Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

8 reviews

theirgracegrace's review

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

A loving and alluring pastiche of present, past and future, the Night Circus is a great book for lovers of mystery and magic. The plot centres around le Cirque des rêves, a circus that appears suddenly and is only open at night. The circus is a battleground between two magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been forced into a competition that neither participant quite understands. As the magic of the circus deepens, the two get entangled more and more, and the performers begin to suspect something is afoot...

My most adored parts of the book are the descriptions of the circus venues, from the enigmatic Labyrinth to the Wishing Tree and the Ice Garden. The symbolism of a circus that is adorned in black and white, and it is the visitors who bring colour to it, shows immaculate sense of the book's themes. I was immediately drawn to the character of Bailey and loved how the narrative slowly incorporates him and the rêveurs. A delightful tale with a bittersweet ending that I look forward to reading next time the circus rolls into town!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Body horror, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Vomit, Classism, and Cursing

One of the side characters get hit by a train

and dies, and people try to make it out that she killed herself (but the reader will know it's not true).

setrahyn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Moderate: Domestic abuse

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I might even like The Night Circus better than The Starless Sea. Idk if that's an unpopular opinion. My main problem with the Starless Sea was that I ouldn't truly connect to the characters and they always still felt like characters and not real people. And while from time to time I still had that feeling in the Night Circus, I liked the charaters way more.

What made me absolutely love this book though is the atmosphere. Erin Morgenstern is extremely good at setting a scene and discribing details of places so you feel like you've been there yourself. I want to go visit the Night Circus so badly now! The attractions and the people and even the food and smell, everything is there to create this magical experience.

The book is very character driven and the plot sometimes feels non existent. I really didn't mind though. I do feel like this book in not for everyone though. If you don't like convoluted stories that sometimes leave you confused and multiple POVs that do the same - this book probably isn't for you. But if you want to have a magical experience and just go with the flow. Go read the Night Circus!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, Death, and Domestic abuse

collin_rose's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.5

 The magic of this world is fascinating, although it does not go into depth about how the magic.  works.

  The main characters are forced into a game of magical endurance without their approval. After attempting to upstage each other in magical feats they soon become fond and even anticipate each others moves. Going as far as to leave spaces for the other to respond, sort of like exchanging letters. These letters cause them to fall in love, though the competition keeps them from being able to be together for ever. In order to win the other must die. 

 I felt anxious throughout the entire book. The anticipation to how it would end kept me up at night. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Suicide

not_funto's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Minor: Blood and Suicide

paintedthree's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Looking back I did enjoy this book, but it is incredibly slow going. I had to pause reading it several times as the plot did not go anywhere until the second half of the book. The ending is good though, it ties everything together and the story feels complete. Unsure whether it balances out the incredibly slow pace, however.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Abandonment

bencaroline's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Murder, Infidelity, Child abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Addiction, and Trafficking

Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, and Animal cruelty

palettesandpages's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Suicide