Reviews tagging 'Grief'

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

18 reviews

wordsareworlds's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-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

3.5

I loved Memory Called Empire, and this was a very, very good sequel, although I don't like it as much as the first. I found having four PoVs plus interludes more difficult to engage with (a recurring theme for me when there are more than two PoV characters), and often the PoV changes were used as cliffhangers in a way I found off-putting. 

Martine's writing is beautiful, and I found the way she balanced the personal aspects of the characters with the larger, epic plot points incredibly well done. I was more satisfied by the end of the novel before I realized it was a duology, but still felt like it fit the book very well, as heartbreaking as it was in several respects. My favorite parts I definitely didn't get enough of - especially the way Martine was exploring colonization and xenophobia both as part of and in response to colonization, or the evolution of Mahit's sense of self and her relationship with Three Seagrass.

CN

violence, descriptions of aftermath of genocide, racism, xenophobia, one instance of body horror, grief, chronic pain, sexual content

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Chronic illness, Grief, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body horror and Sexual content

hanz's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, and War

Moderate: Grief and Colonisation

kathleencoughlin's review

adventurous 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

4.75

An excellent sequel to A Memory Called Empire. Familiar characters were thrown into new situations. The world was expanded. Martine built on ideas and themes about belonging and self. Overall very interesting and fun.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, and Genocide

Minor: Grief and Suicide

readandfindout's review

adventurous tense slow-paced

4.0

Style/writing: 4.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Blood, Gore, and War

Moderate: Violence, Medical trauma, Body horror, Xenophobia, Vomit, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

totallyshelfaware's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical content, and War

Moderate: Colonisation and Xenophobia

Minor: Grief and Genocide

bookishjd's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Sexual content, Vomit, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Gore, Grief, and Violence

caseythereader's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Violence

achingallover's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-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

phenomenal

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, and Xenophobia