Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

El príncipe cautivo by C.S. Pacat

99 reviews

diana_raquel's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

3.75

 [The following review contains descriptions of content warnings that can be triggering and spoilers. Those descriptions are hidden as spoilers.]

“A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies.”

Around 2018-2019, I was looking for fantasy series that would have LGBTQIA+ characters and ended up finding this trilogy. I remember that, at the time, I started reading and was immediately hooked. Captive Prince was the book that made me love Pacat but also explore less-known authors. So, when I finally got my hands on physical copies of this trilogy, I decided to read it again. And although I knew what was going to happen, I found that I still loved this trilogy as a whole. 

However, over the years, I also read a lot of negative reviews about this trilogy, especially about this book. And although I understand part of the backlash, there was this particular recurring argument that never made much sense to me, and lead me to think that the person using that argument only read the first book without giving the benefit of the doubt and continue reading. Which is totally fair - I also have abandoned series that I didn't like. What I didn't understand was that even when other people would defend the book and the trilogy as a whole, the first person would accuse the other of being a horrible person for not thinking that the trilogy was worthless trash with no value. So allow me to defend this book and this trilogy. 

Make no mistake, this book is what people would call "problematic". It's a really hard reading, full of themes that can be triggering, such as slavery, rape, sexual harassment, pedophilia, physical and emotional violence, torture, etc. It's really bad. I completely understand why people may dislike/hate the book and why it can be triggering. I'm in no way dismissing that.  What I don't understand is why some people say that the book romanticizes these elements, because the book never romanticizes these elements. 
 
Look, you are entitled to your opinion, and I will respect it, however, in my opinion, just because a book contains darker and horrible elements, doesn't mean that the book is problematic. Just because this book contains horrible elements that doesn't mean that it romanticizes those elements. Yes, slavery and rape are accepted parts of the culture of Vere, however, the book never gives the impression that this is in any way acceptable. Yes, Laurent also takes part in this, however, we later discover that this is a way to revenge his brother's death (it doesn't excuse his actions but it does provide some needed context). And don't even get me started on Damen. Yes, he is a victim. And, no, nothing that happens to him in this book is in any way excusable. However, he isn't a damsel in distress with Stockholm syndrome (side note:  Stockholm syndrome isn't considered a mental disorder, so can we stop it using it?). He never accepts what's happening to him and he resists every step of the way. 

I think that when using this argument people forget that the slave culture is also a part of Akielos culture (Damen's country) (although there are differences, it's still a slave culture). And this is important. Although Laurent is against any type or form of slavery, Damen isn't because he sees the culture of Akielos as a more acceptable form of slavery. However, after being subjected to slavery, Damen starts to see that his own culture isn't acceptable. That's why this book is so hard to read. The main character has to experience slavery and the violence that comes with it to understand that no form of slavery is acceptable. At its core, this is a story about dismantling power structures and understanding why those power structures have to be dismantled. 

Another argument used to prove the "romanticization" of this book is that, from the first chapter, is clear that Laurent and Damen are endgame. And yes, they are. However, it should be mentioned that they are mortal enemies, from enemy countries (yes, it's very Shakespeare, I know), and their relationship is one of hate, at first. However, the romanticization of their relationship only starts when they start to trust each other. With time, Damen is no longer Laurent's slave, he is a friend, and that's when feelings start to appear.


So, as a first book, this is quite a difficult book, due to its subject matter (that's why I decided to give it a 3 stars rating). However, it's a well-structured book, with well-developed characters and an intriguing plot. The pacing is perfect and the narrative flows in a very natural way. I guess that the only thing that I ask is this: if you are willing to read this book (and have read the content warnings list- seriously, do it), please, give this book the benefit of the doubt to this book and read the second one. I promise that its worth it. 
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madzcp's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This series is my all time favorite. I reread them almost every year. The subject matter can be challenging to read, and is presented in a controversial way. However, it is MEANT to be that way. People who give these books bad reviews, but have not read all three, should not be condemning them for the trigger warning type content. It is addressed in the future books. There is purpose to the content. It is meant to make you uncomfortable.
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paigeautum's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
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soldierarcs's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

3.75

The best parts of this book are the characters. It touches some important topics, and I'm not quite sure it does a good job in handling them. Not in the first book for sure. In the other two it gets better. 
If you want a characters driven story with good plot too and a strong and tense queer enemies to lovers trope, then this trilogy does the job for you. 
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tabbyclancy's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

4.5

My friend really hyped this up for me but it stayed in my TBR for ages. When I finally did pick it up, I tore through the book. It grabs you quickly and holds tight through the entire narrative.

I'm fascinated by Damen's reactions to the world around him, to Laurent, to his very severe change in status. I'm also baffled by Laurent, left wondering what is really motivating his cold and taunting exterior. I'm REALLY worried about some of the thins his Uncle says to him, not to mention how he acts after cettain facts come to light. I'm interested in how this enemies to frenemy/ally relationship is going to further develop. I kind of want them to be together and I am highly conflicted about it.

It's really quite interesting NO ONE has properly put together who Damen is - a forcibly exiled Prince. One who is pretty reviled with good reason in that kingdom. I wonder if they will or when we'll see it.
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bugcollector's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I just finished reading dark rise beforehand, bestie how is this the same author 
It rubs me off the wrong way that some slaves are introduced as "meant to be submissive" and "born to serve". 
and how am i supposed to ship em😀 rape isn't swag and this book isn't romance, i suppose it will come in the 2nd one but still


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robzuwu's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was very engaging, it gripped me immediately. The content might not be easy to read but the narration is done so well that it keeps you hooked despite the sometimes gruesome events that unfold. There is obviously more to the characters than is initially apparent and one of the great things about the writing is that it gives you just enough information to want to find out more, I finished this book in a day and immediately went on to book 2 because I was so intrigued and I NEEDED to know why these characters were doing what they were doing. Overall I'm really glad I read it and I would recommend it to people who don't filter tags on A03, like I said the content of the book is not easy to digest so the faint of heart might struggle with it. 
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zeppelinnyx's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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mspilesofpaper's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Pinterest sold me the book as enemies-to-lovers with a gay/bi couple. I was aware that Damen would be a slave but everyone praised it as beautiful romance.

It isn’t. It is a glorification of sexual violence. Endless abuse (mental and physical) as well as rape. Also: paedology since the boy was a sex slave since he was 10/11. The fact that the sex slaves in two kingdoms give up their free will (WHICH IS WHAT MAKES US HUMAN!) for a life in luxury is sickening. The more demure and submissive they are, the higher their worth. Like wtf? W t f. 

I don’t understand how a publisher allowed this book to be printed because the editor should have told the author a strict „no“. There’s no plot, no world-building, no character development. It’s just written glorification of sexual violence and I feel utterly sick.
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5aru's review against another edition

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

4.0

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