_shanners's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Bullying, Pedophilia, and Vomit

msbrenda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Torture, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Rape

kilic's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

chellcake's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Alcohol

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.

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Content Warnings

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

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.

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

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Content Warnings

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

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

dark 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Slavery and Vomit

Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia

ducklingh's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I'm not always a fan of high fantasy, but I thought this was great 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Body horror, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Pregnancy

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

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Content Warnings

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