Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey

12 reviews

carol16's review against another edition

challenging dark funny medium-paced

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

3.5

Intriguing and somewhat disturbing dystopian novel about what would happen if tech destroyed nature to the extent that it become a killer. Also a good look on how small communities can become cults when separated from the rest of reality whether that be only giving one family "magical" gifts or a following a mad man. Koli can be a bit blockheaded sometimes but I think he will continue to grow as this series does. The book really could have done without the weird dialect but I do understand the artistic choice. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Transphobia

jeedmonds's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

2.0

This book took forever to finally get to the plot, at least half way through. The first half was a dumb teenager pining over a girl that was never really that interested in him. If you enjoy teenagers being entirely self absorbed in themselves then, you'll enjoy the first half of the book. There wasn't even that much world building beyond the main character Koli, and some conspiracy that happens with the people in power in his tiny town.

FINALLY, a plot happens well into the second half of the book and the book ends right as it actually gets really interesting. The pacing of this book is awful. The whole concept about plants being dangerous and it's actually not really a large part of the book, just a plot device that gets brought up when it's useful again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Self harm

Moderate: Transphobia

geekmom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

This book was fresh and original and completely sucked me in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Cursing, and Blood

szuum's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Confinement

Moderate: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Sexual content and Transphobia

booksthatburn's review against another edition

I don’t like the style of the opening narration, something about it doesn’t work for me. I think it’s that Koli is narrating from so far in the future, it makes it feel like being told a rambling story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Pregnancy, and Violence

aralakh's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Violence

Minor: Transphobia

vampiretree's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cannibalism, Violence, and Dementia

rebthack's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

100s of years Post-apocalypse. Survivors are eking out life in tiny communities that barely communicate, exchange ideas, or goods. Danger is everywhere - from killer trees that awake on sunny days to leftover weapons that descend on communities with no warning. And the most powerful in town are able to awaken and use the technology from before.

Narrated by Koli, he tells the story of his life - starting at 15 when he is old enough to go into waiting, aka, have his only opportunity to try and awaken technology. Koli is convinced he can make this happen, and his life will be all that he dreams it will be and more. 

But things don’t quite work out.

This book is set up as a foundational piece and definitely the first in a trilogy. Initially, the uneven language was challenging to get past, but after a few chapters, I no longer was aware of Koli’s fractured grammar or disjointed vernacular. The story is interesting enough, but, working as the base of a larger story, the book was a little slow to start, albeit rich with details of the daily life of Koli and his village.

I’ll definitely be back at the library to reserve the next book in the series tomorrow!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Minor: Transphobia

courtsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Transphobia, Incest, and Infertility

enderbug's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Cannibalism and Transphobia