Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Malice by Heather Walter

30 reviews

abbs15norm's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, War, Murder, Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Blood

Minor: Classism, Confinement, Genocide, Homophobia, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Alcohol

lovelylittleladd's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

AAAAAAAHHHH this was magnificent. I love this new take on a classic tale. 

The transformation of Alyce is CHILLING. The adaptation of her character alone had me never wanting to put this book down. Each twist and turn left me surprised. I loved seeing the dark turn of her character and how unfortunate circumstances throughout life can affect one’s character. It’s nice to see this tale retold from a morally grey standpoint, rather than pure good or evil—it gives the whole story a much more humanistic approach. And that ending? WOW.

THAT’S the “evil” villain I’ve known for years, and here I am actually cheering for her now.

I LOVED this sapphic take on the classic tale. The way Alyce describes her feelings for Aurora makes my heart burst; it’s how I feel when I’ve fallen head-over-heels for a woman.

My heart fluttered when Aurora and Alyce finally connected. I enjoyed that sort of representation in this novel.

 

Also, can we talk about the ANGST?!

My heart absolutely BREAKS for both of them and the doom of their relationship. Poor Aurora can’t catch a break with all of these curses and Alyce only digs herself a deeper hole when trying to fix her wrongs. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see play out. But, it pulls at my heartstrings in the best way. I live for the angst!

 

I’m excited to see how it plays out in the sequel. This was a delightful read, even when being absolutely heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Confinement, Torture, and Physical abuse

Minor: Homophobia and Sexual content

victoriousbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Torture and Confinement

Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent

dusksolace's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Confinement, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, and Homophobia

Minor: Suicide

parkergeist's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, and War

anapthine's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Classism, Death of parent, and War

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

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

3.25

I'm torn about this book.
I loved the world-building, with the Grace system and how it explores capitalist exploitation of magical beings, that's something I wasn't expecting from this book and I was here for it.
The most lacking part was the romance, especially in the build-up part. It was all tell and no show, so not very believable when something did end up happening. The twists at the end are not bad, but too little too late. I was bored during all the middle part of the book (when the romance was supposed to build-up).
The character development is also a bit weak. It started well with Alyce's character, I loved the storyline of how she discovers herself and her power. But then there's no real growth or transformation, it stays very much on the surface of what she can do with her powers instead of the deep inner exploration of good and evil that I was expecting. Most other characters have little substance and are very black and white, except for the graces (again, I think I would have loved a novel just about the graces because that was the most interesting part), especially Laurel and her political reasoning.
Side-note, I am very pissed off whenever there is a shape-shifter character/storyline and it doesn't lead to a real exploration of gender and identity, especially in what is supposed to be a sapphic novel. Don't give me shape shifters and not make them queer!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Xenophobia, and Torture

Moderate: Genocide, Drug use, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia

kaziaroo's review against another edition

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Death, Confinement, Violence, War, Alcohol, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Grief

Minor: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

cbg11003's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad 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

5.0

The author herself said on TikTok that this book would tear me apart. Did I hear those warnings? No, I did not. I love and hate these characters so much ending this book and realizing I need to wait for the sequel caused me actual pain!
If you like fantasy, the sleeping beauty story, and/or sapphic stories and don't mind having your heart played with, definitely give this book a go.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Confinement, War, and Death

Minor: Animal death and Body shaming

yvonne_cl's review against another edition

dark hopeful lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Torture, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Murder, Confinement, and Child abuse

Minor: War, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Physical abuse