Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

34 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

nic3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

3.75

A good example of the "secret magical parallel society" genre. I appreciate a magic system which has internal logic and was, imo, an original concept with the cradling. The characters were mostly likeable and believable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

lollymac's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Bullying, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Homophobia, Murder, and Grief

gwenynenbrenin's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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? No

5.0

Edwardian era? Fantasy? Gays? I was immediately hooked even before I picked up this book, this is the quickest way to my heart! 

I love that we can learn about the magical system and underworld, for want of a better word, from the perspective of Robin Blyth. I'm glad it differs from other books where the one MC learns about magic and feels lost and out of place; instead, Robin is obviously shocked by the magic he sees but does just take everything in his stride. 

I'm glad that the homophobia is next to non-existent, there is perhaps the briefest mention (naturally there would be, given the time period), but it is just incredibly brief. None of the other characters seem to bat an eyelid aside from the few who mock Edwin, but even then, it's nothing outrightly terrible, it is such a nice breath of fresh air. 

I love the author's writing style and found it very difficult to put down - genuinely cannot wait to read the other books in the series! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

Minor: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, and Bullying

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

ccccamden's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent

jencolumb0's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

A romance with magic and mystery. It almost feels like Marske put Alexis Hall’s Spires series in a blender with India Holton’s books to result in a charming (badum bump), emotionally intelligent mystery involving well-developed characters (something that seemed to trouble Holton in her first novel; still working through the rest . . . and I digress). I am definitely looking forward to seeing how the rest of the story plays out.

Also, know that the torture elements are most prominent at the beginning and you’ll be able to follow the rest of the story easily if you skip right over it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Outing, Classism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Violence

Minor: Self harm and Misogyny

jem_carstairs's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Torture, Death of parent, Suicide, and Kidnapping

mossgoblins's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was a lovely read! Great plot, complex, easily lovable characters, and a very interesting development of the magic system!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Outing, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Classism, Suicide, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Misogyny

northernfleabag'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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping