Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

123 reviews

vtruelove's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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

5.0

This story is about women rising up to reclaim their power. It also has a timely theme of religion being used to control a population. It is truly one of the best books I've read in quite a long time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Body horror, Death, Grief, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry

katemarie99's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Murder, Self harm, and Sexism

Minor: Suicide, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Torture, and Sexual violence

whimsykat's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Slavery, Death, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Gore, Sexism, Hate crime, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexual assault

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Child death, Genocide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, and War

triley's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

chezler24's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

I really enjoyed this book's world-building and the attention Namina Forna put toward the land's religion and history. We got a taste of the different personalities and cultures of different geographic regions and groups through our main character's, Deka's, point of view. (I would love to see a prequel book diving directly into the history of the gods and goddesses.) Deka is an easy main character to root for throughout the early challenges she faces as well as her growth in training and unlearning certain things she believed to be undeniably true. In some sections, I felt like she teetered towards being too overpowered but certain training sessions and lack of information did help curtail some of those fears. Of course, the alaki ARE pretty heightened individuals anyway. For character relationships, the warrior sisterhood aspect was nice; it felt very akin to the movie The Woman King. I was (as always) nervous about the romance introduced and that it would detract from the woman-focused aspect of the novel; however, the reason for the male character to be introduced made sense in this world AND Deka always maintained that her alaki sisters would be her primary and longest relationship moving forward. I'm excited for the sequel to see the events after the final battle and hear how the country has changed regarding new information revealed toward the end of the book (no spoilers). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, War, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual violence, Trafficking, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

zero_sjl's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

3.5

As a debut novel this story was really good. It had a lot of interesting plot points, but some parts in the book felt a little awkward or out of place. I'm excited to read the sequel and see how the author further develops this world and the characters I came to love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Blood, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition

4.0

Hey, I finally read it! This definitely kept my attention and kept me guessing. I've already checked out the sequel from the library! I need to know what happens next.

CW: racism, sexism, misogyny, violence, death, torture, abuse (emotional and physical), confinement, religious bigotry, talk of rape, previous death of parent, blood, body horror, genocide, it's a LONG LIST ( Content Warnings - The Gilded Ones | The StoryGraph )

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexism, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

Minor: Death of parent

gotem's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.75

Get past the first 100ish pages, and its a riveting book about found family, the exposure of intense indoctrination, and magical girl powers all wrapped in one.

Unsettlingly gory at parts, and strikingly vague in others. This would work well for someone who reads with a heavy focus on action and dialogue. Please do mind the trigger warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Sexism, Vomit, Trafficking, Body horror, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Child abuse, Torture, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Rape, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood

teabella's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Overall loved the story and how it unfolded. a bit repetitive in some parts but was very engaging! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Torture, Vomit, and War