Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

37 reviews

booksthatburn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, Torture, Death, Cursing, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Grief, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Ableism, and Drug use

Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Alcohol, Vomit, Child death, and Death of parent

blacksphinx's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Sexual content, Bullying, Violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Classism, Homophobia, Sexism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Outing

Minor: Chronic illness, Suicide, and Racism

anna_hepworth's review against another edition

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? No

3.5

What I thought I was getting was fantasy adventure (magic in England in the ~1910s) with a romance subplot. What I got was the type of romance plot that doesn't appeal, with a varnish of fantasy adventure sub-subplot, and quite a lot of sex scenes. Maybe if I'd had the right expectations, I'd have appreciated this story more.

As it was, there are lots of interesting details, and there were some fabulous paragraphs. But I finished it somewhat out of spite, and because I have book two out of the library, waiting for me to read it. I did want to know what happened, but I didn't really want to have to deal with the romantic couple and their emotional miscommunications. 

I can see that there are some interesting overarching plot threads, with three items to be found, and three books to find them in, so I have hopes that book two won't slump. 

Overall summary: world building fantastic, plot a bit rough, characterisation a little off and occasionally veering towards farce, writing shows promise, particularly as this is a debut novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Bullying, and Chronic illness

Minor: Homophobia and Alcohol

arialien's review against another edition

dark informative medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Mental illness, and Chronic illness

knittingtipsy's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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? No

3.75

Very fun queer fantasy in an Edwardian setting. Clever version of a magical universe, excellent exposition. First in a series but feels like a complete story. Looking forward to reading the next one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Chronic illness

caitlinemccann's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Murder

Moderate: Violence, Outing, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Blood, and Body horror

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Chronic illness, and Stalking

pvbobrien's review against another edition

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content

Moderate: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Murder, Death of parent, and Torture

frenchpants's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Violence

Minor: Homophobia, Chronic illness, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic relationship

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Bullying, and Confinement

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Blood, Grief, and Chronic illness

xandry's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Bullying, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Torture, Murder, Chronic illness, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Xenophobia and Racism