Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Malice by Heather Walter

79 reviews

blackheart's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

This was such a good read. The added depth and history of this classic tale was fantastic. The pain and rage of the main character is so relatable it make you want to be a villian too. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Death, Grief, Body shaming, Blood, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Violence

venti's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

feels like a set up for the next book — which i’m not complaining about because i’m sure it will be great, but would have been cooler maybe in one big volume like priory? idk 🤷 i liked alyce and aurora, but was so annoyed the whole book when alyce was constantly getting shit on. hope she kills them all in the next book! 😜

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Death, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Misogyny, War, Torture, and Sexism

jennazim's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Murder

quitegood's review against another edition

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

3.75

This is a book of two halves, literally and figuratively. Literally in that the book is split into two parts, but figuratively because if you judged this book on its first half and assumed it wasn't worth your time, you'd be missing out on a thrilling and explosive second half. But I wouldn't blame you if you had dropped this book based on the first 200 pages. 
I want to be charitable and say the slower first part is necessary for the second half to have its impact, but that's like saying a long speach on careful fiscal planning enhances the fireworks show afterwards. Not to say the first half is that tedious, but you do feel like little is happening, and that which does happen feels like a contrivance.

I wish I knew who Alyce was before I learned of her abuse. The book explores it fully come the second half, but in the first half, Alyce comes across as petulant and petty. Later we learn she has good reason to be, but I feel it would been better know this first, not retroactively.

But this book does punch you in the feels, so you've been warned! If you have any trauma at all from your childhood and are not in a good place regarding it, might be best to skip this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

keya_caivalur's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Xenophobia, Genocide, Sexual content, War, Death of parent, Drug use, Torture, and Gaslighting

yofrere's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Highly anticipated read that did alright. A sapphic, corruption arc fairytale retelling with intermediate world building? Whoa. Pick a struggle. I didn’t realize immediately that this was part of a duology so keep that in mind if you’re thinking about reading. The pacing was… weird? And some plot points only felt relevant in the second book.

But I was rooting for Alyce on the edge of my seat. I wanted her to get everything she wanted though I don’t know how I felt about what she did to go after it. The climax felt steep, for better or for worse. I immediately started reading the sequel because I had to know what could possibly follow that weird cliffhanger for an entire book.

Vengeful and mysterious and a little convoluted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicide

ninamanon's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.75

What a great original take on the fairytale! I loved the world building and the magic system. Especially the first half of the book was thrilling and I couldn’t put it down. 

The writing was a bit too obvious and over explaining to my taste, sometimes. Some things would’ve worked better if they were left for the reader to figure out and conclude. 

The main twist could be spotted from a mile away. Maybe that was intentional! But it didn’t really work for me. 

I also didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the main couple. It felt a little forced. There was barely any buildup. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, Blood, Bullying, and Racism

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Addiction, Classism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Torture, War, Alcohol, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Slavery

f18's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Xenophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Classism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Cursing, Colonisation, Rape, Lesbophobia, Suicide, and Torture

maladaptivedaydreamer's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness

Minor: Torture and Child abuse

kaitieg97's review against another edition

Felt a little too fairytale for me; the stakes feel low, "no one will ever love me because I am a monster", "I wish I was more of an outcast like you!!"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: War