Reviews tagging 'Death'

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

27 reviews

pacc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gore

kestrellady's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book gets pretty dark, but I really loved the academic magic system and the exploration of the cost of magic, especially when that cost is high, but hidden. Definitely check the content warnings if you're at all squeamish about violence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Racism, Xenophobia, and Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt

luciguara's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

 

TERRIBLE LIBRO
Increible, hace mucho no leo algo tan bueno. Droga desde el capitulo uno. Leia con mi cara a 5 cm del kindle de lo inmersa que estaba.
Posta que abarco de todo y no es la fantasia mas larga que he leido, pero es muy compleja y cada palabra, cada oracion fue aprovechada para desarrollarla.
Misoginia, racismo, colonialismo, xenofobia, politica, magia, historia, moral, religion. En este caso NO aplica el dicho "el que mucho abarca, poco aprieta". La historia cierra por todos lados. Estas tan concentrado en x parte de la trama que te olvidas de lo que no esta resuelto hasta que la misma narrativa te lo recuerda para poder darle un cierre.
La verdad que el gran descubrimiento de la protagonista me tomo desprevenida por lo que dije en la oracion anterior, estaba tan concentrada en el presente de la historia que no hile las ideas, y para mi eso habla de lo bien escrito que esta.
Realmente se lo recomiendo A TODOS.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, and Xenophobia

roseleebooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was incredible. It introduces a fantasy world where Bright Haven, a city protected by magic, is a refuge from blight. It's founders created a place in which magic and industry thrive, but at what cost? 

The characters in this book are incredibly well written. From the beginning Sciona and Thomil are real people, with depth to their characterizations that is incredible. The reader can understand their points of view, can recognize the danger of Sciona's ego and the anger in Thomil's silence and still empathize with them. Their different views on morality and what makes a person "good" were so well written. I'm still thinking about one of their verbal debates.

The pacing of the story is tense and quick but never feels rushed. The way it unfolds makes sense but I was also unable to directly predict what was going to happen. And the ending is impossible to stop thinking about, even now over a day after finishing it.

This is my favorite book of the year so far.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal death, Child death, Classism, Murder, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Grief, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Miscarriage

mmiamuse's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book grabbed me by the lapels and held on TIGHT! While reading this, I was consumed by it. I could not stop thinking about this at work, while driving...while existing lol. The writing is phenomenal, the character development is flawless. You will be emotionally scarred after reading this. This is a solid dark academia/fantasy stand alone. The MC is a woman in her mid 20's and I LOVED that. It made the character more relatable to me because I am the same age as Sciona (the main character). This is definitely added to the list as one of my favorite books ever...along with The Sword of Kaigen. I think I have a new favorite author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Racism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Infertility, Blood, Cannibalism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Violence, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, War, Child death, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt

taylorreads17's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Violence, Misogyny, Gore, Death of parent, Sexism, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Suicide attempt and Rape

e_len's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book wrecked me.
It took me a long while to finish it, because I kept picking it up and immediately putting it down, not in the mood for something so heavy, so infuriating, so painful.
M.L. Wang knows like no other how to invoke emotions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Genocide, Racial slurs, Death, Sexism, Slavery, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Vomit, Classism, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence

Minor: Rape, Miscarriage, and Infertility

couchaphant's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Colonisation, Body horror, Sexual assault, Genocide, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, and Gaslighting

courtsport3000's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

Brutal and unflinching, yet peppered with so many pure, tender moments. Beautifully written. Somehow both otherworldly and alarmingly close to home. Incredibly cool magic system and worldbuilding so clear it feels tangible. Everything is done well in this book. Everything.

This read really made me reflect and stretched my feelings to the max. I lost count of the number of times I gasped or clapped a hand over my mouth. Wang shocked me in ways few other authors have. Very eager to check out their other work now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Classism, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Hate crime, Misogyny, Blood, Genocide, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Animal death, and Gore

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Suicide and Sexual violence

emilyplun's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Colonisation, Death, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Racism

Moderate: Deportation, Bullying, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage and Gun violence