Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

46 reviews

candelibri's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide

lapis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent book. 

But it's long, painful, and relevant (despite being written quite a while ago).  It's really hard to read as a result!

Please read it, but exercise caution. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Sexual Assault:

Discussed as a matter in the past

Abuse:

mostly just allusions to stuff in the past

Suicide:

One person commits suicide, others struggle with suicidal thoughts

kettijane55's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Death, Suicide, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

ailsaod's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I thought Graceling was a standalone so I was pleased to discover the existence of Bitterblue, then I read the first three chapters and chickened out for two or so years. I thought it Bitterblue's investigation was heading for imminent crushing embarrassment and I didn't fancy dealing with that however upon trying again I can say this book is very good and I didn't get any second hand embarrassment! 

Ultimately this book is a mystery set in a fantasy world and in the first half the questions just keep on piling up until it feels like there is no possible way to answer them all! Then some of the mysteries begin to be revealed and oh boy it gets more intense from there.

I am a little conflicted about Bitterblue as a character. On the one hand she is pretty great as she is very determined to discover the truth and wants to do the right thing and holds herself accountable when she realises she's made mistakes. However I found that the incident that starts her off on her quest for answers is not anywhere near big enough to make her so determined so quickly. Like if her curiosity could have been aroused so easily surely it would have happened sooner??

It was nice to catch up with many of the characters from Graceling and to see how they've grown up and there are a lot of interesting Monsean side characters. I especially liked Death (the librarian - his name rhymes with teeth!) and his cat, Lovejoy.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicide

Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Most of the content warnings refer to past events, some of which are elaborated on in flashback scenes

annaluzia's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.0

Loved it! Will write more when I'm getting home, but I don't have my laptop with me right now ...
*edit 10.04.2021:
I have no idea how to rate this book, to be honest. Plotwise and in terms of being an adventure and entertaining it falls flat compared to Fire and Graceling, but the character work is brilliant and I love love love the way she looks at a kingdom that had just suffered from tyranny, memory loss and no clue as to what the truth is. After studying the dictatorships in Latin America I feel like there are so many things I can now understand way better. The search for truth, for the disappeared, not knowing how to look forward, the power of art. 
I think that this book is really impactful in a lot of ways, but it won't be for anyone. Also love the bits of self-reflection of the author in her notes and acknowledgements, it shows growth and I really respect her for that, and her writing. 
Be aware of trigger warnings though, this is not an easy book! (not AS bad as I'm putting them, but it's primarily about the characters working through their traumas) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism

karingforbooks's review against another edition

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

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was so much better than I remembered! We see Bitterblue deal with the repercussions of her father's reign, and trust being rebuilt, and betrayal, and no blatantly painful romance, and Katsa and Po, and the politics of being a Queen. Watching Bitterblue figure out how to be Queen, despite her advisors, and through everything she has to work through herself, as well as what her kingdom has to work through, was amazing. Cashore does a good job of showing how people deal with trauma individually, and how a leader can be isolated from it even though they want to be there for their people. This is on par with my love for Graceling.
6/22/20: 5 stars. Amazing. I love watching these characters deal with the aftermath in different ways. I love the way she writes relationships and shows various ones being ok. I love that all three books combine. Amazing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

Moderate: Self harm, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, and Mental illness