Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

7 reviews

lateromantic's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

2.0

 

This was an interesting metaphor, but badly executed: the setting was shoehorned in (and, as a romanticist, I do not appreciate the Hoffmann or Dumas erasure), the characters and their actions boring, the references to the real world jarring and eye-rolling. Every time I started to get into it something would bounce me out of it. I wasn't a fan of the prose, I found the turn of phrase clunky, and the structure was strange - was it going for thriller? Why did it run on so long? Also, it was 'edgy', which I find incredibly boring. 

 

Not without merit, just not my kind of thing - perhaps if you want more 'dark faerie' content after reading ACOTAR, or want a book that has vibes of the first Wonder Woman film, you'll like it, but I found both of those put together by a better craftsperson than this. 

 

(Sorry, I don't like to write mean reviews, but I have nothing nice to say about this beyond 'nice idea' and that I will inevitably read another Nutcracker book next Christmas.)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Classism, Confinement, Abortion, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Torture, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Sexism, and Toxic friendship

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Grief, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Classism, and Torture

vj_thompson's review against another edition

The beginning is what got me. It was hard to read and get through. The story in the beginning is straight up depressing. I wanted it to get to the plot a lot quicker.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Pregnancy, Bullying, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood and Sexual content

chasingpages1's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Child death, Classism, Confinement, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Infidelity, Stalking, Alcohol, Body horror, Kidnapping, Torture, Bullying, and Grief

Minor: Addiction, Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Incest, War, Infertility, Gaslighting, and Pregnancy

gondorgirl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Gaslighting, Sexism, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Infidelity, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

dragongurrl's review against another edition

I’m so over this troupe! Here’s a summary of the first 30 pages. FMC is ugly because she has straight brown hair, likes to read, and isn’t super skinny. Twin sister is gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous because she has curly blond hair, skinny, dances and parties and (as said in the book) doesn’t read even though she knows how. 🙄 literally this is drilled into you time and time again nonstop in the first 10% of the book! It’s annoying. I’m not a fan of the troupe already but ok say it once. Maybe even twice! But 10% of the book?! And I stopped reading there. I’m guessing it goes on longer. I just can’t stomach it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Bullying

Minor: Misogyny and Classism

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Misogyny, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Classism, Confinement, Child abuse, Blood, Death, Gore, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Incest, Alcoholism, and Slavery