Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

21 reviews

readwithev's review

emotional 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? No

5.0

Loved this book! It’s a cool mix of historical fiction and magical realism. I enjoyed seeing Hazel’s medical skills and understanding grow. Though 17 years old, she’s a headstrong and brave young woman tired of the 19th century restrictions against women. She learns ro stand up for herself and to be more skeptical. Eventually she learns how to carve her own path.
The love story element is adorable, deep, romantic, and tender. No smut, which I prefer. I hope in book 2, we learn more about the suspicious behavior of Hazel’s fiancée. Though he is egotistical and condescending, i think he has more depth (albeit cruel and selfish) to offer to the story.
I actually appreciated Dr. Beecham’s logic, though sociopathic and detached.
The characters are socio-economically diverse; we’re introduced to the daily struggle of the poor, the injustices they face, the lack of social safety nets, and how “invisible” they are to the wealthy elite. In contrast, the elite live in large homes. Hazel herslef lives in a castle with servants, horses, a guest house, a carriage, etc.
I’m looking forward to reading book 2 Immortality from my library (currently on hold 😭).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Medical content and Medical trauma

Minor: Vomit, Torture, and Pregnancy

gracescanlon's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Classism, Death, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Vomit, Drug use, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol

malbright's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

This was my first ever YA novel and I was pleasantly surprised at how vivid the imagery and context was in her writing despite being catered to a younger audience. This was an overall good book! The character and plot development had some major gaps in it. But once I learned this author is a TV writer it all made sense! There were distractions placed throughout the plot —much like TV shows— that diverts the readers away from these gaps. You completely forget that some of the threads were incomplete. But then, in hindsight as I am processing the book I’m left being like “wait… what?” “What about x and x?”. The ending, while very good and satisfying, was indeed a cliffhanger and felt just like TV. Intended to string you into the next novel or “episode” in the series. Which is I suppose the point? It was an interesting viewpoint into the history of medicine and alchemy, plagues, sexism, classism, and ultimately a cautionary tale that things are never quite what they seem. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, Classism, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Sexism

wytherwytch's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Just brilliant. Dark. Gothic. Romantic. Can't wait for part 2! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Murder, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Grief, Death, and Blood

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Torture

cephalopodbot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Kidnapping, Body horror, and Torture

alisonvh's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I loved the characters, the setting, the story, everything about it! And the narrator does a fantastic job.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Sexism, Classism, Violence, Torture, and Trafficking

Minor: Child death

caroline_wavesandpeanuts's review

adventurous informative mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Murder, Body horror, Medical content, Misogyny, and Torture

rustycups'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

It was an overall good read. The characters worked well with eachother but we never really saw much if Hazel unless it was to do with surgery. It wasn't to bad thought because we saw a lot of character displayed through that. I did not like the ending to the book I feel as if jt upset the vibe we allresfy had and it came completely out if nowhere for me

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Sexism, Murder, Classism, Death, Blood, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Torture, Animal death, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy

bootsmom3's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Torture, Ableism, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Medical content, Classism, Child death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Grief

arbramirez's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-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? No

1.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Chronic illness, Sexism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, and Police brutality